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The Appian Way

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:55:56 +0000

A walk along the original slab stones of the ancient Appian Way is an ideal conclusion to a stay in Rome and a last occasion to evoke historical memories in a natural context of incredible beauty. The most ancient (4th century BC) consular road is an outstanding example of the practical genius of the Romans who conceived their road system as a way of taking possession of the world and dominating it. The great straight stretches allowed to move troops rapidly and efficiently and favoured commerce. In building them the Romans were not conditioned by the layout of the territory but actually modified it by reclaiming marshy areas, building bridges and cutting hills. The Regina Viarum (Queen of Roads), built by censor Appius Claudius the Blind, after whom it was named, headed south and over time was extended to reach Brindisi, the gate to the East.
Walking along the ancient road, made up of layers of different materials, it becomes clear that the carriage way was wide enough to allow traffic in opposite directions, and that the wide sidewalks flanking it were intended for travellers on foot. The peace and quiet of today, with the long rows of pines and cypresses alternating with remains of funerary monuments, and the view of the Colli Albani, seems to make the traffic of people and carts that once animated this road, and indicated by the marks in the basalt slabs, even more remote. And yet, perhaps in the course of these Roman days the distance between the past and our times has become shorter and we can leave taking some of it home with us.

The Catacombs

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:55:05 +0000

A visit to the Catacombs on the Appian Way allows us to trace the origins of the Christian presence in Rome and to explore one of the fundamental aspects of its identity. The Catacombs are in fact the underground cemeteries of the early Christians, located outside the city walls in accordance with the ancient custom that forbade the burying of the dead in the inhabited area. They consist of a series of levels with passageways dug out of the tufa, a soft volcanic rock that hardens when it comes into contact with oxygen contained in the air. The dead used to be wrapped in a shroud and placed in loculi and crypts carved out of the walls of the passageways themselves, and sealed with marble slabs or terracotta slabs, according to financial possibilities. It is interesting to notice how the layering of the levels, determined by the need to exploit the expensive land as much as possible, must be interpreted in the opposite way we do at a proper archaeological site. The most ancient level is in fact the first to be accessed, immediately below the ground level, and others were excavated beneath it as they gradually became filled up.
A persistent tradition identified the Catacombs as the hiding places of the early Christians at the times of the persecutions, but they were actually used exclusively as cemeteries and for devotional practices connected to the presence of the tombs of the saints and martyrs. The frescoes and inscriptions on the funerary slabs indicate how death was conceived as a moment of rest before the final awakening to eternal life, and the catacombs were thus places of transition, in contrast to pagan necropolis, considered to be the permanent abode of the dead. If you wish to see more in the area, the pedestrian section of the ancient Appian Way is easy to reach on foot from the major catacombs in the area.

The Borghese Gallery

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:53:52 +0000

Located amidst the greenery of the favourite public park of the Romans, the Borghese Gallery is an authentic artistic treasure chest, the result of the passion for art of Cardinal Scipione Borghese, who in the early 1600s had the villa built on the suburban property donated to him by his uncle, Pope Paul V, with the specific purpose of housing his art collection. In order to enjoy it fully, it is important to enter the villa with a perception of the surrounding park and open air in a wonderful blend of art and nature, that we now recognize as typical of Rome. Once again, as at the Vatican Museums, we find the correspondence between the “container” and what it “contains”, in which the artistic value of the individual works is enhanced by the decorative splendour of the rooms in which they are displayed. It is important to bear in mind that the Borghese Gallery originated as a private collection and that the works and their display are not the result of didactic criteria (period, subject), but rather reflect the taste and intentions of its former owners. Do not miss the series of sculptures made for the cardinal by young Gian Lorenzo Bernini (Eneas, the Rape of Proserpine, Apollo and Daphne, and David), that seem to invite us to participate in what is happening to them, Titian’s Sacred and Profane Love, Caravaggio’s masterpieces and the lovely Princess Paolina Borghese, Napoleon’s favourite sister, portrayed by Canova as Venus. The Borghese Cardinal was famous above all for his capacity to discover new talents and for his methods in acquiring the works of art he wished to own, which on some occasions were not exactly lawful. He did not hesitate to have the Deposition by Raphael stolen from a church in Perugia and he had painter Domenichino imprisoned because he did not want to give him a painting commissioned to him by another cardinal.

