Views of Rome

Villa Medici - A Foreign Queen's Whim

2012-03-31T15:06:00.002+02:00

Christina, Queen of Sweden, was for sure one of the most interesting people of the 17th Century. Single by choice, she secretly converted to Catholic religion, in a country where the vast majority is Protestant.

When her conversion became public, she was inevitably forced to leave her kingdom, and, with a court made only of a few loyal ones, she moved to Rome in 1655, where she was welcomed with all the honors by the reigning Pope Alexander VII.

A woman of vast culture and multi-faceted interests, she promoted many cultural initiatives in Rome, among which the creation of Rome's bothanical gardens.

Christina was also a woman with a very strong personality, and she showed it in many occasions,which contributed to building the legend around her, just like when she insisted in wanting to use one of Castel Sant'Angelo's cannons to fire a shot.

The heavy stone projectile flew across the river and hit the door of Villa Medici, a beautiful Renaissance palace situated on the Pincio hill, just a few meters away from the Church of the Trinity of the Mountains, which tops the famed Spanish Steps. The building, once bought by the famous Florentine Medici family, hosted the embassy of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, but was later converted into the French Academy, and is used for events such as exhibits or conferences.

The shot left a round mark on the palace's bronze door, while the cannonball, to remember this event, was used as a decoration for the fountain which is placed exactly in front of the palace's entrance.

So in one of Rome's most scenic corners, the careful observers who wish to see more than the beautiful view over Rome, can see the effects produced by a foreign queen's whim....

Below on the map, the trajectory of the shot which, according to the legend, travelled over 1 mile. (click to enlarge).

San Clemente - Home to Rome's Ancient Comics and Much More

2012-03-17T12:31:00.003+01:00

San Clemente's Basilica,only a few hundred meters away from the Coliseum, halfway between the famous Amphitheathre and S. Giovanni in Laterano, is one of those paleo-christian basilicas built upon one of the ancient temples dedicated to Mithra: an Oriental deity of very ancient origins, whose worship became widespread in Rome between the 1 and the IV Century AD (mysteric cults).

Mithra has some incredible coincidences with Christianity: in fact he was:
- Born on the night between the 24th and the 25th of December;
- Lived 33 years;
- Resurrected to Eternal Life.

Besides the beautiful church, filled with marvelous mosaics, and the ancient Mithraeum, San Clemente features a fresco which, if not for its strictly artistic significance, has a quite important cultural and lingustic one.

In the inferior Basilica, in the lower part of a larger fresco, there is a depiction of the Miracle of St. Clemente. The tradition tells us that when the Saint was arrested, while he was dragged by the soldiers he was turned miraculously into a marble pillar. The fresco depicts this moment, with the soldiers struggling to move their heavy prisoner, with the prefect Sisinnius cursing them.

The officer shouts: "Pull, sons of the prostitutes!" while another soldier says "Push from the back with the help of a pole". The Saint instead says: "Owing to the hardness of your heart, you deserve carrying nothing but stones."

Despite the low interest of the dialogue itself, this fresco is remarkable: firstly because it's one of the most ancient examples of "comic", with words written around the speaker, and because it's an example of "transition" language, between Latin and the Vulgar, which later evolved into the Italian language. Another interesting aspect, is that St. Clemente speaks Latin, probably to remark the Saint's superiority as opposed to the soldiers who captured him.

San Clemente is a typical place of interest in Rome: slightly off the most beaten path, containing real gems for the art and history lovers, and with a curious and unusual side, making it unique.

P.S.: Special thanks to my bro Claudio for lending me the pictures for this post! :)

Related post: http://viewsofrome.blogspot.it/2011/12/sol-invictus-festivity-before-christmas.html

San Giovanni in Laterano - The Vatican Before the Vatican

2012-03-12T17:19:00.001+01:00

Every city has its Cathedral... but if somebody asked you "Which is Rome's Cathedral?", what would your answer be??

Everybody knows the magnificence of the Vatican, with the marvelous Renaissaince and Baroque masterpieces crowding the imposing Basilica.. and many bet Rome's "main" church is St. Peter... But St. Peter was finished in the 16th Century... so where was the Pope before the Vatican was built?

The answer is: In San Giovanni in Laterano. The ancient Basilica, dating back to the 4th Century AD, is one of the first to be built after the Law 313 BC (Edict of Tolerance) which legalized Christianity, and takes its name from the Laterani family, who graciously "donated" the land where the church was built, after the Emperor Constantine seized it from them.

The evidence of the primacy of St. John comes from its complete (and rather long) name: "Sacrosancta Cathedralis Papalis Archibasilica Romana Maior Sanctissimi Salvatoris et Sanctorum Iohannis Baptistae et Evangelistae apud Lateranum, omnium Urbis et orbis ecclesiarum Mater et Caput" which roughly translates as: "Holy Papal Major Roman Arch-Basilica in Lateran area, dedicated to the Holy Saviour and to Saint John the Baptist and Evangelist, Mother and Head of all the churches on the globe."

