Rome

[anshjain97]

I visited Europe last month and one of the cities I went to was Rome. Ever since I visited it for the first time seven years ago, I absolutely loved it and it was amazing to be back. I spent about five nights there which is really inadequate but I think I used my time well.

So let's begin. Just arrived, checked-in at my hotel and out immediately, hoping to visit some of the churches before they close for the evening. Here is around my hotel in Prati, near the Vatican City.









Passed this road called Via della Conciliazione, built by Mussolini, as a grand entry to St Peter's Basilica.



This is Castel Sant'Angelo, serving as Hadrian's tomb. It was built in the 2nd century.



On the bridge crossing the Tiber.



Now in the Centro Storico, one of the city's most beautiful areas, brimming with churches, pretty streets and squares.












Here is Chiesa Nuova (New Church), built in the 16th century, during the Counter-Reformation. Like many other churches in Rome, this one is a stunner, with beautiful art. Visiting churches is a great way to enjoy some of the city's artistic and architectural masterpieces for free.












I don't have great pictures of this church - took me a while to take better shots- but will show more of other churches!






Just down the road is Basilica San Andrea della Valle.





















Walking around Rome is a pleasure, particularly along small lanes which lead to large squares. The warren of tiny lanes does make navigation a challenge, though, but getting lost in Rome is never a mistake.

[htmb]

Nice pictures and a good start, Ansh. It's good to see you online.
Looking forward to more.

[lagatta]

Are you travelliing on your own now?

Of course the work freeing up vistas for the Vatican, the Forum and other landmarks meant destroying many typical old Roman neighbourhoods, but Mussolini was scarcely alone in that sort of disregard...

[fumobici]

I love Rome and am/have been regretting not having been there in a while. I definitely look forward to more of this report.

[mossie]

They certainly know hoe to decorate their churches.

[anshjain97]

Hi all.
Yes Lagatta, I have started doing some solo travelling now, including this trip to Rome.

One of Rome's 'talking statues' is Pasquino, which since medieval times has been used as a platform for citizens to voice out their issues without drawing the ire of the political and religious elite.



It seems to be in use even today. Of course, given today's communication channels, Pasquino seems more like a novelty but it's interesting to see this tradition carrying on for centuries.









Heading out to Piazza Navona, one of the city's beautiful squares.
























This was a small square accessible from a tiny arch near a called Campo dei Fiori.



And this is Campo dei Fiori, the square I stayed at during my first trip to Rome.






The dome of St Peter's from across the Tiber.

[anshjain97]

The next morning, to beat the crowds, I decided to visit St Peter's Basilica as it opened at 07:00. I fondly remember the long queues I saw during my first visit, because of which we didn't go in.



I reached at around 6:15, which gave me a good 45 min to enjoy the quiet square in the beautiful morning light.






























One of the basilica's masterpieces is this Pieta, by Michelangelo.



Waking around the massive interior still rather devoid of crowds was simply an amazing experience.






I'm not sure why the chairs were being put up... maybe an event?















It was time for breakfast. In Rome, it is common to get a quick breakfast in a bar like this, where the affair is quick and often done while standing at the counter - a cappuccino/espresso and a cornetto (croissant) for anywhere between 1 and 2 EUR for both items.












I was now heading over to the Vatican Museums. Here is the wall that forms part of the boundary of Vatican City.



Tour buses littered the roads. Yes, the museum is going to be packed.



Entrance to the Vatican Museums.

[anshjain97]

I couldn't enter just yet, due to the time on my online ticket so I decided to take a stroll in the area.






It was a pleasant residential area and despite its proximity to Vatican City, there were no tourists in sight.

[htmb]

It was so smart of you to visit St. Peter's early. How wonderful to have it mostly to yourself!

[fumobici]

Well, that and the first morning light made for some very sweetly dramatic photos. Excellent so far.

[anshjain97]

It was now time to go to the Vatican Museum. Just to avoid art overload, I'll post only a few pictures of the interior.

This is the museum's extensive classical statuary collection.



And some views of the city.



Detail of one ceiling.






