Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano said a new ticketing system at Rome’s Pantheon – tourists now have to pay €5 to enter – brought in almost €200,000 in its first week (from 3 July 9) out of 51,275 admissions.
More than half of the tickets, more than 26,000, were purchased online through a new digital payment system. The ancient site remains free for residents of Rome, visitors with disabilities and those under 18, while tourists between the ages of 18 and 25 pay a reduced entry fee of €3.
In a tweet posted by the Ministry of Culture, Sangiuliano said: “First week with more than 50,000 admissions, almost €200,000 in revenue, a figure that pleases me also counts on the 4,830 young people who have chosen to visit the ‘one of the best preserved sites’. landmarks of the world”. The Italian press reports that around 30% of the profits will go to the Diocese of Rome.
But according to The New York Timesthe new admissions system may encourage a black market in ticketing, as happened at the Colosseum where “entrance tickets are priced at €18, but in reality they are a scarce commodity that can cost two , or even three times more expensive when purchased via secondary sellers”.
In May, meanwhile, The right-wing government of Giorgia Meloni has announced a controversial plan to raise the price of museum tickets by €1 generate funds to save the cultural heritage damaged during the recent floods in Emilia-Romagna. In a statement, the Ministry of Culture adds that €43,631 of the proceeds from launch week Pantheon tickets will go to the floods.
According to the Ministry of Culture website, the original building of the Pantheon was erected between 27 and 25 BC at the request of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa in honor of Emperor Augustus. Its current form, consisting of a rotunda topped by a huge dome, dates back to the early years of the reign of Emperor Hadrian (118-125 AD).
