Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Some data about the Colossem
Colosseum (also spelt Coliseum), Piazzale del Colosseo / Via dei Fori Imperiali, open daily October-January 15 9am-3pm, January 16-February 15 9am-4pm, February 16-March 17 9am-4.30pm, March 18-April 16 9am-5pm, April 17-September 9am-7pm, tel 06-700-4261, admission €10, guided tours available - known properly as the Flavian Amphitheatre, this most famous of Roman landmarks takes its name from the giant statue of the emperor Nero that once stood near this location. Originally capable of seating some 50,000 spectators for animal fights and gladiatorial combats, the amphitheatre was a project started by the Emperor Vespasian in 72 and completed by his son Domitian sometime in the 80s. The Colosseum when completed measured 48 m high, 188 m in length, and 156 m in width. The wooden arena floor was 86 m by 54 m, and covered by sand.
the Arch of Constantine, free to view - located a short walk west of the Colosseum, this well-preserved monumental arch was erected (sometime soon after 315) to commemorate the victory of Constantine, the first Christian emperor, over his rival Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312. In general design, the Arch of Constantine imitates the century-earlier Arch of Septimius Severus (nearby in the Forum) - the quality of its sculptural decoration, however, betrays the slow degradation that Classical Roman sculpture had experienced in the 3rd century AD...
(link)
the Arch of Constantine, free to view - located a short walk west of the Colosseum, this well-preserved monumental arch was erected (sometime soon after 315) to commemorate the victory of Constantine, the first Christian emperor, over his rival Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312. In general design, the Arch of Constantine imitates the century-earlier Arch of Septimius Severus (nearby in the Forum) - the quality of its sculptural decoration, however, betrays the slow degradation that Classical Roman sculpture had experienced in the 3rd century AD...
(link)
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Friday, May 12, 2006
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Colosseum inside...
You can also visit the Colosseum inside... be careful about the gladiators and lions...
Friday, May 05, 2006
Cheapest hostels in Rome
Very cheap places to stay while having a trip in Rome...
* Litus Roma Hostel, lungomare Toscanelli 186. The first hostel by the sea in Rome. Located near the new port of Rome and close to the excavations of Ostia Antica. it's easy reachable from the center of Rome by underground. Over 140 beds in comfortable rooms with ensuite bathrooms, TV color and a aview of the sea. http://www.litusroma.com
* Agli scavi di Ostia Antica, Via della Stazione di Ostia Antica 7. A small ville steeped in the green of the roman campaign. It is located at only 100 metres from the archeological excavations of Ostia Antica. At about 50 metres from the bus and the train stop. http://www.ostiaantica.net/bandb/
* Apartment Filippus Spanish Square, Via Casini, [17] It is a 110 square meters apartment, with a wonderful terrace,simply lovely, and it is composed by the entrance room, two big double bedrooms ( one has a closet ), bathroom with bath/shower, very big living room with double sofa bed and fan on the ceiling, fully equipped kitchen.