One of the beautiful maps in the Gallery of Maps.



The way leads into some magnificent rooms, such as this one, home to the famous fresco The School of Athens, by Raphael.



The Vatican Museums culminate at the Sistine Chapel, which is home to some of the most famous artworks produced ever - The Creation of Adam and The Last Judgement both by Michelangelo. Just entering is a real wow-factor moment. Photography is not allowed and officials use a microphone to yell at people caught taking photos. It may be true that sometimes seeing something in real life is not much too different from seeing a picture of it, but in my opinion, this does not apply to the Sistine Chapel - I may have seen countless pictures but none of them prepared me for seeing it in real.

It was back to the center now.


















Arriving at one of ancient Rome's most remarkable buildings, and the best preserved of the lot, the Pantheon. Built in the 2nd century AD as a temple, it was converted to a church in the 6th century and has been used as one ever since. Its dome is an amazing feat of ancient Roman engineering.






There are no lights in the Pantheon- all the light flows through this oculus. Any rain which comes in drains through some tiny holes on the floor.






This is the square in front of the Pantheon, which bustles with tourists throughout the day.

[Deleted]

This is a really great set of pictures, Ansh, and it is also obvious that this time you were able to go and explore everything that interested you instead of being in the family structure of compromise and schedule keeping.

It also makes me want to kick myself for not having been back to Rome in more than 20 years when I used to go there 2 or 3 times a year thanks to the fact that the airline I worked for had two flights a week that stopped in Rome and I could go without paying. Back in those days, I also fully explored the city in the dead of night because the flight back to Paris was at 6 a.m. so there was no point in going to a hotel the last night. Standing in front of the Castel St. Angelo or the Colosseum or the Pantheon with only a few prowling cats was extraordinary.

I particularly appreciated your photos of the Piazza Navona where I often relaxed with friends to have a drink at one of the outdoor cafés at sunset.

[anshjain97]

Kerouac, were the crowds very bad 20 years ago? They were phenomenal at some of the sights during my visit... and not much better when I was there around Easter 2009.

The size of the dome of the Pantheon is never really apparent until you see it from the outside.






This is an interesting sculpture of an elephant (by Bernini) carrying an ancient Egyptian obelisk. Many obelisks from Egypt were taken during the Roman conquest of Egypt, or as gifts from there, and are littered throughout Rome.






And from the opposite angle.



The white building behind the sculpture is the Basilica di Santa Maria sopra Minerva, which is Rome's only current original Gothic building. The earliest church built here was built on the foundations of an Egyptian temple.

To minimize art overload, I'll post only a few pictures of the interior of this (and all other) churches.













This is the Church of San Marcello.



Pizza by the slice... you choose how much is to be cut, and then you pay according to weight. Delicious!









This is the Column of Marcus Aurelius, completed in the late 2nd century.









Interior of the Chiesa di San Ignazio di Loyola... even among the high standards set by other churches in Rome, this one is a stunner.












One of Caravaggio's works in Eglise St Louis aux Francaises. Caravaggio was known for depicting realistic figures with great attention to detail, as well as for colour contrast.

[mossie]

Marvellous church interiors, so OTT, yet so decorative.

[htmb]

I had no idea the Pantheon was open at the top.
Really nice pictures, Ansh. I'm especially enjoying your photos of the twisty little streets.

[bixaorellana]

Gorgeous, Ansh! You really take some very fine pictures and you know how much I admire your way of organizing threads. I'll be honest here & tell you I haven't given this thread all the attention it needs yet, as I'm rushing around. Rest assured that I have looked and admired, though, and will be back to give it the proper due.

[anshjain97]

Thanks for all your responses!

Continuing on.












Below is Palazzo Farnese, one of Rome's most important High Renaissance Buildings, now serving as the French Embassy.



Arriving at Campo dei Fiori, where the daily market is drawing to a close.


















Interior of another beautiful church, this one the Church of Jesus, built for the Jesuits.












Now arriving to the Teatro di Marcello, also known as the Mini Colosseum. It was built in the 1st century BC, and used for celebrations, drama and song.









