69-year-old Japanese tourist dies after falling from the historic Roman Pantheon
&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "69-year-old Japanese tourist dies after falling from the historic Roman Pantheon")
A view of the Pantheon on July 3, 2023 in Rome. From today the visit to the most visited cultural site in Italy with 9 million visitors a year is subject to a fee and the cost of the ticket is 5 euros but remains free for residents of Rome. From today the visit to the most visited cultural site in Italy with 9 million visitors a year is subject to a fee and the cost of the ticket is 5 euros but remains free for residents of Rome. Photograph: (AFP)
A 69-year-old Japanese tourist tragically died after falling 23 feet from the Pantheon in Rome. Authorities say he felt sick and lost his balance while
In a tragic incident, 69-year-old Japanese tourist Morimasa Hibino fell to his death from the perimeter wall of the historic Pantheon in Rome. He was reportedly sitting on the parapet when he suddenly lost his balance and fell about seven metres to the ground. A priest who was passing by discovered him lying in the ditch and alerted authorities.
According to the Newspaper La Repubblica, emergency services had to force open a gate before accessing the Pantheon passageway. The images from the Pantheon's CCTV and cameras from a cosmetics shop obtained by the newspaper corroborated the account of him losing balance and falling into the ditch, according to reports. The man's daughter claimed that the man suffered a sudden illness that made him feel dizzy before losing control.
According to a police spokesperson quoted by CNN, there were no hints of foul play. Incidents like this are even though not regular, but have happened before. Earlier in March, a 55-year-old woman from Spain died after falling from a high wall towards the Spanish Steps.
The Pantheon was built by the Roman emperor Hadrian in 126 AD and has been in continuous use for nearly 2,000 years. The Pantheon's dome is the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. At its apex, there is an oculus or circular opening, which is the only source of natural light. It is one of Italy’s most visited monuments. In 2024, the Pantheon attracted 4 million visitors.
