Forum Romanum. Forum Romanum was the political and religious center of Rome during the times of the Roman Empire. All most important decisions about executions and wars were made here. Later, after the fall of the Roman Empire, Forum Romanum was steadily forgotten and abandoned. Archeological excavations were started here only in the XIX century. The Forum is located approximately 10 meters below the level of Via dei Fori Imperiali Avenue that is located nearby. The remains of the Roman Empire still lie under this heavy traffic road.
The Pantheon. The Pantheon is one of the main temples of the city. It is located on Piazza della Rotonda. The Pantheon was built in 27 BC, destroyed by fire, and then rebuilt in 125 AD. In the XVII century, Pope Boniface IV decided to place a church in the Pantheon. This is the main reason why the classical circular building with a colonnade in front of it managed to survive, unlike the majority of pagan temples. This place is also the location of graves of two famous Italians - Raphael and Victor Emmanuel II. The word "pantheon" means "dedicated to all gods".
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