Over 130 meters long, 5 naves, Bizantine style mosaic, beautiful "cosmatesque" floors, an imposing "Ciborio" over the altar, S. Giovanni is the quintessence of the art of Middle Age. The Medieval atmosphere is better appreciated entering from the side entrance, on the northern side of the building, from the square with the giant Egyptian obelisk, typical of every major Roman church, to make it easier to spot for the pilgrims.

The main façade, topped by the statues of Christ with the Apostols, is an addition from 18th Century, and despite being monumental and imposing, is, in my personal opinion, not an example of elegance and correct proportions, even if devoid of all the decorative exaggerations typical of Baroque.

San Giovanni in Laterano has been the Papal See until the completion of the Vatican, and even afterwards, it was chosen as summer residence. The Basilica was where the first Jubilee was celebrated in the year 1300, and also the place of the Baptism of Charles the Great, in 774 AD. An unconfirmed tale has it, that the main disc of red marble in the center of the Basilica is the place where the young Emperor kneeled to be christened.

These beautiful floors, invented by the Cosmati family (hence the name "cosmatesque") were an extremely smart way of adapting the available materials to create works of art. During the Middle Age, most of the traditional trading routes of the ancient times were disrupted, so materials such as exotic marbles were in short supply. The Cosmati found a marvelous way of using small marble fragments to form elegant patterns, which became a trademark of Medieval architecture.

The Basilica also keeps important relics for the pilgrims: the heads of St. Peter and St. Paul, and a part of what is believed to be the table where Christ and the Apostles had the Last Supper.

For the lovers of Roman history, there is a little special thing: the majestic bronze door you will find in the main entrance, under the white main façade were the actual doors of the Roman Senate, saved in the ancient times from the Forum and taken to St. John to be spared from sure stealing and melting to be used for other artworks, or even objects of everyday use, as too frequently happened with other Roman objects (e.g. the Pantheon's decorations)... But this is another story...

So... to wrap it all up... what is Rome's Cathedral again? :)

Campidoglio - 1 - An Ancient Alarm System

2012-03-04T08:59:00.003+01:00

The Campidoglio, despite not being the the place of the most ancient Roman settlements, is the most sacred of the Seven Hills of Rome. Home to the temples dedicated to the most revered among the Gods, and the destination of the Triumphs, which saw here the highest point of the celebration, it is also the setting for one of the most famous legends of ancient Rome, one of those who manage merging history and legend with a blurred border, and which is one of those who contributed the most to the building of the Roman national pride.

The occasion was the Gaul invasion of 390 B.C., when the Roman garrison was defeated, and the few citizens who decided not to flee Rome retired atop the sacred hill as their last stand.

The Romans were resisting well, despite being outnumbered by the enemies, but help was desperately needed: messengers were sent to recall to Rome the Army commander Marcus Furius Camillus. The general was temporarily exiled in the coast town of Ardea, due to his anti-democratic political positions, but promptly organized forces to go to the rescue of his compatriots. The messenger, however was followed by the Gauls on his was back to the Campidoglio, thus revealing a way to break into the Roman fortifications. Armed with this piece of intelligence, The Gauls made their attempt at night, while the defending Romans were sleeping, feeling safe on top of the hill, catching them unprepared for the defense.

Here the Romans' devotion to the Gods paid off: the Geese who lived in Juno's temple, and who were spared despite the food shortage as they were sacred to the Goddess, started making so much noise that they woke up the defenders. The Romans, led by the former Consul Marcus Manlius, managed to hold on until the arrive of the Army from Ardea. For his bravery, Marcus Manlius acquired the prestigious "Cognomen" of Capitolinus. Here the legend merges with that of Furius Camillus vs. the Brennus the Gaul, to which I will dedicate a new post soon. Stay tuned! :)

Isola Tiberina - 1 - The Legend of Rome's Island

2012-02-22T12:21:00.001+01:00

The Tiber only has one island in the urban section of its course: it's a small accumulation of alluvional sediments, and despite being far smaller than the similar one on the river Seine in Paris, it's still packed with story, legends, mysteries and interesting aspects. This first post is about its legendary origin.

The legend about the origin of the island, called in Latin Insula Tiberina or Insula Tiberis (Tiber's Island), dates back to the 6th Century B.C.: Historical records of the uprising of the Roman people against the last of the Seven Kings, the Etruscan Tarquinius Superbus (Tarquinius the Proud) have it that the people, angried by the heavy taxes imposed by the King, dumped the wheat havested in the Campus Martius (of Royal property) in the river, and that this impressive mass of grain and hay formed the inital core of the island.

This event, dating back to the year 510 B.C. is clearly legendary, but it's mostly probable that, in the last year of the Roman Monarchy (the Roman Republic was founded the following year, 509 B.C.) many actions of this kind took place in Rome as sign of rebellion against the King, who symbolized the domination of a foreign population and culture: the Etruscan one, more ancient and with extremely interesting and mysterious aspects, which filled the center of the Italian peninsula with beautiful tombs, marvelous golden artifacts, and refined structures such as temples, aqueducts and sewers.

