Italy

In honor of Rome's birthday, the ray of sun in the Pantheon was late for an hour

On April 21, 2014, several hundred tourists located in the Roman Pantheon witnessed an astronomical phenomenon that can be observed only once a year: a ray of the sun passing through an opening in the dome illuminates the entrance to the ancient temple dedicated to the ancient Roman gods at exactly 12.00.

We arrived at the Pantheon half an hour before the alleged occurrence. A few minutes before 12 it was already obvious that the ray of sun did not have time to reach the entrance at the appointed time. We recently wrote about the Italian scientist Eugenio La Rocca, who revealed the secret and proved that the oculus (a nine-meter hole in the dome of the Pantheon) was used by the emperor Augustus instead of a theater spotlight. According to his research, at noon, on the birthday of Rome on April 21, Augustus entered the temple, which caused the delight of the servants, most of whom, of course, were unaware of the cunning astronomical calculations of the builders.

Eyewitness fact: on April 21, 2014 at 12.00 Italian time (UTC + 02: 00), a light spot remained a few meters before the entrance. We have forgotten that during the time of Emperor Hadrian there was no summer time yet.

However, everything fell into place exactly an hour later, apparently, there is a difference between astronomical time in Italy and Ancient Rome. Then we suggest that you follow the chronicle of events in our photo report.

5 minutes to 13.00

Everyone is waiting for a decisive moment.

Hooray!

But the enjoyment of the astronomical miracle was short. At 13:00 they announced that the Pantheon was closing, and began to politely kick everyone out. Usually it works until 19.00, but due to the holidays, the time for visits was reduced.

And the light actually falls very beautifully and right on target.

A serious traffic jam formed at the exit, as a result of mass insanity everyone rushed to photograph themselves.

The light was really magical.

We with the editor-in-chief of Italy for Me, Yana Yakutsevich, also could not help but remember the photograph.

At the entrance to the Pantheon there was a huge disappointed crowd of people who did not have time to enter.

At 13:15, the huge doors closed, the show ended.

It remained a mystery to me why on such an important day the temple administration was so dismissive of thousands who wanted to look at a unique phenomenon. However, this is Italy, no one will work more than necessary here, especially on holidays.

Popular Posts

Category Italy, Next Article

Dresden Castle Residence
Germany

Dresden Castle Residence

The Dresden Castle Residence is one of the oldest buildings in the city. Today there are several museums. The most popular is the "Green Arches" - a famous collection of jewelry. Dresden Castle Residence (Dresdner Residenzschloss), photo Franz Reichard Dresden Castle Residence (Dresdner Residenzschloss) - one of the oldest buildings in the city.
Read More
Neumarkt
Germany

Neumarkt

Neumarkt Cologne New Market Square - Neumarkt, which Schildergasse overlooks, is filled with trams and people heading to the metro station. There is a huge shopping center where you can spend a rainy day with pleasure and benefit. You will immediately notice the modern facade of the "Neumarkt Galerie" on the huge inverted horn with ice cream decorating its roof.
Read More
Statue of Augustus the Strong
Germany

Statue of Augustus the Strong

The Golden Horseman is an equestrian monument to the Elector of Saxony, the Polish king Augustus the Strong. The ruler is depicted in the guise of Caesar and Roman armor, on a powerful Lipitsian stallion. The Golden Horseman (Goldener Reiter), photo by Peter Schär The Golden Horseman statue is located on the Neustädter Markt in Dresden.
Read More
How to get from Memmingen to Neuschwanstein Castle
Germany

How to get from Memmingen to Neuschwanstein Castle

You flew to Memmingen. The city has already been inspected. What's next? Go to the fabulous Neuschwanstein Castle. I’ll tell you how to get to it. Neuschwanstein By Car The Schloß Neuschwanstein castle from Memmingen is more convenient, faster and more comfortable to reach by car. You can cover a distance of about 80 km in 1 hour.
Read More