Before leaving the park, why not enjoy a unique view of Rome from the largest fixed air balloon in the world, located at the Galoppatoio of Villa Borghese?

Centrale Montemartini

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:52:29 +0000

The Centrale Montemartini represents one of the most original and remarkable outcomes of the coexistence of ancient and modern in Rome. Ancient statues from the collections of the Capitoline Museums are displayed in the rooms of the first public electrical power plant of the city, inaugurated in 1912, and the only one that kept working during the Second World War thanks to the ingenious stratagem of hoisting the Vatican City flag above it. More than 400 statues of gods, heroes and personalities of imperial rank populate the machine rooms amidst transformers and generators that evoke the sound of turbines, creating a highly evocative surreal effect. Walking through the perfectly restored rooms (a successful example of industrial archaeological recovery) we perceive the dynamic relationship between the luminous, timeless marble of the statues and the modern energy suggested by the machines, that seem to contend for the attention of the viewer. Do not miss the celebrated Togato Barberini, the basanite statue of Agrippina, the Victory of the Simmaci, and the statues from the Temple of Apollo Sosianus.

A suggestion for a special evening: a performance at the permanent outdoor theatre “Silvano Toti”, in Villa Borghese, in Piazza Aqua Felix. Modelled on the Globe theatre in London, it has a capacity of 3000 seats.

EUR

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:51:42 +0000

On the way back from Ostia Antica, it is possible to get off the train at one of the stops before Porta San Paolo for a walk through EUR, and explore the more modern aspect of the city. The area was originally intended to host the “Esposizione Universale di Roma” (the Universal Exhibition of Rome”) scheduled for 1942, in the context, at the time, of a debate on contemporary architecture and town planning. The Exhibition never took place owing to the start of World War II and EUR was completed after the end of it. Conceived as part of a plan for the southward development of the city, the neighbourhood was built ex novo according to criteria drawn for ancient Roman architecture and urban planning in its monumental and rational aspects, that can also be found in Renaissance classicism.
Structures of special interest include the Palazzo dei Congressi, the Museum of Roman Civilization and the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, known as the “square Colosseum” and that, in its abstract interpretation of classical architecture, greatly contributes to the surreal and metaphysical atmosphere of EUR, also evident in the wide avenues and well separated buildings.

Ostia Antica

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:50:33 +0000

The archaeological site of Ostia Antica offers a unique opportunity to complete the image of the ancient city by exploring the aspect of daily life, otherwise difficult to identify among the great public monuments of capital.
Founded around the 4th century BC as a military base between the mouth of the Tiber and the coast, Ostia soon became the commercial port of ancient Rome and for this reason was tightly connected to its history. The goods destined to the support of the capital, but also to its urban development and entertainment industry, came through here. Grain, oil, wine, precious marble, animals for the circus, arrived here from all over the Mediterranean, and were often transferred onto smaller boats that went up the river hauled by oxen on the river banks, up to the port in Rome. It is easy to imagine Ostia as a thriving town of 60,000 people as we walk through the rather well preserved remains of the forum, the baths, temples, and residential neighbourhoods that must have housed many foreigners as well. Among the sites that deserve to be seen, are the ancient theatre, still in use today, and the Square of the Guilds, a structure consisting of 60 representative offices of the different associations of artisans and merchants who worked here. The existence of Ostia was not interrupted suddenly as occurred in Pompeii; its decline coincided with that of Rome but was made worse by the gradual silting up of the port and by floods that changed the course of the Tiber, favouring the spreading of malaria. Ostia was never inhabited again in a significant manner after that, and this allows us to follow the various phases in the evolution of an ancient city without the adding of structures from later times.
The visit is made especially pleasant by the extraordinary natural context, a fundamental element in the perception of the romantic charm of ruins that was highly appreciated by 19th century travellers. Even here Nature seems to almost regain possession of the space taken up by the work of man, creating a landscape that communicates a strong sense of the ineluctable passing of time.
Ostia Antica can be reached easily by the train to Ostia Lido that departs from Porta San Paolo (Ostia Antica stop).