The "Magic Gate" - Gold Available to the Skillful Code-breaker

2012-01-10T09:36:00.000+01:00

In one of the corners of the park inside the central Roman square of Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II (familiarly called "Piazza Vittorio" by the Romans), amid the mix of market stalls, traffic noise, the international atmosphere of the shops run by Chinese and Indian people, and the old late 19th Century buildings, and people rushing everywhere, standing there quietly there is a riddle made of stone, awaiting a skillful code-breaker to solve it.

The gate is what remains of the former palace of the Marquise Palombara, who built it in the second half of 17 Century, and which has been demolished to build today's Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II.

The Marquise Palombara, who was interested in Alchemy, and who was one of the alchemists of the Palazzo Riario (currently home to the Accademia dei Lincei, the world's most ancient scientific academy), the most illustrious of which was Queen Christina of Sweden, who moved to Rome and who studied alchemy, having been influenced by the great mathematician and scientist Cartesius, who was her teacher when she was young. We know from the ancient reports that he had his palace on the Esquilino hill built with symbols related to Alchemy.

The legend has it that the Magic Gate was built after a mysterious pilgrim was hosted in the villa for one night, and that, the following morning, he disappeared leaving behind some gold leaves and a sheet of paper explaining the secret to perform an achemcal transmutation. Bring unable to interpret what was written in symbols on the paper, the Marquise decided to have those symbols engraved on the Gate (according to some historians, on all of the 5 gates of the villa, 4 or which were lost) hoping that someone could decipher it.

So the Porta Magica is still standing there, awaiting the skillful code-breaker who can discover the secret to create gold.

Ancient Superstitions - The Number 17

2012-01-04T10:55:00.004+01:00

Unlike most countries around the world, in Italy the unlucky number is 17, not 13. This superstition has a story that traces back to ancient Rome, and refers to 2 specifical facts:

- The number 17 in Roman numbers is written as XVII (X=10 + V=5 + I=1 + I=1, Total = 17). Mixing up the letters, the only Latin word that can be formed is: VIXI, perfect tense of the verb VIVO (to live), which means "I used to live" and thus "I'm dead".

- 17th Legion of the Roman Army was totally destroyed during the disastrous defeat suffered by the Romans in 9 AD in the German woods near the town of Teutoburg. The legion, at the command of the Consul Quintilius Varus was ambushed by the local troops, and, overpowered by the enemy, caught by surprise and stuck in the muddy soil, was exterminated to the last man. The defeat had such a great effect on Roman people that Legion no. 17 was never reformed, and number 17 became an infamous number, and it stayed as a symbol of bad omen.

The bad luck reputation of number 17 survived until today, to the point that in many contexts in Italy no.17 is skipped (or replaced by 16/B), and even on Alitalia flights, there is no row 17.

Sol Invictus - The Festivity Before Christmas

2011-12-24T09:21:00.003+01:00

December 25th has always been a special day, since the ancient times. Several traditions overlap on this day: the oldest one started in the year 272 AD, when Emperor Aurelianus imported from Syria, whose legendary Queen Zenobia was defeated during the same year, the worship of the Sun, which was widely practiced in that area of the world. The Emperor ordered the construction of a new temple on the Quirinal Hill, which was inaugurated on December 25th, 274 AD, giving officiality to this new kind of worship.
From that year on, Dec. 25th was a sacred day, namely "Dies Natalis Solis Invictus" (Day of Birth of the Invincible Sun).

This celebration also overlaps with another "Sol Invictus" celebration, that was related to the fact that, despite the Solsitce of Winter in on December 21st, only on the 25th the first visible signs of improvement of the daylight length, and of the height of the sun over the horizon start appearing.

Only at the end of the 4th century AD, when the celebration of Christmas started officially (the Edict of Theodosius of 380 AD banned all worships other than Christianity), the day of December 25th, after several centuries was turned from a late Pagan festivity into one of the most sacred days for Christianity.

Merry Christmas everybody!

Santa Maria Maggiore - 2 - The World's Most Ancient Crib

2011-12-18T13:47:00.004+01:00

The ancient Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore has more to offer beside the wonderful mosaics, the Cosmatesque floors and a legendary history, it also keeps a little hidden treasure.

In the underground museum, accessible from the first door on the right hand side of the Basilica, beside a small treasure made of precious objects for the celebrations, like chandeliers, books and gold-embroidered clothes, in a niche in the wall stands a group of small statues, made of white marble, about 50-60 cm (2 ft) tall. The little statues, which resulted from examining by the experts to have been detached former high reliefs (two of the Magi Kings are still attached to a special backdrop made of painted marble), while the rear sides of the figures are made of a much coarser craftsmanship compared the the rest of the works.

It is also interesting to note how St. Mary's Statue has a very different style from the other characters: at a closer glance, it looks like a Renaissance artwork; this is partially true, because the statue has been modified in the 16th Century, possibly to repair some damage suffered by the artwork, as proved by closer examination of the faces of the 2 characters, whose imperfection shows that is not a brand new sculpture, but a modification of a pre-existent one.

