My time in Rome was short – just a day and a half- which hardly even begins to do justice to all the delights of Rome. After touring other parts of Italy, I was dropping my daughter off at her summer school program then I was flying home. So, I kept my plans minimal and focused more on wandering Rome to just take in the grandeur.
We found an accessible hotel in the tourist center of Rome that had easy access to my daughter’s school program and a few of the sites. After checking into the hotel, my daughter and I went to wander the streets and shop for items she needed for school. Along the way we popped into churches and made it by the famous site of the Pantheon.
I wouldn’t say traversing the streets of Rome was easy – many sidewalks are extremely narrow, have random blockages, or steep ramps cutting across them making wheelchair travel precarious. The streets are a bit better and in heavily touristy areas, most people walk in the streets anyways. But be warned – Rome is ancient and so therefore most of the streets are cobblestone – very well-worn slick cobblestone. This sometimes caused me to slide sideways in my wheelchair and always meant I was in for a bumpy ride. But I didn’t let that stop me, I wanted to see the sites.
Unfortunately, by the time we made it to the Pantheon, it was closed for the day, so we were only able to tour the outside areas. But even the outside and open-air portico are impressive. Built as a temple to (possibly) all the gods (Pantheon means “of the gods”) around 126 CE, the Pantheon is one of the best preserved buildings from ancient Rome. Scholars are unsure if the temple was actually dedicated to all the gods, or if it just got the nickname because it had statues of multiple gods around it, but whatever the case, the name stuck throughout history. Its front portico is surrounded by large Corinthian columns that leads to the vestibule which then open into the stunning rotunda dome with its oculus to the sky.
We were only able to see the portico area, but I was very pleased to see that there was an easy to navigate ramp on it on the far-left side when you are facing the Pantheon. I have read that the interior is also wheelchair accessible and I was disappointed to not be able to visit. We were able to look around the portico and take a few pictures, but the crowds were dense. Visiting at the start of tourist season in June meant we faced crowds everywhere, but at any time of the year the Pantheon is a popular destination. As always in crowded tourist places, be very aware of your belongings at all times and don’t fall for tourist scams like people trying to hand you something that they then force you to buy or offering to take your picture and end up stealing your camera/phone!
There is something very awe inspiring about standing in a temple that has been in use for 2000 years. Just wandering down a side street and then entering the piazza where the Pantheon dominates your view can give you pause. History has unfolded here. So many stories have been lived out here – it connects us in a visceral way to the past. Even if not in use as a temple these days, it is still a sacred space for how it honors and holds the weight of all who have come before. Finding ways to visit these sorts of sacred spaces is to me a vital part of travel and a necessary part of understanding my place in this grand narrative of life.
And it is accessible making it truly a pantheon dedicated to all.