* Alessandro Hostels, Alessandro Palace - Via Vicenza 42, +39.06.446.1958 fax +39.06.493.80.534, Alessandro Downtown - Via C. Cattaneo 23, +39.06.443.40.147, Alessandro Indipendenza - Via Curtatone 13, +39.06.44.61.958, has grown from a pensione into a small chain of three of the most popular backpacker hostels in Rome. All locations are 5 minutes on foot from Termini, include free breakfast, no curfew, cheap internet, video security, free pizza parties at the Palace pub, and free linens. Other amenities vary between the locations (ie the Palace has ensuite bathrooms and an in-house pub with cheap beers, while the Downtown location has communal bathrooms and a medium sized self-service kitchen.) Prices from €16 per person per night in low season, from €19 per person per night in high season. http://www.hostelsalessandro.com/
* Freedom Traveller Hostel, Via Gaeta 25, (+39) 06 47823862. A four-minute walk from the central train station, this hostel has adequate dorms from €23 per night, including free breakfast, internet and dinner. Some dorms also have nice balconies, kitchens and communal areas. No curfew, but lockout is from 11.00 - 15.00. http://www.freedom-traveller.it/
* Gullivers House, Via Palermo 36, (+39)-064817680. Small co-ed youth hostel. 10 minutes from Termini. Owned by a nice couple, fluent English, they'll help you plan your stay in Rome better then any travel agent would. Free breakfast is what you would expect, so not much. They do have a fridge you can use, buy some juice from one of the nearby stores for a refreshment when you get back in the evening after a long day of not drinking the €2 cokes. Show English-language movies in the evening. Clean. Cute dogs. http://www.gullivershouse.com
* M&J Place Hostel Roma, Via Solferino , 9, (+39) 064462802 (info @ mejplacehostel.com) is within spitting distance of the train station. Friendly staff and reasonable dorms, this popular hostel has a paltry free breakfast but no lockout or curfew. http://www.hostelinrome.com/
* Yellow Hostel, 44 via Palestro, 00185, telephone: +39 06 49 382 682 ( info @ yellowhostel.com ), dorms from €23 per night. http://www.yellowhostel.com/
* Colors Hostel on the West side of the city, a few blocks north of the Vatican (take the metro from the train station, which is on the East side of the city) http://www.colorshotel.com/
* Pop Inn Hostel Very clean & comfortable environment, & all our bathrooms are kept spotlessly clean so that you don’t have to be worried if you want to book a room with shared bathroom. All of the rooms are freshly cleaned everyday & the beds made. We have fans in the summer & in the winter heaters keep the rooms warm and cozy.
* YWCA Foyer di Roma Youth Hostel is four blocks from Termini on the Via C. Balbo. Rooms are spotless, bathrooms are extremely clean, and towels and linens are changed once a day. Internet for €1 per hour. Fridge on every floor. Continental breakfast included in room rate. €26 per person per night for a bed in a 4-person room. €31 for a double, €47 for a private room. You have to be female to reserve a room; however, men can stay if accompanied by a woman. Via C. Balbo 4, 00184, telephone: +39 06 4880460 (foyer.roma@ywca.ucdg.it).
* Cristina House Located in the area around Termini Rail Station, Cristina House is a group of Hostels, Bed&Breakfast and Low budget-Hotels. Web site provide more information and FREE online booking system. http://www.cristinahouse.com/
* Litus Roma Hostel, lungomare Toscanelli 186. The first hostel by the sea in Rome. Located near the new port of Rome and close to the excavations of Ostia Antica. it's easy reachable from the center of Rome by underground. Over 140 beds in comfortable rooms with ensuite bathrooms, TV color and a aview of the sea. http://www.litusroma.com
* Agli scavi di Ostia Antica, Via della Stazione di Ostia Antica 7. A small ville steeped in the green of the roman campaign. It is located at only 100 metres from the archeological excavations of Ostia Antica. At about 50 metres from the bus and the train stop. http://www.ostiaantica.net/bandb/
* Apartment Filippus Spanish Square, Via Casini, [17] It is a 110 square meters apartment, with a wonderful terrace,simply lovely, and it is composed by the entrance room, two big double bedrooms ( one has a closet ), bathroom with bath/shower, very big living room with double sofa bed and fan on the ceiling, fully equipped kitchen.