This artwork, made by the famous Florentine sculptor Arnolfo di Cambio in 1291 AD, is considered to be the first "non-live" Crib (Nativity Scene), after that the custom of the Crib was ontroduced by San Francesco from Assisi, earlier in the same 13th Century, using real people and live animals to make the Nativity Scene.

Related Link: http://viewsofrome.blogspot.com/2011/08/miracle-of-snow-birth-of-basilica.html

Campo de' Fiori - A Marketplace & A Nightlife Venue in the Shade of G. Bruno

2011-12-10T11:06:00.004+01:00

Campo de' Fiori is a very unique square in Rome: surrounded by the simple elegance of Piazza Farnese, by the discreet Piazza della Cancelleria, near Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, which is like a bead linking many pearls (from Largo di Torre Argentina to the church of Sant'Andrea della Valle, and ending to the Lungotevere) and not far from the majestic Piazza Navona, Campo de' Fiori is a break in the elegance and monumentality of the surroundings, to leave room for a simpler, more lively space for the city, a space made available to the people.

The square takes its name (which translates as "Field of the Flowers") from the fact that for the whole Middle Age it was an unpaved area, where still grass and flowers grew freely.

In the 16th-17th Centuries the square, which has the special feature of being the only major square of Rome's center not having any church, was used mainly as a venue for corporal punishments and capital executions. The most famous of these executions took place on February 17th, 1600, when the philosopher and Dominican monk Giordano Bruno, author of many books on philosophy, religion and politics, was burnt at the stake on charge of heresy. The statue, built over 2 centuries later, represents Giordano Bruno, dressed in his monk's robe, holding his most famous works in his hands, and looking with angry eyes in the direction of the Vatican.

Nowadays the square has two different lives: in the morning it's home to one of the liveliest and most traditional Roman markets, which has recently integrated its offer range of traditional local products with spices and other exotic goods, while at night it becomes one of the focal points of Rome's nightlife, given the high concentration of bars, pubs & restaurants, and unfortunately also the stage for some episodes of violence.

This double nature and the history of this square definitely make it one of the favorites for anyone who loves to have a taste of Rome's everyday (and every night...) life.

The E.U.R. - 1 - The Cubic Coliseum

2011-11-24T08:10:00.003+01:00

Rome's "original" Coliseum needs no description nor introduction whatsoever, being one of the most famous things in the world, probably second only to Coca-Cola :)

What not everybody knows is that Rome also has a "cubic" Coliseum as well. It's one of the main buildings of the borough of E.U.R., one of the most special modern areas of Rome. Designed in the 30's to host the World Exhibit of 1942 (the name E.U.R. itself is an acronym for "Esposizione Universale Roma" ("Rome's Universal Exhibit") the E.U.R. was built according to the most modern architectural standards for the time, and what makes it different from other areas of Rome is that it's an area built from scratch, without being something based on pre-existing structures and without being just low-class housing.

This building, initially called "Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana" (Palace of the Italian Civilization) and in post-war times renamed "Palazzo della Civiltà del Lavoro" (Palace of the Labour Civilization) was designed by a team of architects in 1936 whose project was selected among others proposed, was intendedly a "modern version" of Rome's most iconic monument, and it imitated its structure, with the arches, and statues under them, just like the ancient Coliseum used to be. You may now wonder... Where are the statues? This is another sad Italian story: when the construction was interrupted for the war, and the the Fascist Regime eventually fell, everything was left the way it used to be, and all the statues, complete and ready to be shipped to the site, never made it to Rome, and are still awaiting their fate in dusty warehouses.

The main reason for the construction of the E.U.R. is propaganda: the Fascist Regime wanted to show the world the power and the modernity of the "new" (post World War I) Italy, and thus poured huge resources into this project, which was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II. And maybe this fact, which could be considered as a negative thing, adds to the place's atomsphere, because it gives the whole place an "interrupted dream" nuance, so that who visits can try imagning what the place would look once completed.

Michelangelo's Moses - Rome's Non-Talking Statue

2011-11-19T14:23:00.002+01:00

Those who already read the previous post about Pasquino (you can find it clicking on this link: http://viewsofrome.blogspot.com/2011/08/romes-talking-statues-1-pasquino.html), know that Rome has some "talking statues". The Eternal City, however, also has a very stubborn statue, who refused to speak at his maker's request: Michelangelo's Moses.

There are many stories related to this masterpiece located in a rather dim corner of the Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli, on the Colle Oppio, the hill right opposite the Coliseum. The Basilica has this name (translating as "St. Peter in Chains") because it was built to contain a rather special relic: the chains that held St. Peter during his stay at the Mamertine Prison, located in the Forum area.

The most interesting feature of this Basilica, however, is not the holy relic under the main altar, but a statue placed in a corner... A masterpiece coming from two different failures, still one of the most stunning artworks available in Rome: Michelangelo's Moses.

The first failure came from the material itself: the marble block used to make this sculpture was discarded by another artists, who made a mistake in the inital phase of the making of his work, and who deemed the block no longer usable. Michalngelo picked up this block and made a real masterpiece out of it, being however forced to give the Moses a slightly unusual stance, turned towards the left, and a masterfully hidden disproportion beween the size of the two knees.