The Vatican City

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:47:30 +0000

The Vatican City, independent sovereign state since 1929 (Lateran Pacts), rises on the site where St. Peter was martyred and buried. The first Christian Emperor Constantine, built a splendid basilica there in the 4th century AC which was in later times demolished and rebuilt over a period of almost 120 years (1506-1614). The greatest architects of the period, including Bramante, Michelangelo and Maderno, collaborated in the project of the new church, the largest in the world with its surface adding up to a total of 22,000 square metres. The Basilica of St. Peter’s offers one of the most impressive experiences of architectural space available anywhere. Photographs cannot convey the impact on the visitor of the vastness of the structure, of the splendid decorations and works of art it contains. The alternation, during the construction phase, between the Greek cross and Latin cross plan, and the definitive choice of the latter, explains why one must proceed significantly along the central nave before coming in full view of Michelangelo’s extraordinary dome (which measures 136 m in height and 42m in diameter) The artistic treasures contained in St. Peter’s include the celebrated Pietà by the same Michelangelo, the only work he ever signed, and which he made when he was only 24, using a single block of marble; the baldacchino above the main altar, the authentic visual focus of the church, created by Bernini with bronze taken from the Pantheon, and the bronze statue of St. Peter by Arnolfo di Cambio.
The church is also famous for its almost total absence of paintings, substituted with mosaics by the Vatican School.
St. Peter’s Square can contain 300,000 people; it defines the border with Italy and welcomes visitors with the embrace of the colonnade designed by Bernini. It is the site of important ceremonies tied with the pope’s direct relationship with the people, such as audiences and blessings.

The Vatican Museums and their immense wealth of art, resulting from centuries of papal collections and commissions, offer an extraordinary experience in which the relevance of the works on display is heightened by the splendour of the structures in which they are displayed, and that are in themselves worth a visit. We do not proceed through buildings designed specifically to allow the large numbers of contemporary visitors to see artistic objects in a functional manner, but we walk through the galleries and rooms of papal palaces, at one time reserved for a small elite. The Museums offer a great variety of collections, including ancient Greek as well as Roman art (of which the Vatican owns the largest collection in the world), Egyptian and Etruscan art and, of course, the great masterpieces of Renaissance art with the frescoes of the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel. This is a great opportunity to realize how coming to Rome often has more to do with remembering what we have always somehow known, than with discovering things for the first time. Images that are strongly related to the identity of Western artistic culture are here. The restoration of the Sistine Chapel lasted 20 years and revealed the brilliance of the original colours, allowing us to fully enjoy the details of the biblical episodes on the ceiling and of the Last Judgement by Michelangelo, with its almost 400 figures captured in the most dramatic moment in the history of humanity. The Sistine Chapel also contains the famous 15th century frescoes by Botticelli, Perugino and Ghirlandaio, among others.

In order to avoid long lines, check the opening times that are longer in the summer and, if possible, plan your visit after 12:00am, when the Museums are less crowded.