* Alessandro Hostels, Alessandro Palace - Via Vicenza 42, +39.06.446.1958 fax +39.06.493.80.534, Alessandro Downtown - Via C. Cattaneo 23, +39.06.443.40.147, Alessandro Indipendenza - Via Curtatone 13, +39.06.44.61.958, has grown from a pensione into a small chain of three of the most popular backpacker hostels in Rome. All locations are 5 minutes on foot from Termini, include free breakfast, no curfew, cheap internet, video security, free pizza parties at the Palace pub, and free linens. Other amenities vary between the locations (ie the Palace has ensuite bathrooms and an in-house pub with cheap beers, while the Downtown location has communal bathrooms and a medium sized self-service kitchen.) Prices from €16 per person per night in low season, from €19 per person per night in high season. http://www.hostelsalessandro.com/
* Freedom Traveller Hostel, Via Gaeta 25, (+39) 06 47823862. A four-minute walk from the central train station, this hostel has adequate dorms from €23 per night, including free breakfast, internet and dinner. Some dorms also have nice balconies, kitchens and communal areas. No curfew, but lockout is from 11.00 - 15.00. http://www.freedom-traveller.it/
* Gullivers House, Via Palermo 36, (+39)-064817680. Small co-ed youth hostel. 10 minutes from Termini. Owned by a nice couple, fluent English, they'll help you plan your stay in Rome better then any travel agent would. Free breakfast is what you would expect, so not much. They do have a fridge you can use, buy some juice from one of the nearby stores for a refreshment when you get back in the evening after a long day of not drinking the €2 cokes. Show English-language movies in the evening. Clean. Cute dogs. http://www.gullivershouse.com
* M&J Place Hostel Roma, Via Solferino , 9, (+39) 064462802 (info @ mejplacehostel.com) is within spitting distance of the train station. Friendly staff and reasonable dorms, this popular hostel has a paltry free breakfast but no lockout or curfew. http://www.hostelinrome.com/
* Yellow Hostel, 44 via Palestro, 00185, telephone: +39 06 49 382 682 ( info @ yellowhostel.com ), dorms from €23 per night. http://www.yellowhostel.com/
* Colors Hostel on the West side of the city, a few blocks north of the Vatican (take the metro from the train station, which is on the East side of the city) http://www.colorshotel.com/
* Pop Inn Hostel Very clean & comfortable environment, & all our bathrooms are kept spotlessly clean so that you don’t have to be worried if you want to book a room with shared bathroom. All of the rooms are freshly cleaned everyday & the beds made. We have fans in the summer & in the winter heaters keep the rooms warm and cozy.
* YWCA Foyer di Roma Youth Hostel is four blocks from Termini on the Via C. Balbo. Rooms are spotless, bathrooms are extremely clean, and towels and linens are changed once a day. Internet for €1 per hour. Fridge on every floor. Continental breakfast included in room rate. €26 per person per night for a bed in a 4-person room. €31 for a double, €47 for a private room. You have to be female to reserve a room; however, men can stay if accompanied by a woman. Via C. Balbo 4, 00184, telephone: +39 06 4880460 (foyer.roma@ywca.ucdg.it).
* Cristina House Located in the area around Termini Rail Station, Cristina House is a group of Hostels, Bed&Breakfast and Low budget-Hotels. Web site provide more information and FREE online booking system. http://www.cristinahouse.com/
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Eat in the Vatican
The Vatican Museums have a reasonable cafeteria style restaurant, a bar, and a pizzeria all of which are open during museum opening hours, and until about one hour after closing
St. Peter
To get into the Basilica, you will first go through a metal detector. Don't be put off if there is a long line in front of the detectors, the whole thing moves quite quickly and smoothly. Entry to the basilica is refused to anyone not appropriately attired (i.e. no uncovered legs or shoulders).
After you go through the detectors, you can chose to go straight into the Basilica (free) or climb to the very top for great views of the city. This costs €4 and is definitely worth it. During the climb and before reaching the very top, you will find yourself standing on the inside of the dome, looking down into the Basilica itself. Be warned that there are a lot of stairs so it is not for the faint at heart (literally) nor the claustrophobic as the very last section of the ascent is through a litte more than shoulder-width spiral staircase. Photography is permitted inside St. Peter's, though flash photography is frowned upon. The lack of light will probably cause your pictures not to turn out too well, so you may want to buy a couple postcards to keep as souvenirs.s Well as the sentimental value also.(taken from)
Vatican museums
The Vatican Museums are open daily, except Sundays - but they are open (with free entry) on the last Sunday of every month. Entry is €12 - which also gets you into the Sistine chapel. The museums open at 8am, and close at 1:30pm daily, and their reasonable restaurants (with good vegetarian options) stay open for another hour or so.
