Hole in the Sky

It's back to Italy photos! I just can't get enough (if you have not figured that out by now). This one is of the Pantheon in Rome. I used my wide angle lens and basically laid down in the middle of the floor and took this picture. I was just this far away from getting the entire dome and when I go back to Rome again I will try it again and probably take multiple photos and composite them in order to get the entire dome in one shot. The Pantheon is nothing short of an amazing piece of architecture and art. It is one of the oldest buildings in Rome that is still used regularly, which is no small accomplishment considering that almost everything in Rome is old. Old as in B.C. The use of concrete was so innovative for its time that even by today's standards it would be hard to replicate. The interior dimensions are exactly the same in all directions, so exact in fact that a perfect globe could fit inside the domed space. The center oculus is open to the sky and besides providing the only light source for the entire structure, is actually a planned opening due to structural limitations of the concrete. It's really cool when it rains because it rains right through the center of the building!