Piazza del Campidoglio

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:40:35 +0000

Ancient seat of the most important temple of the state cult and symbol of Rome “caput mundi”, the Campidoglio has always maintained its importance in the life of the city as centre of the City Government since the 12th century and with the presence of the Capitoline Museums, the most ancient in the world. The square, considered one of the most elegant in Europe, was designed by Michelangelo who created the splendid access ramp, new facades for the preexisting buildings (Palazzo Senatorio at the centre and the Palazzo dei Conservatori on the right), and added the Palazzo Nuovo on the left, giving it the trapezoidal shape that never fails to communicate a sense of harmony and equilibrium to visitors. The orientation of the square helps us understand the evolution of the city that at Michelangelo’s time had already turned its back to the remains of ancient Rome, the place of the past, of a historical phase that was concluded, to face the new centre of power and rule of the day, the Vatican.

The original of the bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius, whose copy is placed at the centre of the square is preserved in the Museum and escaped destruction in later times only because the personage on horseback was identified with Constantine, the first Christian emperor.

The Roman Forum

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:38:49 +0000

The Roman Forum is the most important archaeological area in the city, the ideal place to understand that having a “historical sense” means, as the great writer T.S. Eliot says, feeling that the people of the past are our contemporaries. The Forum was the centre of the public life of the ancient city; it developed after the reclaiming of the marshy valley that extended from the Palatine and Capitoline hills in the 7th century BC and the last monument – the commemorative column of the emperor Phocas – was erected there in the 7th century AC, exactly 1200 years later.
This was where the political, religious and commercial activities of ancient Rome took place. We must use our imagination to recreate it as it must have been at the time, full of buildings and people from all over the empire who, just like us today, wanted to see the symbol of the incredible adventure that had led a community of shepherds to become owners of the world. The Romans charged their buildings with an important function of propagandistic communication, aiming at producing in the viewer a sense of admiration mixed with fear. We find basilicas for business meetings and for the administration of justice, the Curia, seat of the Senate, temples, triumphal arches, monuments and statues. The area was crossed by the Via Sacra which was used for religious processions and triumphal parades. With the passing of time and the increase in the population, the area was extended with the addition of Imperial Forums that also contributed in stressing the greatness of the empire. Later, as decline set in, the Forum was abandoned and used as a source of building material. When the first archaeological excavations began in the late 18th century, its monuments, by then mostly underground, had been invaded by cattle and flocks and used as pasture land.

The Roman Forum

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:28:06 +0000

The Roman Forum, the most important archaeological area in Rome, extends from the Capitol Hill to the Palatine. As far back as the 7th century B.C., the Forum was the centre of political, commercial and religious life. Later on, to the original Roman Forum were added the Imperial Forums: Foro di Cesare, Foro di Augusto, Foro di Nerva, Foro di Vespasiano and the most imposing one, the Foro di Traiano, of which one can still admire the huge Column of the Markets.

Colosseum

marsha — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:05:15 +0000

Perhaps no other monument is a truer symbol of the majesty and grandeur of Rome like that of the Colosseum. This icon like the city itself has endured the destructive forces of mother nature and man, but remains a resilient testimony of Roman engineering and architecture. The Colosseum christened ‘Flavian Ampitheatre’ - the family name of the emperors Vespasian and Titus who built it between 70-80AD - was the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. Around 80,000 spectators conscientiously seated in order of social and economic status, jeered and cheered at everything from animal hunts to public executions. At the inauguration ceremony itself, it is said that over 9,000 wild animals were killed. Much has been written and told about this famous landmark, that need not be rewritten here. What is of interest however, is the dynamic shift of the Colosseum from being a gruesome and pagan landmark, to becoming a revered Christian landmark, even meriting the sacred Stations of the Cross. By the 16th and 17th century, many years had past since the gory spectacles of a by-gone era. The Colosseum, naked, stripped of her former glory, robbed of her stones, ravaged by fires, sat like a forgotten doll in the centre of Rome. Having been used as housing in the 13th century, Church officials in the 16th and 17th century sought to find a use for the neglected shell. After numerous suggestions, in 1749 Pope Benedict XIV decreed that the ground of the Colosseum was hallowed, due to the numerous Christian martyrs whose blood was shed. He reinforced this proclamation, by establishing Stations of the Cross which are still used today, in the Good Friday ceremony. Hotel Edera, Hotel Pace Helvezia and Hotel Bled are in close proximity to this monument. Be warned that the ticket lines are extensively long especially during the summer period and it is possible to avoid these lines either:

Buy a combination ticket for the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum at the nearby entrance to the Palatine Hill. The combination ticket is good for two days so you don’t have to get to all three sites in one day.
Buy your Rome Colosseum ticket online. Now you can even print out your ticket when you buy it from Tickets Online.
Buy a Roma Pass or Archeologia Card. In order to avoid the Colosseum ticket line, you’ll need to buy the pass or card before you go to the Colosseum. If you buy a Roma Pass, be sure to go to the Colosseum as one of your first two sites (the first two are free).
Take an audio tour of the Colosseum. In her suggested 4-hour walking tour of Rome, Monica Hildebrand says you can avoid the ticket line by going to the Guided Audio Tour window and buying your ticket with the audiotour. (http://goitaly.about.com/od/romeitaly/qt/colosseumticket.htm)

Trevi Fountain

marsha — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:05:00 +0000

1762 marked the year of completion of the most famous fountain in Rome and one of the most celebrated in the world. The Trevi Fountain, one of the jewels of the Baroque era was actually built to herald the arrival of water from the “Acqua Virgo” acqueduct. In true Baroque Italian style, Pope Urban VIII found the simple basin design of 1453 understated and insufficient and asked Giovanni Bernini to sketch possible new designs. 30 years of work, from 1732 to 1762 saw Nicola Salvi lovingly crafting the fountain as we know of it today, incorporating some details from Bernini’s earlier sketches.

Hold your breath and be transported into a mythical world, where Neptune majestically rides the water in his shell chariot pulled by two tempermental hippocamps. Two Tritons expertly guide the hippocamps, one ceremoniously blowing a conch shell as if to proclaim the impending arrival of the God of the Sea. Why not selfishly enjoy this monument by visiting during one of your late night strolls.? The Boutique Hotel Trevi is located a stone’s throw or should we say a coin’s throw away from the splendor of this water-rock kingdom.

Piazza Navona

marsha — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:04:09 +0000

Walk from the Boutique Hotel Trevi, Hotel Genio, Hotel Sistina or Hotel Eliseo, to this piazza, which like so many in Rome, is overflowing with cafés and bars, allowing you to sit and admire the sumptuous sculptures or numerous artisans. Daily plying their trade here, some have immortalized the surrounding apartments and the piazza itself, on canvas. It is a blend of the new and the old, as modern billboards hang on century-old apartments. Live performers completely covered in silver or mummified in gold lamé, stand frozen for hours, in front of Baroque architectural jewels. The piazza itself is truly a gem, but it is ‘the diamond in the centre’ which has brought acclamation to this uncharacteristically long ’square’.

The Fountain of the Four Rivers, the pièce de résistance of Bernini erected in 1651, is an impressive fusion of rock and water making the fountain not only a wonderment, as it has been for centuries, but also functional for the use of the public, centuries ago when home plumbing was absent. The fountain pays homage to the four rivers of the four continents then discovered by geographers of the time: the Nile, the Ganges, the Danube and the Rio de la Plata.

If your visit is before dinner and assuming that you have not drunk more than your fair share of the abundant Italian wine, train your eyes on the river gods with accompanying flora and fauna. Can you guess which river is being depicted? The other two fountains in the piazza, one to the north - the Fountain of Neptune and one to the south - the Fountain of the Moor also by Bernini, are eternally overlooked by the church Sant’Agnes in Agone. Completed in 1657, the facades were constructed by one of the fiercest of Bernini’s rivals, Borromini, and is touted as one of his more restrained creations, nevertheless heavily embellished in the typical Baroque style. Why not take a quick peek inside the church, to observe the beautiful dome from the inside or the main altar? Out of respect for the sobriety of the internal atmosphere, please don appropriate attire.