The museums are extensive, far more than you can see in a day. The Sistine chapel, with Michelangelo's famous ceiling fully deserves its excellent reputation. If you only see one classical art exhibition in Rome, this should be it. After all, it isn't going to go out on loan anywhere! If you're not convinced by the quality, just compare the work with the frescos in other rooms here.
On the way to the Sistine Chapel, you'll pass through the fascinating Map room, with huge 15th century maps of Italy painted on both walls.
Also well worth a visit is the Etruscan collection, for a view of life in the region before the emergence of Rome as a power.(source)
View
The origin of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century. Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed.
Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. On 11 February 1929, three treaties were signed with Italy which, among other things, recognized the full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial extent.
In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion.
The pope is elected for life by the College of Cardinals. When the election was last held (Tuesday, April 19, 2005. Benedict XVI), it attracted large crowds. Pope BENEDICT XVI's predcessor's Pope JOHN PAUL II's Coronation Day of 22 October 1978 was also a major event.
Present concerns of the Holy See include interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.
The Vatican has a unique, noncommercial economy that is supported financially by contributions (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the world. It also sells postage stamps, tourist mementos and publications. Fees for admission to museums also go into church coffers.
Intro to the Vatican
Vatican City (Citta del Vaticano), also known as the Holy See (Santa Sede) , is the last Papal state in existence and the seat of the Pope, head of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church. Situated within the city of Rome in Italy, the Vatican is the world's smallest state. Outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo, the Pope's summer residence, also enjoy extraterritorial rights. On April 19, 2005, Josef Cardinal Ratzinger was elected as Pope Benedict XVI.(source)
Monday, May 01, 2006
Saturday, April 29, 2006
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Friday, April 28, 2006
Piazza del Popolo...
This is Piazza del Popolo... probably most of you know it, but if youwant me to discuss it a bit... add a comment to this post...
A victim
This guy didn't read posts from the daily trip to Rome blog... you can see what happened...
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Via dei Condotti
This was taken on the famous Via dei Condotti next to Piazza di Spagna, near the Spanish Steps.
Via Condotti
Looking down Via Condotti from the Spanish Steps.... one of the best streets in Rome...
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Forum Roman
With the defeat of Antony and Cleopatra at Actium in 31 BC, Octavian, Caesar's adopted son and heir, was left undisputed ruler of Rome. Proclaimed Augustus four years later, he sought to build a capital worthy of the empire over which it ruled, boasting that he had "found Rome a city of brick and left it a city of marble." And, indeed, the Roman Forum essentially is Augustan: the Temples of Saturn, Concord, Castor and Pollux, Divine Julius, the Basilicas of Julia and Aemilia, the Curia and Rostra--all took their final form during his triumvirate and principate.
In AD 410, six years after the seat of imperial government had been removed to the safety of Ravenna, Rome was sacked by Alaric the Visigoth (one still can see green stains on the marble floor of the Basilica Aemilia where bronze coins had melted). In AD 455, Rome was plundered yet again, this time by Genseric the Vandal, who removed half the gilt-bronze tiles from the roof of the Temple of Jupiter, and then in AD 472 by Ricimer. Only a few years later, in AD 476, the last emperor was deposed and the Roman empire in the West ceased to exist. The temples, basilicas, and other monuments in the Forum eventually were abandoned and despoiled until even their names were forgotten. They were stripped of the lead and metal clamps that had joined them together, the stones reused, and the marble burned for lime to make cement. For hundreds of years, these depredations would continue until, eventually, the site would be known only as Campo Vaccino, the Cow Field.
