Pantheon historical timeline

Last updated on October 5, 2026

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A temple that burned, was rebuilt by an emperor who put the old owner's name back on it, then given away to a pope and never once abandoned since.

Chronology

27 BC — Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, son-in-law, friend and collaborator of Augustus, has a first temple built here dedicated to all the gods. Structural impact: a conventional temple on this ground. What you see today: the name on the frieze, and nothing else.
Before Hadrian — the original burnt down. Structural impact: the site is cleared for a wholly different building. What you see today: the reason the rotunda bears a Republican-era dedication.
AD 118–126 — Hadrian rebuilds, and the sources differ on when. Turismo Roma: between 118 and 125, enlarging it, reversing its orientation and opening a large porticoed square in front. The reference work: probably dedicated about AD 126, adding that the date is uncertain because Hadrian chose to re-inscribe the new temple with Agrippa's original inscription. Structural impact: a circular domed cella behind a temple portico — a combination unique in Roman architecture. What you see today: the building, and an inscription that dates the wrong one.
After antiquity — the building falls into abandonment and is sacked by barbarians. Structural impact: losses, but no demolition. What you see today: what was left to save.
13 May 609 — the Byzantine emperor Phocas gives the Pantheon to Pope Boniface IV, who consecrates it as Santa Maria ad Martyres, preserving it from the spoliation that affected many other ancient monuments in the medieval period. The Chapter dates the consecration to this day and records that it has been used uninterruptedly ever since for the liturgy. Structural impact: a pagan temple becomes a church and stops being material. What you see today: the single reason the building exists.
609 — Phocas also gives Boniface IV the Byzantine icon of the Virgin and Child, on the occasion of the dedication. Structural impact: none. What you see today: the icon, still in the basilica.
1625 — under Urban VIII Barberini, the portico is stripped of its bronze covering to cast the baldachin of Saint Peter's and 80 cannons for Castel Sant'Angelo. The talking statue of Pasquino is credited with the reply: Quod non fecerunt barbari, fecerunt Barberini — what the barbarians did not do, the Barberini did. Structural impact: the portico loses its bronze. What you see today: bare structure where metal was.
Same years — two bell towers are built at the sides of the pediment, which Romans call donkey's ears. Structural impact: an addition at roof level. What you see today: nothing — they came down at the Unification of Italy.
1870 — the Pantheon becomes the sacrarium of the kings of Italy. Structural impact: tombs inserted into the rotunda. What you see today: Vittorio Emanuele II, Umberto I and Margherita di Savoia, and artists including Raffaello Sanzio.
Today — the Pantheon is state property, managed by Italy's Ministry of Cultural Heritage, while remaining a working basilica under its Chapter of Canons. Structural impact: none. What you see today: why the ticket and the Mass are run by two different bodies.

Verified against Turismo Roma, October 2026.

Sources & verification Covers the sourced claims on this page.

Checked against Turismo Roma — Turismo Roma records that the Pantheon's history begins in 27 BC, when Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, son-in-law, friend and collaborator of Augustus, had a first temple built in this area dedicated to all the gods, Turismo Roma records that the Pantheon's present form is due to Hadrian, who had it rebuilt between 118 and 125 AD, enlarging it, reversing its orientation and opening a large porticoed square in front of the new temple — dates that differ from the reference work's probable dedication of about AD 126, Turismo Roma records that the Pantheon fell into abandonment and was then sacked by barbarians, and that in 609 AD it was given by the Byzantine emperor Phocas to Pope Boniface IV, who consecrated it and dedicated it to Santa Maria ad Martyres, in this way preserving it from the spoliation that affected many other ancient monuments in the medieval period, Turismo Roma records that the Basilica houses the very ancient Byzantine icon of the Virgin and Child that the Emperor Phocas gave to Pope Saint Boniface IV in 609, on the occasion of the dedication of the ancient pagan temple to Christian worship, Turismo Roma records that in 1625, under the pontificate of Urban VIII Barberini, the Pantheon was stripped of the bronze covering of its portico in order to cast the baldachin of Saint Peter's and 80 cannons destined for Castel Sant'Angelo, and that from this episode came the celebrated saying entrusted to the talking statue of Pasquino, Quod non fecerunt barbari, fecerunt Barberini, Turismo Roma records that in the same years two bell towers were built at the sides of the Pantheon's pediment, which the Romans contemptuously called donkey's ears and which were removed at the Unification of Italy, Turismo Roma records that in 1870 the Pantheon became the sacrarium of the kings of Italy and holds the remains of Vittorio Emanuele II, Umberto I and Margherita di Savoia, besides the burials of numerous artists among them Raffaello Sanzio (October 2026).
Checked against Wikipedia — The Pantheon is an ancient temple in Rome originally built under the emperor Augustus and reconstructed under Hadrian, and since AD 609 a Catholic church called the Basilica of Saint Mary and the Martyrs; it is perhaps the most famous, and architecturally most influential, rotunda, The current Pantheon was built on the site of an earlier temple commissioned by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa during the reign of Augustus; after the original burnt down the present building was completed by Hadrian and probably dedicated about AD 126, and its date of construction is uncertain because Hadrian chose to re-inscribe the new temple with Agrippa's original date inscription from the older temple, The Pantheon is one of the best-preserved of all Ancient Roman buildings, in large part because it has been in continuous use throughout its history, and since the 7th century it has been a church dedicated to Saint Mary and the Martyrs, known as Santa Maria Rotonda, the square in front being called Piazza della Rotonda, The Pantheon is state property, managed by Italy's Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism (October 2026).
Checked against Basilica di Santa Maria ad Martyres (Pantheon) — The Chapter records that the Basilica of the Pantheon has been a church consecrated to Catholic worship since 13 May 609 and has from that day been used uninterruptedly for the praise of God, the personal and public prayer of the faithful, the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist and the sanctification of the Christian people through the sacraments (October 2026).

Pantheon historical timeline

Chronology

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