Piazza Navona is highly recommended as the starting point or end of a truly splended evening in the Eternal City.

Castel St. Angelo

marsha — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:11:52 +0000

Castel St. Angelo silently observes you as you cross one of the many bridges of Lungotevere. Its imposing facade is in total juxtoposition to the welcoming arms of St. Peter’s Basilica. Its somber brown walls speak of a history which was anything less than joyful, at best, modestly pleasant. CASTEL (not castle) St. Angelo was built by Emperor Hadrian around 135-139 as a mausoleum for himself and members of his family. Sadly this was also the final resting place for many who were imprisoned here or executed in the small interior square during the time of Papal Rule. The towering cylinder with a garden atop was the original architectural plan. However as the function of the tomb changed, should we say “extensive renovations” were also undertaken. In 401 the tomb became a military fortress and within this time period, the ashes and urns of previous emperors were scattered away. Many of the original features of the tomb were then used in the post-Roman period of expansive construction. In the 17th century, pentagonal ramparts were added to the surrounding of the building reinforcing its primary use at the time as a fortress. Pope Nicholas III eternally and gratefully provided a safe escape to this stronghold from the breached walls of the Vatican, by constructing a covered corridor “Passetto di Borgo” for the security of popes. Probably the only remotely pleasant feature of the history of Castel St. Angelo, is seen in the marble statue of St. Michael afixed atop of the building. It is believed that the archangel himself signalled the end of a devasting plague engulfing the city in 590. Hotel Aureliano and Hotel Genio are located in close proximity to this 360 degree time capsule.

The Spanish Steps

marsha — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:42:50 +0000

You may ask yourself what is the allure of the 138 steps which functionally link the Spanish Embassy below with the Trinita dei Monti above? Maybe it is because these steps proclaimed as “ without a doubt the longest and widest staircase in all Europe”, are simply beautiful and can also serve as the perfect location for resting your weary feet after a fun-filled day of sight seeing.

Be true to Italian style and don a pair of large black sunglasses, as you watch tourists; shuffling and organizing map; Italians animatedly conversing- wildly gesticulating with their hands; or two lovers kissing, locked in a passionate embrace. After winning a competition in 1717 for the design of the steps, Francesco de Sanctis completed them in 1725 after generations of controversy.

The famous steps regally rise from the piazza below, famously known as Piazza di Spagna. As if adorning the feet of a queen, the Baroque “Fountain of the Boat” built in 1627-29 by Pietro Bernini; serenely sits at the base of the steps. Minutes can easily run in to hours as you become lost in the excitement that always seems to encompass the Piazza and its steps like a light fragrance. Our hotels- Hotel Eliseo, Hotel Villa Pinciana and Hotel Sistina allow you the rare opportunity of staying close to the action, but give you an oasis of tranquility after a hectic and exciting day in the Eternal City.

The Pantheon

marsha — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:19:45 +0000

St. Mary of the Martyrs might seem like another church amongst the hundreds in Rome. However this church has been described as a tomb for the illustrious dead, best preserved Roman building, mathematical wonder, celebrated temple for gods. If you still haven’t guessed, this is none other than the Pantheon.

Smaller and more modest than its present day counterpart, the original Pantheon built in 27BC by Marcus Agrippa, was reconstructed around 120 AD. Commissioned by Emperor Hadrian to service the population’s growing religious diversity, he continued in the same vein as Agripp,a allowing a place of worship for all gods.

It was proclaimed a church in 609AD, inadvertently becoming the coveted final resting place of Raphael, Kings Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I. Its secured place as a man-made mathematical and engineering marvel, stems from the fact that firstly, it is still standing throughout centuries without any steel reinforcement and the diameter of the interior circle and the height to the oculus is incredibly the same (43.3 meters; 142ft).