Not until the nineteenth century would the name of the Forum Romanum be heard again.(source)
In AD 410, six years after the seat of imperial government had been removed to the safety of Ravenna, Rome was sacked by Alaric the Visigoth (one still can see green stains on the marble floor of the Basilica Aemilia where bronze coins had melted). In AD 455, Rome was plundered yet again, this time by Genseric the Vandal, who removed half the gilt-bronze tiles from the roof of the Temple of Jupiter, and then in AD 472 by Ricimer. Only a few years later, in AD 476, the last emperor was deposed and the Roman empire in the West ceased to exist. The temples, basilicas, and other monuments in the Forum eventually were abandoned and despoiled until even their names were forgotten. They were stripped of the lead and metal clamps that had joined them together, the stones reused, and the marble burned for lime to make cement. For hundreds of years, these depredations would continue until, eventually, the site would be known only as Campo Vaccino, the Cow Field.
Not until the nineteenth century would the name of the Forum Romanum be heard again.(source)
Friday, April 21, 2006
Piazza Navona, Rome
one of many pilfered obelisks in Rome This piazza is a marvel of light and sculpture. It is exceptionally long and owes its shape to the ruins that formed it, for under the buildings that surround Piazza Navona are the remains of the Circus Domitianus, Domitian's stadium -- a part of which can be seen if you leave the piazza by the north exit and turn left. The piazza marks the area for the races in the stadium. It features many fine old buildings, a beautiful church and three stunning fountains.
Originally uploaded by turkeyhead.
Piazza Navona, a small fountain...
At the northern end is the fontana di Nettuno (=Neptune), the basin of which was by Giacomo della Porta (1576) and the statues of Neptune and the Nereids were from last century. And at the southern end, the fontana del Moro (=Moor), which was also designed by Bernini and features the statue of a Moor fighting with a dolphin.
Bernini's Four Rivers Fountain at Night
About Bernini... "Bernini was a sculptor, painter and architect and a formative influence as an outstanding exponent of the Italian Baroque. He was an exceptional portrait artist and owes to his father his accomplished techniques in the handling of marble and also an impressive list of patrons that included the Borghese and the Barbarini families. Bernini originally worked in the Late Mannerist tradition but rejected the contrived tendencies of this style. By 1624 he had adopted an expression that was passionate and full of emotional and psychological energy. His figures are caught in a transient moment from a single viewpoint, bursting into the spectator's space. In 1644 such interpretation reaches maturity in his rendition of the vision and Ecstasy of Saint Teresa. The Spanish nun swoons in heavenly rapture at the point of an angel's arrow. The work is a prime example of Bernini's vision of a decorative whole combining different materials and colours within an architectural space. A succession of powerful patrons in Rome and in Paris assured his reputation as an entrepreneurial artist who captured the spirit of the Counter-Reformation. His extreme and intense characterizations have fallen in and out of favor but his Baroque legacy remains intact."
- From "The A-Z of Art: The World's Greatest and Most Popular Artists and Their Works", by Nicola Hodge and Libby Anson
Fountain, Navona Square
Piazza Navona is an extremely lively place with open air cafes around it. During the summer there are numerous artists who draw or paint members of the public for a fee. The place is crowded each day and there are often buskers and sometimes mimes to entertain. At Christmas time the piazza is filled with stalls selling figurines of all sizes and forms for cribs, so well into a frozen December night you can come here and see all the lights of the stalls and perhaps think about making your own crib. It's a child's delight. Fountain
Originally uploaded by socorro66.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
appia antica general view
The photo was taken in a rainy day... usually it is a very nice place to visit...
Via Appia antica
The Roman army depended for its success on the use of bases in which to prepare itself for battle and to refresh and requip itself after. Only bases allowed the Romans to keep large numbers in the field waiting for the opportunity to strike. In the late Roman republic they were masters of the art of supply. In the days of Appius Claudius, the censor, this art was not yet in their repertory (more).
Appia Antica
Built by Appius Claudius in 312 B.C., it was the first of the great highways inaugurated by Rome to bind her yoke on an already subjugated region. It marked the close of the long struggle with the Volscians, the dissolution of the Latin league and the subjugation of Campania. To pass along it even now, as we easily can in an automobile, or on a long-tailed horse, loping and Campagna bred, or in an antique diligence, is to see on either side nearly all the ancient sites that made the drama of earliest Roman history.
