The Pantheon, one of Rome’s most visited monuments, may no longer be free to enter. Italy’s Culture Minister Dario Franceschini has announced the possible introduction of an entry fee to access it.
Built in 27 B.C. as a temple for worshipping the gods (hence the name pantheon, a Greek word meaning ‘all the gods’) by consul-general-architect Marcus Agrippa, the man who assisted Augustus in making Rome ‘a city of marble’, the Pantheon was destroyed by a ravaging fire in 110 A.D. It was rebuilt in 118, during the reign of emperor Hadrian.
It is one of the best preserved buildings from ancient Rome, due in large measure to the fact that it has been used continuously throughout its history. In 609, Pope Boniface IV converted it into a Christian church, which still is to this day, known as Santa Maria della Rotonda or Santa Maria ad Martyres.
The ministry said that, if introduced, the entry charge will be modest. It said that part of the revenues will be used to maintain the site and 20 percent may go to the Solidarity Fund, as it happens with other monuments. The Pantheon received more than seven million visitors in 2016.
The ministry’s proposal to introduce a ticket to access one of Rome’s most famous sites has immediately caused a stir, counterposing those who argue that it is fair to introduce the fee against those who say it is not right to put a price tag on Italy’s cultural heritage.
Those who oppose the measure also point out the logistical difficulty of managing payments, as the Pantheon stands on a square where space is very limited. Where will the ticket office be placed, considering the unavoidable lines that will form (up to 20,000 people a day are expected to visit the monument)? They wonder how a ticket booth will not ‘offend’ the monument and disrupt the fruition of the beautiful piazza that stands in front of it.
Others argue that, given the difficult economic times, it only makes sense to try to increase revenues by charging a ticket to access monuments.
The entry fee may be introduced by February 2018.
What do you think of this possible measure?