After admiring from the inside why not live La Dolce Vita and leisurely sip a café in the piazza filled with a number of restaurants and bars. The Pantheon provides the perfect backdrop for a night time stroll; lovingly and dependably watching over her treasures as she has done for centuries. Boutique Hotel Trevi and Hotel Genio are two of our hotels close by this marvel.

Piazza del Popolo

marsha — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:30:49 +0000

Slip under the great Porta del Popolo from its entrance from Via Flaminia and you will immediately be amazed by the sheer immensity of this square. Ignore the dozens of illegal vendors tempting you with flowers or souvenirs, and march triumphantly to the centre of the square which unapologetically displays an Egyptian obelisk of Rameses II from Heliopolis, brought to Rome in 10BC. As if to ensure the origin of the obelisk would never be disputed, four fountains were added at the base, each with an Egyptian-style lion. From this central point you can fully appreciate the decisive neoclassical style of the layout designed between 1811 and 1822 by Giuseppe Valadier.

Don’t let the sublime nature of the architecture fool you this square was used for centuries for public executions up until 1826.

Looking southward across the square, the twin churches of Santa Maria in MonteSanto and Santa Maria dei Miracoli divide three streets in the heart of Rome. These twins are fraternal rather than identical, with noted differences in the domes and belfrys. This architecture strays from the neoclassic one, by allowing differences to be incorporated in the symmetrical balance. The piazza is understatedly but elegantly linked to another famous attraction the Ville Borghese gardens, by a tasteful waterfall-lined staircase that climbs to the heights of the Pincian Hill. Take some time as you get to the top of the stairs to look back at the piazza before you disappear into the famous gardens of Ville Borghese. Hotel Genio, Hotel Eliseo, Hotel Sistina are all within walking distance of this landmark.

Santa Maria in Trastevere

marsha — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:39:33 +0000

The basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere is one of the oldest churches in Rome, perhaps the first in which mass was openly celebrated. The basic floor plan and wall structure of the church date back to the 340s AD. This is the queen of the churches in Trastevere. The inscription on the episcopal chair says that it is the first church dedicated to the Mother of God, although actually that privilege belongs to Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. In its foundation it is certainly one of the oldest churches in the city. A Christian house-church was founded here about 220 by Pope Saint Callixtus I (217-222) on the site of the Taberna meritoria, an asylum for retired soldiers. The area was given over to Christian use by the Emperor Septimus Severus when he settled a dispute between the Christians and tavern-keepers, saying, “I prefer that it should belong to those who honor God, whatever be their form of worship.” In 340 Pope Julius I (337-352) rebuilt the titulus Callixti on a larger scale, and it became the titulus Iulii commemorating his patronage, one of the original twenty-five parishes in Rome; indeed it may be the first church in which Mass was celebrated openly. It underwent two restorations in the fifth and eighth centuries. In 1140-43 the church was re-erected on its old foundations under Pope Innocent II. The richly carved Ionic capitals reused along its nave were pillaged from the ruins of the Baths of Caracalla. When scholarship during the nineteenth century identified the faces in their carved decoration as Isis, Serapis and Harpocrates, a restoration under Pius IX in 1870 hammered off the offending faces.

The predecessor of the present church was probably built in the early fourth century although that church was the successor to one of the tituli, those Early Christian basilicas that were ascribed to a patron and perhaps literally inscribed with his name. Though nothing remains to establish with certainty where any of the public Christian edifices of Rome before the time of Constantine the Great were situated, the basilica on this site was known as Titulus Callisti, since a legend in the Liber Pontificalis ascribed the earliest church here to a foundation by Pope Callixtus I (died 222), whose remains, translated to the new structure, are preserved under the altar. The façade of the church was restored by Carlo Fontana in 1702, who replaced the ancient porch with a sloping tiled roof— seen in Falda’s view with the present classicizing one . The octagonal fountain in the piazza in front of the church (Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere), which already appears in a map of 1472, was also restored by Carlo Fontana. The image of Mary on the façade is believed to be the earliest iconographic depiction of the Virgin nursing Jesus. The church keeps a relic of Saint Apollonia, her head, as well as a portion of the Holy Sponge. Among those buried in the church, are the relics of Pope Callixtus I and the body of Lorenzo Cardinal Campeggio.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Maria_in_Trastevere)