Monday, April 17, 2006
The Colosseum again by night..
The remains of the Colosseum is today one of the popular places that tourists go to Rome to see. In the days of ancient Rome, the oval shaped Colosseum was the largest arena in the world for public entertainment, seating 50,000 spectators with numbered tickets. It took 10 years to build. It was 4 storeys high, each with windows, arches and columns. There were 76 entrances on the ground floor. There were special entrances of the Emperor and for the gladiators who competed in the Colosseum.
When it was first built, the arena was filled with water and mock naval battles were enacted. However, this was not good for the floor or the foundations, and the water was drained away. Gladiatorial contests replaced the mock battles. These were fierce combats to the death involving men and wild animals.
Once people entered, they went up ramps to their seats. Seats varied according to how rich people were. Women and the poor stood or sat on wooden benches on the 4th floor.
One of the engineering marvels of the Colosseum was the coloured awning that could be spread overhead in hot weather.
The wooden flooring of the arena is now gone, and today we can see the rooms under the flooring where the gladiators and wild animals were kept waiting their contests.
Most shows in the Colosseum lasted all day. The morning events were comedies or animal shows, and the gladiator events were in the afternoon.
Thousands of men and animals were killed during the time these contests were held. The Colosseum's opening ceremony was in A.D 80, lasting 100 days. Gladiator contests were stopped by the Emperor Honorius in A.D 404, although animal combats continued for another hundred years.
Wild cats such as lions and leopards were captured by the thousand for animal contests. Often gladiators had to fight wild animals such as lions or leopards. The animals were starved for three days before the contest. The animal was pushed from a dark room into the blinding sunshine of the arena. If the animal killed the gladiator, it was then killed in another show by a man trained to kill wild animals.
Some animals were trained to do tricks in animal shows, but the vast majority died in the arena. It is estimated that over a million wild animals were killed in contests at the Colosseum. By the time the animal shows were stopped, entire species of animals had disappeared from their native habitats.(source)
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Tiber river...
A nice photo of the Tiber river... it's a wonderful place isn't it?It is probable that the name Tiber is pre-Latin, like the Roman name of Tibur (modern Tivoli). A mythic king Tiberinus, ninth in the legendary king-list of Alba Longa, was said to have drowned in the Albula river, which was subsequently renamed the Tiber. The myth may have explained a memory of an earlier pre-Indo-European name for the river, 'white' with sediment. Legend says Rome's founders, the twin brothers Romulus and Remus, were abandoned on its waters, where they were rescued by a she-wolf.
On the other hand, if the Etruscan name, Tiberius (Thefarie), is based on the name of the river, then the pre-Indo-European language would be Etruscan, and the name would be *Thefar. Whether this would mean "white" is unknown. The closest known Etruscan word to it is probably thafna, "cup." In any case it would be surprising if an Etruscan settlement, Ruma, in Etruscan territory, would not be situated on a river with an Etruscan name. This River is said to be the river on which the city of Rome was started (more).
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Some info... about Trevi fountain
The Fontana di Trevi or Trevi Fountain is the most famous and arguably the most beautiful fountain in all of Rome. This impressive monument dominates the small Trevi square located in the Quirinale district.Trevi Fountain
Trevi Fountain
Aqua Virgo
The Trevi fountain is at the ending part of the Aqua Virgo, an aqueduct constructed in 19 BC. It brings water all the way from the Salone Springs (approx 20km from Rome) and supplies the fountains in the historic center of Rome with water.
Construction of the Fountain
In 1732, Pope Clement XII commissioned Nicola Salvi to create a large fountain at the Trevi Square. A previous undertaking to build the fountain after a design by Bernini was halted a century earlier after the death of Pope Urban VIII. Salvi based his theatrical masterpiece on this design. Construction of the monumental baroque fountain was finally completed in 1762.
