It's getting a little damp around the gills by now, but spirits remain high. As we looked back down the hill toward the Colosseum, I think everyone felt a bit of a chill, owing both to the historical significance of this place and the weather.
The Arch of Constantine (the first Christian Emperor) is the latest of the existing triumphal arches in Rome. It is situated between the Colosseum and Palatine Hill. It was erected to commemorate Constantine's victory over Maxentius in 312 AD.
Further up, in the middle of Capitoline hill, stands a very impressive bronze figure on a horse thought to be Constantine. The horse is said to have been used by sculptors for hundreds of years as the definitive equine model. Apparently, Michelangelo didn't particularly care for it, but he did provide the pedestal it sits on. The one here is a copy. The original is in the Palazzo dei Conservatori nearby.
The Pantheon was originally built as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome. The generic term pantheon is now applied to a monument in which illustrious dead are buried; Raphael, for example. It is the best preserved of all Roman antiquities, and perhaps the best preserved building of its age in the world. It has been in continuous use throughout its history .. as a Roman Catholic church since the 7th century. The Pantheon is the oldest standing domed structure in Rome, and no .. they don't cover up the hole in it when it rains.
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