Rome’s eternal inspiration

Rome’s Pantheon is an eternal inspiration. For nearly two millennia, the Pantheon has awed the world with its magnificent temple facade and its incredible concrete dome looming in Rome’s very busy city center. Anyone will tell you there is nothing quite like it.

The Pantheon’s iconic coffered ceiling, the inspiration for the new ISSIMO Pantheon blanket.

“I love walking around the Pantheon at different times of day,” shares Marie-Louise, who passes by the ancient wonder almost daily on her walks around the Eternal City. “It takes on a different personality with every movement of the sun.”

Located in Pigna, Rome’s 9th district and practically epic-center of the centro storico, the ancient temple is part of the everyday backdrop for school children, clergy, business persons, nonni, tourists and more. It is almost unbelievable that this monument is just hanging in the background photobombing selfies.

The Pantheon has been a muse to so many passers-by – from artists and architects, poets and popes, to residents and visitors. And like so many artists, Marie-Louise was Inspired by its architectural awesomeness to create ISSIMO cashmere Pantheon throw.

The pantheon’s iconic façade.
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Iconic Pantheon design

Walking by the Pantheon is wowing – an ancient temple that is right at home in the middle of a busy neighborhood of shops, restaurants, businesses and schools. No matter where you approach it or what time of day, the view is stunning- a traditional temple with gigantic columns supporting a white marble pediment with the words M.AGRIPPA L.F. COS.TERTIUM.FECIT (Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, third consul, built it). And almost hiding behind the facade is the unforgettable dome.

Built in 27 BC by the great general Marcus Agrippa, the pantheon’s iconic dome was unrivaled until Brunelleschi build the Cupola di Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence in 1436. The dome of the pantheon still tops the list for most ingenious and largest unreinforced dome in history.

It’s the inside of the Pantheon that will blow your mind. Look up and you’ll be amazed by the dome and its network of beautiful coffering that span 44 meters in diameter. At its very center is a 9-meter-wide oculus, an open-air “eye”. At any given time of day, the sun shines through the eye illuminating various areas of the coffers, walls and floor as part of a clever sundial. And when it rains or the rare occasion that it snows (yes, it falls inside!), the Pantheon is magnificent.

The coffered ceiling and oculus inside of the Pantheon.

The best souvenir
of Rome

Marie-Louise at home with the ISSIMO Pantheon blanket.

ISSIMO Pantheon throw celebrates the Pantheon’s luminary innovation in the very softest of cashmere blankets designed with the Pantheon’s unmistakable coffer pattern.

Caption: The coffered ceiling of the pantheon, inspiration for the new ISSIMO cashmere throw.

“I wanted to bring the coffered ceiling of this incredible monument on our cashmere throw and into your home,’ tells Marie-Louise who was transfixed by the pattern and

transformed it into cashmere. Studying the light as it travels the coffers inspired Marie-Louise to create what could be considered the best souvenir of Rome– a cashmere blanket designed with the Pantheon’s iconic coffers.