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

Five best varieties of Italian cheese
Italian cheeses

Five best varieties of Italian cheese

Cheese can be called almost one of the most necessary and always relevant products that must certainly be present in every refrigerator. It is invariably the basis of salads, appetizers and desserts, so loved not only in his homeland of Italy, but also in Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus. Cheeses have firmly taken their place in the list of the most outstanding and famous dishes of national Italian cuisine.
Read More
Cachocavallo - Italian cheese on horseback
Italian cheeses

Cachocavallo - Italian cheese on horseback

Caciocavallo (Caciocavallo) - a typical Italian southerner and concurrently cheese category Pasta Filata (Pasta Filata). The name literally translates as "horseback riding cheese", and they produce it in the form of a bag. And, although the cachocavallo plays an important role in the culinary tradition of Italy, it owes its recipe to another country.
Read More
Parmesan - the king of the cheese world
Italian cheeses

Parmesan - the king of the cheese world

Close your eyes and say in a whisper: "Parmesan!" And now you are already sitting in the shade of the vine, drinking your favorite wine and enjoying the taste of cheese. Truly a magic word! No less delightful is the owner of this name - Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. We will tell you about where he was born, how it came to our days, in what recipes it is used, about the composition and health benefits of parmesan.
Read More
Ricotta - Traditional Italian Whey Cheese
Italian cheeses

Ricotta - Traditional Italian Whey Cheese

Ricotta is a traditional Italian whey cheese. In the culinary world, there is an unwritten rule arising from experience: "Do not throw away anything you do not need!" Ricotta is a classic example. Prepare it from whey remaining from the preparation of other varieties. Hence the name of the cheese ricotta, which means "cooked again."
Read More