Rome, Italy
This is one of my favorite structures in Rome, the Pantheon. Until 1958(!) the dome was the largest poured concrete structure. The above photo is two photos taken separately but scanned together. It's not perfect but you can get the idea. The only light comes from the hole in the roof, which is indeed open to rain. It was just amazing to stand in there, look up, and ponder how the molds were made, how it was poured, how it was raised, and how it still stands.
This picture is primarily useful for seeing what was the street level 2000 years ago, much lower than the current one. This is due to the way they keep building on top of things and just the way time fills in the empty spaces I guess.
The Coliseum. Here you can see all four layers. The south end is down to two, due to getting more sun and the vibrations from traffic. They've diverted traffic away from it now. I think they said a subway goes right underneath it too. You can see some efforts being made to keep the fourth level intact.
Here you can see the compartments below the non-existent floor of the Coliseum. It was here that animals and gladiators were kept until they were to be raised up to the surface.
The Forum area. The one lone column was one of the last erected here. The top of it at one time only stuck out of the ground by 10 feet or so. An Englishman decided to dig it up and take it back with him. Once he started he saw it was a part of a larger piece. Slowly this whole area was excavated. They unearthed the remnants of a building that was one of the main meeting areas of the senators and ruling powers of Rome.
Jamie, Ale, Giovanna.
Ale was a foreign exchange student with my dad in high school. They got back in touch with each other just this last couple years. Ale offered to put any of us up if we were ever to travel to Rome. We took him up on it. They were generous and gracious hosts. It was a real treat to have safe, free lodging that was about 15 minutes from the Coliseum and 20 from Vatican.