Imago Urbis

My neighbourhood: first look

2010-01-06T13:56:00.000+01:00

I do not find my neighbourhood particularly inspiring, probably because of a few characteristics I do not like. Quartiere Della Vittoria is one of the poorest when you consider parks, but one of the wealthiest and conservative for what concerns people, most of them old people. Maybe I will find how to look at it straight into the eyes, so to speak. In the meantime, here a reversed reflection of a typical building from the early 20th century.

Bust of poet Dante Alighieri

2010-01-05T16:49:00.000+01:00

The gardens of the Pincio are lined with over 200 busts of famous Italians. They are easily valdalized, with their nose the preferred goal. Dante Alighieri, the Italian "Supreme poet", is placed near the Hydrochronometer.

The Pincio hydrochronometer

2010-01-03T14:15:00.003+01:00

Within the Pincio gardens, in Rione Campo Marzio, there is a bizarre hydrochronometer built by Fr. Giovan Battista Embriaco in 1867. Although not the only such water clock in Rome, this one is by far the easiest to see. As far as I remember, the hydrochronometer has always been in one of three states: "left to rust", "under maintenance", "not running". When this picture was taken, despite the 2007 restoration and an ideal, spring-like weather, the water clock was in the third state.

Monte San Biagio from Fondi lake

2006-09-14T10:56:00.000+02:00

View from Fondi coastal lake towards the Ausoni mountains, in the Central Appenines, and Monte San Biagio, a village about 150 km South of Rome.

The shore of Fondi lake

2006-09-13T17:05:00.000+02:00

View towards the shore taken from a wooden boat sailing on Fondi lake, a coastal salt-water natural reserve about 150 km south of Rome.

Tugboat Millennium

2006-03-08T21:37:00.000+01:00

Tugboat Millennium moored near the mouth of Fiumicino river.

M/S John Kennedy

2006-03-07T09:46:00.000+01:00

Wooden trawler John Kennedy moored along lazy Fiumicino river.

Trawlers at Fiumicino

2006-03-06T22:06:00.000+01:00

Sunset on a Sunday afternoon in Fiumicino. Literally meaning "little river", Fiumicino is both the name of one of the mouths of the Tiber river and a small sea town, formerly Rome's 14th municipality.

Building site for two

2006-03-02T14:48:00.000+01:00

Restauration work going on around a large vase in largo dei Cavalli Marini, villa Borghese park.

Spring concert

2006-02-26T22:24:00.000+01:00

Clear signs of spring in viale Mazzini, quartiere Della Vittoria. Luciano Ligabue next concert will be on June 3rd at the Olympic Stadium.

The Meridiana near Palazzo Borghese

2006-02-22T19:47:00.000+01:00

Originally a hen house, the Meridiana was built in the late 17th Century. In the center-top of the picture, barely visible near one of the ornamental stone spheres, an airplane heading to Rome Ciampino secondary airport. This photo was shot on a cold Sunday afternoon, while Villa Borghese park was packed with Romans of all ages.

Early flowers

2006-02-11T22:55:00.000+01:00

Early spring flowers in villa Borghese park.

Casina di Raffaello

2006-02-10T21:59:00.001+01:00

A 17th century building known as Casina di Raffaello, near piazza di Siena, within villa Borghese park. This 17th century house is being renovated to become a play center.

Sky blue

2006-02-07T22:21:00.000+01:00

A fountain in viale del Galoppatoio, villa Borghese park.

Cold day in Rome

2006-02-06T22:29:00.000+01:00

Bitter oranges (Citrus aurantium) in villa Borghese park' secret gardens. This tree is rather strong and resists mild Roman winters.

Lord Byron

2006-02-02T08:52:00.000+01:00

George Gordon Byron in Carrara marble among the pine trees of villa Borghese park. Copy of the statue by Bertel Thorvaldsen in the Trinity College library of Cambridge university.

Roma sotterranea

2006-01-31T20:43:00.000+01:00

The new Arion bookshop opened under piazza Fiume boasts a Roman wall in opus reticulatum with terracotta draining pipes. All around, books about Rome.

Guard post near piazza Fiume

2006-01-26T22:09:00.000+01:00

Mediaval remains of a guard post near Porta Salaria, one of Rome gates damaged by cannon balls in 1870 and destroyed in early 20th century. On the right of this small, badly maintained area surrounded by traffic, the copy of the tomb of Quintus Sulpicious Maximus, very young poet from the 1st century AD.

Street signs

2006-01-25T20:43:00.000+01:00

Street signs in Rome are made from travertine, a variety of marble extensively used in the Colosseum (and in the Getty Center in Los Angeles). But the reason that made the gas pipe respectfully bend around the street sign in via Magenta, near Termini central railway station, is probably bureaucratic rather than economic.

Palazzo Madama

2006-01-22T23:15:00.000+01:00

Palazzo Madama is the seat of the Italian senate since 1870. The building, originally erected in the 15th century by the Bishop of Chiusi, became later a property of the Popes from Medici and Farnese families.

Resting seagull

2006-01-20T20:38:00.000+01:00

Seagull resting on top of a building in via Crescenzio, quartiere Prati.

Balcony facing south

2006-01-18T21:51:00.000+01:00

Outdoor exposition of citruses and succulents on a sun-bathed balcony facing south in via Zanardelli, near piazza Navona.

Plane trees in villa Borghese park

2006-01-17T23:01:00.000+01:00

A very old plane tree in villa Borghese park, just a few hundred metres from via Veneto.

Assorted road signs

2006-01-15T16:01:00.000+01:00

Road signs assortment in viale della Milizie, quartiere Prati: one of the ubiquitous signs directing to the nearest INAIL office, a rather unexpected skid danger sign, advertisement of a caviar-based beauty treatment and others.

Old stones of Castel Sant'Angelo

2006-01-14T09:21:00.000+01:00

Castel Sant'Angelo, once the tomb of Emperor Hadrian, was later transformed in a fortress.