The Fountain
The central figure of the fountain, in front of a large niche, is Neptune, god of the sea. He is riding a chariot in the shape of a shell, pulled by two sea horses. Each sea horse is guided by a Triton. One of the horses is calm and obedient, the other one restive. They symbolize the fluctuating moods of the sea.
On the left hand side of Neptune is a statue representing Abundance, the statue on the right represents Salubrity. Above the sculptures are bas-reliefs, one of them shows Agrippa, the girl after Trevi Fountainwhom the aqueduct was named.
Tossing a Coin
The water at the bottom of the fountain represents the sea. Legend has it you will return to Rome if you throw a coin into the water. You should toss it over your shoulder with your back to the fountain.(source)
Trevi Fountain
Aqua Virgo
The Trevi fountain is at the ending part of the Aqua Virgo, an aqueduct constructed in 19 BC. It brings water all the way from the Salone Springs (approx 20km from Rome) and supplies the fountains in the historic center of Rome with water.
Construction of the Fountain
In 1732, Pope Clement XII commissioned Nicola Salvi to create a large fountain at the Trevi Square. A previous undertaking to build the fountain after a design by Bernini was halted a century earlier after the death of Pope Urban VIII. Salvi based his theatrical masterpiece on this design. Construction of the monumental baroque fountain was finally completed in 1762.
The Fountain
The central figure of the fountain, in front of a large niche, is Neptune, god of the sea. He is riding a chariot in the shape of a shell, pulled by two sea horses. Each sea horse is guided by a Triton. One of the horses is calm and obedient, the other one restive. They symbolize the fluctuating moods of the sea.
On the left hand side of Neptune is a statue representing Abundance, the statue on the right represents Salubrity. Above the sculptures are bas-reliefs, one of them shows Agrippa, the girl after Trevi Fountainwhom the aqueduct was named.
Tossing a Coin
The water at the bottom of the fountain represents the sea. Legend has it you will return to Rome if you throw a coin into the water. You should toss it over your shoulder with your back to the fountain.(source)
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
The Vatican
What is the Vatican?
It is a tiny sovereign state whose territory consists of a landlocked enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. The entire state is about 0.44 square kilometers (108.7 acres) and thus is a European microstate. Since it is governed by the Bishop of Rome (the Pope), its government can be described as ecclesiastical and the highest state functionaries are in fact clergymen. It is the smallest independent nation state in the world in terms of area and population (that is, if that of the Knights of Malta is not counted as a country). It is the sovereign territory of the Holy See (Latin:Sancta Sedes) and the location of the Apostolic Palace—the Pope's official residence—and the Roman Curia. Thus, although the principal ecclesiastical seat of the Holy See (Basilica of St. John Lateran) is located in Rome itself, the Vatican City can be said to be the governmental capital of the Roman Catholic Church of both East and West.(source)
It is a tiny sovereign state whose territory consists of a landlocked enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. The entire state is about 0.44 square kilometers (108.7 acres) and thus is a European microstate. Since it is governed by the Bishop of Rome (the Pope), its government can be described as ecclesiastical and the highest state functionaries are in fact clergymen. It is the smallest independent nation state in the world in terms of area and population (that is, if that of the Knights of Malta is not counted as a country). It is the sovereign territory of the Holy See (Latin:Sancta Sedes) and the location of the Apostolic Palace—the Pope's official residence—and the Roman Curia. Thus, although the principal ecclesiastical seat of the Holy See (Basilica of St. John Lateran) is located in Rome itself, the Vatican City can be said to be the governmental capital of the Roman Catholic Church of both East and West.(source)
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Another photo of il Vittoriano
This is once again the statue in front of the Vittoriano.By the way do you know what il Vittoriano is exactly?
It's a monument entitled to Vittorio Emanuele II of Savoia, first king of Italy. The project started with G. Sacconi in 1885 and was completed in 1935. The "Altare della Patria" (the central part of the monument) opened in 1925. There was buried the Unknown Warrior, symbol of all people dead during First World War. The style of Vittoriano follows Greeks and Latin criteria.
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