Pantheon Rome, first paid day, Sangiuliano: “Museum welfare already extensive”

Today the paid entrance to the Pantheon is triggered, «the most visited cultural site in Italy with 9 million visitors a year. I’ve already bought the ticket, I have it on my mobile phone».

The Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano, recalled this today on the first day of paid admission to the iconic Roman monument. “Resident citizens – added the minister – will be exempt and 30% will go to the Curia which will allocate part of these funds to charity. Another part will go to the Municipality which undertakes to allocate these resources to the protection from degradation of that square which is not up to the decorum it deserves ». And he concluded: «Museum welfare is already very broad, Italy is very generous, it reserves Sundays for free openings and discounted rates for young people».

According to the provisions of the agreement, signed between the Ministry of Culture and the Chapter of the basilica of Santa Maria ad Martyres-Pantheon, an entrance ticket will be introduced for an amount not exceeding 5 euros, the proceeds of which will be divided as follows: 70% in favor of the MiC and 30% in favor of the Diocese of Rome.

The «Mi Riconosci» association, which has been involved in the management of cultural heritage for years, condemns the decision to introduce an entrance fee to the Pantheon and writes in a note: «At a time when inflation is biting and our salaries are stuck at the stake, the Ministry does nothing but raise ticket prices: Uffizi, state museums, and now the Pantheon, a church. Flecking tourists isn’t the solution: it’s part of the problem.”