A Japanese tourist has died after falling from the perimeter wall of Rome’s ancient Pantheon, leading to an investigation by local authorities.
The incident took place on Friday night at around 21:50 local time in central Rome, when 69-year-old Morimasa Hibino fell approximately seven metres (22.9 ft) from the Pantheon’s parapet into a nearby passageway.
Security cameras reportedly captured him sitting alone on the wall before he slipped. According to the Italian newspaper, la Repubblica, a priest passing by discovered him lying in the ditch beneath the wall and alerted emergency services.
Tragedia al Pantheon, un turista giapponese muore dopo una caduta di 7 metri. Il 69enne è precipitato dal muro perimetrale del celebre monumento della Capitale #ANSA pic.twitter.com/Nt8MtL0BGI
— Agenzia ANSA (@Agenzia_Ansa) October 25, 2025
The man had been visiting the Pantheon with his daughter, who told police that he may have become dizzy, causing him to lose his balance and fall. Rescue teams, including firefighters, doctors and the police, had to force open a gate to reach the fallen man. He was found in critical condition after suffering from life-threatening injuries and severe blood loss. Efforts to save him were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Pantheon, originally built as a Roman temple and later converted into a Catholic church, is one of Rome’s most-visited landmarks, drawing millions of visitors each year. The outer wall where the fall occurred sits along Via della Palombella and includes a ditch and parapet that many tourists use to pause or take photos. Officers frequently patrol the site to prevent visitors from crossing the perimeter wall.
However, it is not the first fatal incident of its kind this year: earlier in March, a Spanish tourist died after falling from a high wall near the Spanish Steps, another popular tourist site in Rome.