Another failure that marked the destiny of this wonderful artwork, is that this statue was just a part of a magnificent tomb for the Pope Julius II (depicted in the upper part of the tomb), which was not completed before the Pope's death, as the great artist was deeply absorbed in other great artworks, such as the Sistine Chapel. Being too beautiful to be put is some dusty warehouse, the statue was put in the corner of this ancient Basilica.

The reason why I called the Moses a "Non-talking statue" as opposed to the "Talking" ones like Pasquino, stems out of a legend: it is said that the great artist, upon completion of his artwork, being himself surprised by the quality and perfection of the statue, hit the Moses' knee with his hammer shouting: "Why don't you talk?!". Some claim that the mark of this hammer hit is still visible... possibly with the eyes of an art lover...

Related topic link: http://viewsofrome.blogspot.com/2011/08/moses-statue-at-largo-santa-susanna.html

Porta San Sebastiano - 1 - The Unnoticed Angel

2011-11-14T16:54:00.003+01:00

Porta San Sebastiano is the ancient gate which allowed those travelling on the Appian Way to enter the Eternal City. The gate is still in use, being on a rather busy road intersection. While the surrounding section of Roman walls is still original, the gate, through the centuries, has undergone several changes, both during the Middle Age, during the Renaissance period, and even in 20th Century, when Ettore Muti, one of the most famous components of the top brass of the Fascist regime, turned the gate into his very own pied-à-terre.

This gate, which is itself a nice view, and besides being the entrance to visit a section of the walls, featurees a little "hidden treasure": on the left of the gate (for those "entering" the gate) engraved in the stone, there stands an angel with a spear in the mouth of a dragon trapped under his feet, representing evil. on the right side of the standing figure, there is a Latin text written in Oncial characters. Both the style of the depicted Angel and the "font" used for the text tells us that the image dates back to the Middle Age, most probably engraved by pilgrims who came to Rome and who had to wait for the gates to be open.

Unfortunately this little treasure often goes unnoticed, as cars pass through the gate without having a chance to appreciate it. Pedestrians willing to enjoy it will have to synchronize with the car traffic, since the engraving is inside the gate, and the passage is barely enough for a car to pass.
The more curious (and daring) visitor can take a look at more engravings just on the opposite side, which are smaller and have the names and dates of pilgrimage. Rome is not the "City of Angels" but if you happen to pass by Porta San Sebastiano, you will fine one welcoming you in the Eternal City.

Myths about Rome - La Torre delle Milizie - Nero's "Observation Point"

2011-11-05T11:29:00.004+01:00

On the hill right behind the Forum of Nerva, a tall tower made of red bricks stands out against the background of the sky. What looks like a quite anonymous building, is the stage for one of the biggest myths about Rome.

The Tower, built back in 13th Century for the noble Conti family, and one of the few remaning buildings of the Middle Age in Rome, used to be a taller, three-tiered building, but the upper part was knocked down in 14th century owing to the effects of a strong earthquake that hit the City. The name of "Torre delle Milizie" comes from an alleged presence of a military garrison's barracks, but until now, I could not find any historical evidence about this fact.

Roman people built a myth about this tower, telling that that was the point from which the Emperor Nero watched Rome birning during the infamous fire that destroyed the city back in 64 A.D. Nothing could be farther from reality, because of 2 main facts:

- Emperor Nero was not in Rome at the outbreak of the fire, but at his seaside villa in Antium (today Anzio), and:
- the Tower was built in Middle Age, so it was not there at the moment of fire,

but this is just one of the many stories without historical foundations who were made up in centuries of hatred against this unconventional and innovative Roman Emperor.
Currently integrated in the archaeological complex of Trajan's Markets, the tower can be accessed entering from the same site's entrance, on Via Quattro Novembre.

Il Vittoriano - A Typewriter, a Wedding Cake or Our National Pride?

2011-10-30T18:53:00.004+01:00

On Piazza Venezia, you will find one of the most famous - and controversial - monuments of the whole Eternal City: The "Vittoriano", or "Altare della Patria" - "Altar of the Fatherland" - A monument built between 1911 and completed only in 1925 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Unity of the Country (1861-1911), and to commemorate Vittorio Emanuele II, the first King of united Italy (statue in the middle of the monument.)

The first controversial fact about the monument arose long before its completion, both during the long process of selection of the proposed projects among the ones submitted (315 from 13 countries) and from the supply of stone and marble chosen for the building, coming from the northern province of Brescia (with alleged interferences coming from the most powerful politicians of that time, including the Prime Minister).

The discussions subsided after the end of World War I, with the enthusiasm following the Victory of 1918. In 1921 at the same monument was buried the Unknown Soldier, a soldier chosen on a battlefield in north-eastern Italy among those who had no identification plate with them, transported to Rome with great honours, and buried there with great solemnity to symbolize the sacrifice of all the soldiers during all wars, but especially in WW I which for Italy was considered as the last one of the Wars for Independence, having manage to reconquer from the Austian Empire the territories of Trento and Trieste in northern Italy.