Behind this is Portico d'Ottavia, ancient Rome's fish market.

[anshjain97]

Continuing through the area:



Restoration work in progress.






Ruins around this area were part of ancient Rome's Forum Boarium (Cattle Market).












A restored Roman temple.






And another Roman temple.






The church below is the Basilica di Santa Maria in Cosmedin, built in the 8th century and more famously known to house the Bocca della Verita (Mouth of Truth). Legend has it that if you put your hand in the mouth and say a lie, the mouth will bite off your hand. The mouth was likely a manhole cover in ancient Rome.






The Mouth of Truth.



Tourists line up just to get a picture taken with the Mouth by a church staff (who would happily accept 50 cents). Then the tourists enter the church to look at the photo and walk out. Few actually have a look around the church.

The line to the Mouth.



Remains of Byzantine frescoes.



More frescoes inside.

[lagatta]

Yes, the touristy parts of Rome were very crowded 30 years ago as well. But there are areas nearby where one sees nary a tourist. It isn't like Florence or Venice, smaller cities, easily ovverrun by them. I was staying in Gianicolo when I was there, above Trastevere. Plenty of tourists in Trastevere but also plenty of Romans out for a meal at restaurants (some were cheap and simple, at least back then). Gianicolo is more residential.

Here is a site on markets in Rome (it is also in English, but I haven't looked at the English vesion - sometimes such sites are in very strange English): mercatidiroma.com

I remember tho old market at Piazza Vittorio/Esquilino. It seems to have moved a bit but is in the same neighbourhood, near Termini, the main railway station. It is a very cosmopolitan market, and I remember it when Roms was just starting to get significant "extracomunitario" immigration: mercatidiroma.com/nuovo-mercato-esquilino-ex-piazza-vittorio/esquilino

Of course, whatever the city or neighbourhood, one has to be wary of pickpockets as markets.

[anshjain97]

Thanks for that, lagatta. Very interesting.

The area around Bocca della Verita is a reminder of Rome's heavy traffic, often chaotic.



The Arch of Janus.









The church Chiesa di Santa Maria della Conciliazione- I was the only person inside- what a peaceful place.












Circo Massimo, one of ancient Rome's racetracks. Now nothing except the land remains, which 2000 years later is still used for races, though of a different kind.

[lagatta]

Yes, Rome remains fairly backward in terms of public transport, and hence is clogged with cars and trucks. In one of your pictures there is a very old tram; I believe there are some more modern ones but not nearly enough. romemap360.com/rome-tram-map#.V2_zvq5jdFU
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Rome
As for the metro system, it is the victim of corruption and ineffective planning, but also of the ancient structures that are everywhere underground: often building is halted by archaeological digs.
And of course Rome is behind several other Italian cities and towns for cycling provision; there are bicycle lanes along the Tevere, but much remains to be done, in a city with a climate where year-round cycling would be easy.

For all of this, I love Rome, and miss my friends there.

If I go back, once again I'll stay outside the historic "microcentre".

[anshjain97]

Good to know Lagatta - there are modern trams too but indeed not too many of them. For the tourist, walking does remain the best means of transport within the center.

These are ruins of Roman temples at Largo di Torre Argentina- where Julius Caesar was assassinated on 15 Mar, 44 BC. A church covered this spot but its destruction was ordered by Mussolini to excavate the site.






The Vittoriano, built in honour of united Italy's first king, Victor Emmanuel. It was here Mussolini gave his speeches from.






Metro construction en route to the Colosseum.



And the Colosseum, in all its glory.



The interior- including what was the seating areas.






The weather would set the tone for the next 2 days...






Arch of Constantine






The historic road called Via Sacra leads to the Arch of Titus, from where the Roman Forum begins.

[lagatta]

I really like the moody rainy photos. I did wonder about rain when in the Pantheon, as while Rome is much warmer and drier than London, Berlin or Amsterdam, or even the major northern Italian cities, when it does rain in the Mediterranean, the rain can be a downpour.

