Pantheon 2-euro entry fee from May 2

(ANSA) - Rome, December 11 - It will cost two euros to get into the Pantheon from May 2, according to an accord signed Monday by the culture ministry and the Vicariate of Rome. The accord was signed in the presence of Culture Minister Dario Franceschini and the Vicar for the Rome Diocese Msg Angelo De Donatis. The ministry said the entry fee will be used to "better valorise and safeguard the monument, as well as help maintenance costs and guarantee better security during visits". Entry will continue to be free for those attending religious services in the iconic ancient Roman monument, which is now a church. The Pantheon, originally a temple to all the Roman gods, is one of Rome's most iconic monuments.
    It contains the tomb of Renaissance painter Raphael.