During the following Fascist period, with the ideal of Fatherland becoming of paramount importance for the regime's propaganda, the Vittoriano became the stage for so many ceremonies of all kinds, with the military ones being the most frequently represented on the site.

After the war, the monument lost part of its importance, and started becoming the target for heavy criticsm by the people: the allegedly not graceful shape of the monument, its being all white, and the face that it doesn't blend too well with the more ancient surroundings, earned the monuments nicknames such as "The Typewriter" (due to its shape) or "The Wedding Cake" due to the color.

In more recent times, after having suffered a bomb attack back in the late 60s, the monument has been closed to the public only to be reopened in 1997. In 2011 it went back to his splendour and importance thanks a thorough refurbishment and for becoming one of the focal points of the celebrations for the 150th Anniversary of the Unity of Italy.

So, it's up to each one of us to decide if the Vittoriano is just a Typewriter, a Wedding Cake, or the materialization of our National Pride.

"Domine, Quo Vadis?" - A small Church for a Miracle Encounter

2011-10-13T08:23:00.003+02:00

On the Appian Way, less than half a kilometer away from Porta San Sebastiano (the main gate in Rome walls on Appian Way) and just metres away from the Catacombs of St. Callisto, there is a small church with a very simple façade, that can easily go unnoticed both by visitors and by Romans, often more concentrated on the nearby road intersection than on what surrounds them.

The little church, as stated also by the sentence written in Latin above the entrance door, was, according to tradition, the stage for a very special encounter: it is believed that St. Peter, fleeing Rome to escape the prosecutions by Emperor Nero, met Christ in this place, and asked him in Latin: "Domine, Quo Vadis?" meaning "Lord, where are you going?" and Christ, who was heading towards Rome, replied: "Eo Romam Iterum Crucifigi", which means "I'm going to Rome to be crucifixed again." From this sentence, Peter understood he should not run away, so he went back to Rome to meet his destiny or martyrdom.

Inside the church, on the floor, we can see a slab of white marble, on which there are engraved 2 footprints, believed to be the footprints of Christ himself (this can be seen from the sentences engraved on the edges of the slab). Historical and archaeological researches showed that the slab is indeed ancient, but in reality it was an "ex voto" made by travellers, probablyleft in the temple as a thanking to the Gods for the successful trip, or maybe as an offer before the trip to invoke their protection.

The little church can be a nice stop for the visitor on the Appian way en route to bigger attractions such as: the Catacombs, the Appian Way, or the ancient city walls, that can be visited in the section around the nearby gate of Porta San Sebastiano.

Bernini vs. Borromini - 1 - The Four Rivers' Fountain

2011-09-08T12:01:00.009+02:00

The two Geniuses of the Baroque in Rome, Bernini and Borromini, were divided by an unfriendly rivalry, which had outbursts which remained famous among Roman people.

The two artist often competed to obtain the assignment of the construction of buildings, fountains and statues, but, more than anything else, they competed to be considered the best artist operating in Rome.

Bernini was considered by far a better artist, given the marvelous artworks he adorned Rome with during all his life, while Borromini prided himself with his superior technical knowledge. being more of an Architect, and less of a Sculptor. This difference became especially evident when Bernini was appointed the construction of the 3 fountains in Piazza Navona, with the one in the middle of the square being the famous "Four Rivers' Fountain" (depicting the Tiber, The Nile, the Hindus and the Rio de la Plata), right in front of the church of S. Agnese in Agone, built by Borromini.

Bernini started his work, but got stuck at a given point, because he did not manage to get water flowing from the fountain, and could not figure out why. His rival Borromini, being a great techinician, knew the solution to the problem, but he declared that he would rather be torture than telling his arch rival how to fix it. Bernini was desperate, but he came up with one of his great ideas: he paid some people to invite him to dinner, and made him drunk. Under the effect of alcohol, the intoxicated artist revealed that the problem was in one of the pipelines bringing water to the fountain. Armed with this insight, Bernini performed the necessary adjustment, and, to his rival's astonishment, made the water spring out of his brand new artwork.

Not satisfied with this victory, Bernini enjoyed also some revenge over his rival: looking at the statue facing Borromini's church's façade, you can notice the man is in an odd position, gesturing as if he is prefenting the church from falling down, or scared by the building's ugliness.

The Frescoes in Villa Farnesina - A case of "Artistic Espionage"

2011-09-03T08:19:00.002+02:00

Villa Farnesina is a wonderful building in Renaissance style, right next to the Lungotevere, on the Trastevere side (Right Bank of the Tiber). It was built by Agostino Chigi, a famous banker from the Tuscan city of Siena, who, in 1472, founded the still open bank of "Monte dei Paschi di Siena".

This building, configured as a "Suburban Villa" as opposed to the city palace, (Palazzo Chigi) where now is the Office of the Prime Minister, is currently owned by the "Accdemia dei Lincei" Italy's National Scientific Academy, and one of the most ancient (if not the most ancient) of such Institutions in the world. The whole building is decorated with scenes from Greek and Roman Myths, with the most remarkable room being the "Loggia di Psiche".