The Vittoriano

marsha — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:57:33 +0000

‘Typewriter’, ‘Wedding Cake’, ‘Zuppa Inglese’ are all names devotedly, or in many cases disparagingly used, to describe the monument honoring the first king of unified Italy, Victor Emmanuel II. This monument, ostentatiously displays itself for all of Rome to see, between Piazza Venezia and the Capitoline Hill. With nothing subtle in the design or construction of this building, the glaring white marble purposely stands out amongst the more modestly- coloured gray or brown buildings nearby. The towering statues of the king himself, along with the goddess Victoria riding on quadrigas, seem at home and remarkably life-like in this stark, stiff environment. The imperial Corinthian columns used in the design, seem to cradle tourists below, who venture to the museum housed inside. Don’t be surprised by the presence of the two immaculately attired soldiers, who guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with its eternal flame, forever burning. The numerous modern ‘Roman’ gladiators who meander from the confines of the Colosseum to this monument, will tempt you to take a ‘pricey’ picture with them to immortalize your visit. If this is not your cup of tea, ignoring them and climbing the steps, will give you a remarkable view of the city of Rome, outstretched and awaiting your personal footprint below. Hotel Pace Helvezia, Hotel Viminale, Hotel Gallia and Boutique Hotel Trevi are located close by.

Campidoglio

marsha — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:32:00 +0000

The word is actually a Roman dialect corruption of the original word ‘Capitolino’. If the word still does not ring a bell in your mind, perhaps the ‘Capitoline Hill’ might. Capitoline Hill is one of the original seven hills of Rome and is more famous because of its piazza and surrounding buildings. The history of the hill is almost as immodest as the wide, sweeping staircase leading to the piazza itself, designed by Michaelangelo. The hill first appears in recorded history as the sight of the temple for the hill’s triad of gods, Jupiter, Mars and Quirinus. The temple built here, was said to be the most beautiful and largest of any in the city at that time. This hilltop was also the place where invading Sabines were let into the city by the Vestal Virgin Tarpeia. Julius Caesar during the time of his reign, approached the hill and the temple, genuflected, in hopes of avoiding further ‘bad-luck’, having suffered an accident during a celebratory rite. It is alleged, that barren women who are willing to climb the steps completely on their knees, will be rewarded with fertility, for the fruits of their labor. On bended knee, on horse back (as was the reason for the design of the stairs) or two feet planted firmly on the ground, all will reach the magnificent Piazza del Campidoglio skilfully designed by Michaelangelo from 1536-1546. The Pope at the time eager to impress Charles V, commissioned Michaelangelo to redesign the existing piazza. With a design to herald the supremacy of the Pope over that of the long defunct Roman Forum, Michaelangelo reversed the orientation of the piazza to face St. Peter’s Basilica, away from the old Roman Forum. He also updated the facades of the only two existing palazzos at the time in the piazza, Palazzo dei Conservatori the older of the two and Palazzo Senatorio. Palazzo Nuovo was constructed in 1603 and modelled painstakingly after Michaelangelo’s redone palazzos. Walk the length of the piazza and realize how dwarf-like you feel, especially standing next to the replicated bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius. A lesser known area, although quite beautiful, is the quaint garden which sits at the left and to the back of the piazza. As the sun begins to set in Rome, make your way to this garden which overlooks the ruins of the forum. Imagine the rubble below rising and moulding to become the all important Senate, teeming with people, politicians and soldiers. Live this important piece of history of Rome for yourself and begin to understand why in days long gone by, this city was ‘Caput mundi’. Hotels from our group found nearby; Hotel Pace Helvezia, Hotel Viminale, Hotel Gallia, Boutique Hotel Trevi.