"Another Side of Rome" Objectives of Our Visit--Illustrated By the Backside of the Pantheon

I wanted our trip to be self-styled, though packed with activities and sights.

Since we were visiting our son and daughter-in-law (she: a Fellow at the American Academy in Rome with focus on the "Corner Problem in the Ancient World of Architecture" -- a paraphrase) we wanted to Walk A Lot; my son loves to take long city walks wherever he is; she, too.  Through the ages, I bet most Romans had to walk about their world; so good exercise was also a way to "honor that principle"?  I always notice more as a pedestrian.

Also, sneaky way to spend more time with the Kidz (as I call them).

On the outside of the Dome there is a Stairway for access to the Ocular!! Yikes, I don't want to go up there! You can see the on the center right area of the Dome, above.

We kept re-visiting the Pantheon--it was usually on the way to something else. The kids knew a lot about the back side, the construction details, additions, deletions, etc of the structure.

Which leads to another Objective of the Trip: most tourists only stand in line, walk through the interior (armed with whatever knowledge they have or the tour guide offers AND Their Cell Phone for Selfies). We wanted to see the famous sights and sites--Yes--but shun the crowds, also see the Other Side, Look Deeper. 

Some arches, I learned, were purpose-built to be filled in with brick for extra strength. You see this all over the city in ancient buildings and the Walls of Rome.

The paving stones you see all around you, alas, are not necessarily the ones the Ancients knew.

Interesting half-dome configuration on the back of the building.

So we lingered here for a while, sitting on a wall, looking at details; Ian recalled details learned on academic tours and lectures; reading. It was shady and cool. A sweet memory.

Column probably salvaged from some older temple?  There is a lot of that on view.

The original Pantheon was built much lower--the modern city has elevated itself on the ruins of the old city; you can see this from the rear.    The front was packed, crowded with tourist baking in the sun as they waited to enter what is now a church, national monument and burial site for heroes of the nation.