The story has it that the decoration of such room was appointed to Raffaello Sanzio, and that Michelangelo was terribly curious to see what kind of work his "rival" was carrying out, but Raffaello set up a strong security in order not to let anyone "spy" on his work. Nevertheless, Michelangelo tried really hard, and finally managed to sneak in.

In order to show Raffaello he managed to outsmart the security he set up, he drew, using a piece of charcoal, a young man's head in one of the blank spaces in the fresco, in the unmistakable Michelangelo's style. The following morning, Raffaello was enraged to see his arch rival managed to see his artwork before its completion, but his anger lasted for really short time, because the Tuscan great artist's drawing was so beautiful that Raffaello didn't have the heart to have it deleted, and the drawing is still there, and can be admired at the beginning of the visit of Villa Farnesina.

The Moses' Statue at Largo Santa Susanna - a Failed Imitation

2011-08-31T08:57:00.004+02:00

On Largo Santa Susanna, a small square connecting the area of Piazza della Repubblica (known to old Romans with the former name of Piazza Esedra) and the area around Via Veneto, there is a fountain, built at the end of the 16th Century by architect Giovanni Fontana, brother of the more famous Domenico. This fountain was built upon an order of the great Pope Sixtus V as one of the fountains of the aqueduct built by him on the old pattern of the one built but the Emperor Alexander Severus, and which took the name of the Pope: Felice.

What makes this otherwise ordinary fountain (for Rome's standards) special, even if in a somewhat negative way, is the statue standing in the middle niche, depicting Moses, holding the Tables of the Law, and pointing at the water, in the act of ordering it to spring out of the rock. This is a mistake by the sculptor (Leonardo Sormani, nicknamed "Il Bresciano" since he came from the northen Italian city of Brescia) who did not take into consideration the fact that the episode of Tables of the Law came after the one of the water springing it from the rock.

This mistake, and the non-elegant, non-graceful appearance of the statue, summed to the alleged claims of the sculptor to produce and artwork superior to Michelangelo's masterpiece Moses, that can be found in the church of S. Pietro in Vincoli, made him the target of the mocking of Roman people, who renamed this artwork "The Ridiculous Moses"; this, according to the legend, pushed the uncautious sculptor to suicide.

If the sight of this artwork has disturbed and amused you, I suggest to walk just 30 meters more, on the corner to Via XX Settembre where, inside the church of S. Maria della Vittoria, where the sight of the Ecstasy of St. Theresa by G. L. Bernini will delight you.

Related topic link: http://viewsofrome.blogspot.com/2011/11/michelangelos-moses-romes-non-talking.html

Caesar’s Murder – An Unexpected Crime Scene

2011-08-23T18:45:00.005+02:00

The story of the murder of Julius Caesar is one of the most famous moments of the Roman history; everybody knows he was assassinated by fellow Senators on the Ides of March (March 15^th) of the year 44 B.C. who ambushed him in the Senate Hall, thus putting an end to the life of one of the greatest Romans, and, in turn, to the Roman Republic, and paving the way to the foundation of the Empire.

What is less known is that this crime, considered by some the halting of a rising tyrant, by others just another cruel political murder, did not happen in the Senate building that stands nearly untouched in the middle of the Forum (better known as the “Curia Ostilia”), but in a rather neglected archaeological area in Largo di Torre Argentina, called “Curia Pompeii”, just a few hundreds of meters away from Piazza Venezia, and less of 1 km from the Forum. In that area, now the territory where many street cats live, there are the ruins of several buildings, where it’s identifying four temples, one of which (the “Aedes Fortunae Huiusce Diei” – Temple of the Present Day’s Luck) has a round shape, and it’s easily found because of the remainders of columns which are still standing. Behind that building, is the place where the infamous, history-changing murder took place.

La Bocca della Verità – Test your Honesty in the Heart of Rome

2011-08-18T11:34:00.007+02:00

In the Velabrum Area, under the portico of the Romanic Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, on the left wall, stays the famous “Bocca della Verità”, a round of marble, with a diameter of about 1.80m and an estimated weight over 1 ton, sustained by a Corinthian Capital.

The face depicted on this artwork is said to be the one of Jove, even if other sources hypotize that it could be the face of a Faunus.

The stone was actually a manhole cover, probably from the Cloaca Maxima, Rome’s biggest sewer system, designed by the Etruscan Kings back in 6th Century B.C. but was so beautiful that they decided to save if from loss or destruction, relocating it in the church’s outer part. Originally it was kept outside the Basilica’s perimeter, but then in 1631 the Pope Urbanus VIII Barberini, taking advantage of some restoration works that were carried out in the Basilica, decided to move this object inside the church’s portico, in order to protect it from weather aggression and from vandalism in night time.