I walked everywhere in central Rome, also to San Lorenzo where the largest university is located, and to the area where the big multicultural market is located behind Termini railway station. But while I was doing university research, I didn't have the same time constraints as someone working full time in a shop or office - especially since many libraries had very short hours for the public. The worst it the Vatican Library (which I wasn't using, but I know a researcher who spent at least a year there). Things have changed so much with the Internet. It did exist 30 years ago, but was in its infancy.

Largo Argentina is not named for the South American country with a huge Italian populaton (including Messi and Bergoglio). It has long been known for its stray cat colony, long fed by pensioners, but nowadays there is a centre caring for them and doing systemic spay and neuter, reducing the huge overpopulation of little felines. www.romancats.com/torreargentina/en/introduction.php

I saw that the cafeteria - tavola calda there where I'd stop for a small meal if hungry (the bus terminus for the bus up the slopes to Gianicolo is there) is still in business: www.reidsitaly.com/destinations/lazio/rome/dining/il_delfino.html www.ildelfinoroma.it/

[Deleted]

Jun 25, 2016 6:30:13 GMT anshjain97 said:

Kerouac, were the crowds very bad 20 years ago? They were phenomenal at some of the sights during my visit... and not much better when I was there around Easter 2009.

20 years ago, I didn't consider the crowds bad at all. Obviously places like the Colosseum or the Vatican Museum were "crowded" but there was no need to buy tickets in advance (or even the possibility of doing so). And there were hundreds of calm streets where I enjoyed walking.

I usually stayed near Termini, from which most of the bus lines started, so I became very proficient in using the bus system which actually seemed very efficient to me. I really need to return to discover how things have changed.

[mossie]

I love the Hand of Truth, pity we could not have tested our politicians during the last few weeks

[Deleted]

I should add that one thing that appears to have changed since my last trip to Rome is that the residential buildings now appear to be cleaner and in better condition. There used to be a genteel rundown feel to most of the city, which was excellent for tourists but perhaps not nearly as nice for the residents.

[anshjain97]

Good to know, thanks Kerouac. Yes, the run-down look of Rome is absolutely beautiful but locals may not feel exactly the same way.

Lagatta- yep, I did indeed face some torrential rain- had to put newspaper in my wallet for 2 days to dry it somewhat!

The arch:






The Forum was Rome's center of commerce and public life, where the citizens shopped and met, where senators discussed weighty political matters and where emperors ordered the construction of victory arches, columns etc.






The Forum is a vast archaeological site, and gives a scale of Rome's imperial power.

This fountain originally dates from the 6th cent BC



Ruin of a Byzantine church, Santa Maria Antiqua.









Views over the forum.






Arch of Septimius Severus.






The Rostra, the platform from where orators addressed the public.



The Curia, ancient Rome's Senate House.

[lagatta]

Trajan's Market is worth a look as well.

I remember seeing Rome for the first time (arriving from Paris), I was a bit disappointed at first because it seemed so grimy.

But I also remember finding Montréal very grimy and grey after returning via Paris after a long stay in Perugia (which isn't at all grimy). Without the excuse of being ancient. Last summer I saw a street exhibit about locations in Plateau Mont-Royal (where I lived back then, and which is just south of the district where I have lived for a long time) and indeed it looked sad and forlorn, with little greenery. But unfortunately gentrification has pushed many people out, as is the case in a lot of cities.

[fumobici]

You've really made an excellent exploration of the city! Just like Rome itself, there's so much to see here. I particularly love the early morning light at Vatican City. I can *smell* the place looking at these nice photos. Hope you've got more, I'm gobbling it up.

[Deleted]

My first trip to Rome was in 1971 and I remember sending a postcard to my parents saying that Rome had 5 times more things to see as Paris. Mind you, I didn't say it was 5 times "nicer" but I was boggled by all of the amazing monuments on just about every corner. I had been to Paris since childhood, and it seemed like a modern cosmopolitan city to me, but Rome absolutely oozed Roman history.

The Forum was the place that impressed me the most, even though I very much recall that it was a very hot day when I went there. But even though it was summer, back in those days, I had the entire place to myself, which is something that I still appreciate when I am visiting a major site anywhere.