Many are the stories and legends related to this object which has, over centuries, become one of Rome’s landmarks: in the Ancient times it was believed to have the power to be an oracle, while in the Middle Age people believed this was the creation of a Mage in order to test people’s honesty, especially in matters of matrimonial fidelity. Whoever put his/her hand in the “mouth” and could safely pull it out, would prove his/her honesty.This belief remained till today, and this is why nowadays we can see long queues of tourists waiting in the line to take a souvenir picture with their hand in the mask’s “mouth”.

Rome's Talking Statues - 1 - Pasquino

2011-08-15T20:29:00.003+02:00

On a small square just south of Piazza Navona, in a corner stands the most famous among Rome's "talking statues": Pasquino. A heavily damaged statue, probably depicting a Greek hero (its conditions make the identification difficult, even if many hypothesis have been made) found in 1501 during the excavation works of the nearby Circus of Domitian (which is right beneath Piazza Navona).

Since 16th Century, the statue was the place where, during the night, hiding from the policemen's sight, the people posted their criticism against the power and the government, often in the form of short sarcastic poems or short sentences, in the typical Roman humor style, which, since the most ancient times, is known to express itself in short but effective sentences. Such sentences have grown to acquire the dignity of a literary form, the so-called "pasquinate".

Far from being a simple literary exercise, the "pasquinate" deeply irritated many Popes, who several times attempted to have the overly loquacious statue removed, but always wisely abandoned the project, in order to avoid irritating the people by depriving them of a way to vent their anger and dissatisfaction in a form which, after all, was absolutely harmless for the power itself.

Even today, Pasquino's statue is still "talking" and it can be an interesting and funny experience to stop by the statue and read the sheets of paper pasted to the statue (often written in Italian, more often in Roman slang) and enjoy some of the traditional Roman humor :)

Monte Testaccio - An Unusual 8th Hill in the Heart of Rome

2011-08-14T13:00:00.004+02:00

The borough stretching from the the Pyramid site to the river, which is one of the most popular venues for nightlife and traditional Roman cuisine, has the odd sounding name of "Testaccio". The name comes from a very unique place in the oldest part of this borough: a huge stack of broken Roman jars, wihch, over the centuries, became a real hill, over 50 m tall. And these jars, which in Latin were called "Testae" gave the name to the unusual hill and to the whole borough.

Such a place was nothing but a "specialized dump": at the nearby river harbor of the "Emporium," docked the "Naves Oleariae" (Oil carrying ships) carrying thousands of jars made of terra-cotta, mainly from the North African coast, off-loaded the jars. In the past it was believed that the broken jars forming the hill were just the one which accidentally broke during the off-loading process, but more recent discoveries showed that the harbor workers intentionally broke them, since oil jars, unlikely others, were not refillable for hygiene and convenience reasons, and stacked them tidily.

In more recent times this artificial hill has been used as venue for celebrations and for religious rites, in particular the Via Crucis taking place every Friday before Easter. The site now is surrounded by restaurants and clubs, some of which are directly under the hill itself.

At present, the hill is normally closed to visitors because of some instability problems of the structure, but guided visits can be arranged.

The Pyramid - 3 - A Cat Sanctuary

2011-08-13T06:00:00.027+02:00

On the northern side of the Pyramid, attached to the Acatholic there is an area where, amid ancient columns and other ruins lives one of Rome's oldest colony of street cats, with its foundation dating back to 1850. Street cats are a common sight in Rome, especially in the center's archaelogical areas (such as around the Coliseum, Largo di Torre Agentina, and so on...) where they can live without the risks of traffic. The are usually fed by another typical Roman character: the so-called "Gattara": usually a woman, often an elderly one, who loves cats and takes charge of feeding the ones of the area where she lives.

In the Feline Colony a group of volunteers formed an association to take care of the cats, and it can be visited daily from 2 till 4 PM. A nice bonus for cat lovers visiting the Pyramid and the neighbouring Acatholic Cemetery.

The Pyramid - 2 - Acatholic Cemetery - A Small Enclave in the Capital of Catholicism

2011-08-12T06:00:00.027+02:00

Right behind the Pyramid, on the side where the ancient monument doesn't suffer the siege of everyday traffic, on the side towards the famous and traditional borough of Testaccio, there is a garden, protected by walls. Those walls, separate the rest of Rome from a very unique part of the city. Once entered the gate, the atmosphere changes: the mind flies to gardens and cemeteries typical of the Anglo-Saxon world, and for a few minutes we can enjoy a change of style in our walk through Rome.

This is the Acatholic Cemetery, originally built in the 18th century for all those who were non-Catholic. The majority of those buried there are British, Germans, Dutch Protestants, but there are also Russian Orthodox, a few from the Far East (China and Japan) and also a few Atheists, the most famous of whom is the historical Communist leader Antonio Gramsci.

Among Roman People this place is simply called "The Englishmen's Cemetery" because of the large number of Anglo-Saxon citizen, and especially for the most famous of them: the British poets and writers John Keats and Percy B. Shelley, both buried here.

A visit to this place, beside offering an unusual view of the Pyramid, without the disturbance of traffic, would be a trip in a small oasis in the Capital of Catholicism.