Rome

Rome

Rome is one of my favorite cities. In the Spring of 1998 I spent four months there at the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies (known by all as the Centro), as a study-abroad semester. Having the time to get to know parts of this city well was a really wonderful experience. After my first visit, I wrote up some ideas for friends who were visiting Rome, which you can find here.

The Mausoleum of Hadrian became the base for the castle of the Popes. The Hadrianic part has a wonderful spiral ramp, leading to the burial chambers. The parapet was where Tosca threw herself to her death in Puccini's opera. Good riddance, thinks Jen.

Outside the Castel Sant'Angelo is the best place to buy handbags. Be sure to bargain.

Right as we were entering Piazza Navona, Jen felt something squish under her feet. It was... a dead rat. Ewww!!! But even that couldn't spoil this delightful square, laid out over a Greek-style stadium. The restaurants here are mostly good for the people-watching -- the food is forgettable.

The Pantheon is probably my favorite building in the world. I love to just sit in there, gazing up at the oculus (circular skylight at the apex of the dome). Did I mention it's free?

Right by the Pantheon is my favorite ice cream shop in the world, Gelateria Giolitti. Marvelous. I justified frequent trips here during my stay by the two mile walk from the Centro.

Jen has her first sample of Italian gelato down the street from Giolitti in Piazza Montecitorio. Behind the Transit van is Bibliotecha Herder, a bookstore with a very fine Classics collection.

Some people prefer Gelateria Della Palma to Giolitti. It has more flavors and better presentation, but for me it will always be second. Della Palma is immediately north of the Pantheon, on the way to Giolitti.

We had the misfortune of timing our visit to Rome at the same time as the canonization of San Josemaria Escrivá. There were something like 80,000 mostly Spanish pilgrims, many of whom, like us, were tired.
Oh yes, and Trajan's column.

Jen takes a rest at Piazza Venezia.

Our first day we got to the Forum Romanum (the traditional center of Roman public life) just as it was closing. We could still get a nice view of the arch of Septimius Severus, though.

Dave demonstrates the correct use of a Roman drinking fountain (and how to look dorky in a backpack). There's a small hole at the top of the spigot.

Another view of the Forum shows the foundations of two basilicas, a late antique column, and the massive foundations of the Palatine hill.

No introduction necessary. Interesting fact: "Colosseum" is the name of this particular amphitheater, like "Fenway Park" or "Giants Stadium". It was named after a giant gold statue (ie a colossus) of Nero that was torn down by Vespasian when he built the current structure.

We got up super early to try to get to the Vatican Museum before the crowds, but we really would have had to get up super-super-early. Instead we took a walk over by Piazza di Spagna and got a rare shot of the Spanish Steps with nobody on them.

On our second day, I was very interested in visiting the Domus Aurea, Nero's "golden palace". The ruins were opened for a limited number of guided tours shortly after I left Rome the first time.

Tickets to the Domus Aurea are timed, so we had some time to kill before our tour. We got in a quick stroll down to the Arch of Constantine, which has sculptural elements recycled (or stolen) from earlier monuments to Trajan and Hadrian.

The Domus Aurea was fantastic. New materials and designs (and an eccentric emperor willing to indulge in them) were changing architecture. The Domus Aurea is particularly known for its frescoes, which were sadly faded and difficult to see in the low light.

Jen takes the ultimate tourist pose. I love Cypresses.

Caesar's temple of Venus Genetrix (he claimed the goddess was his ancestor) is now dwarfed by the monument to Vittorio Emmanuele.

The Arch of Septimius Severus is almost the ideal of a Roman Triumphal Arch. If you look carefully, you can see where one of his sons, Caracalla, scratched out the name of his brother Geta after murdering him in order to ensure his succession after Septimius' death.

A wider view looking north along the Forum Romanum towards the Capitoline Hill.

I communed with the spirit of my favorite emperor, Antoninus Pius and his wife, Faustina, before their temple. Like many Roman sacred buildings, it was converted into a church.

One part of the massive basilica of Maxentius (later usurped by Constantine) rises above the forum.

We took a rest on the Palatine, the most fashionable neighborhood of early Rome, and the site of the Imperial mansions.

The Dome of St. Peter's is visible from many parts of the city.

The Palatine offers the best views of the Circus Maximus, the site of Rome's chariot races.

More ruins of palaces on the Palatine.

Our friend Elissa recommended this place, near the colosseum.

Later in the day, the Spanish Steps have their more usual crowds.

All Centristas love Vertecchi, a wonderful stationary/art supply store near the Spanish Steps on Via della Croce.

Jen's favorite spot in Rome was the Area Sacra di Largo Argentina. It's a large excavated area south of the Pantheon with three significant early temples. Julius Caesar was murdered at a spot along its north-west corner. It also serves as a cat shelter. Dozens of cats can be seen sleeping and prowling and playing.

How many cats can you spot?

I love Rome for its ancient ruins, but no visit is complete without a trip to the Vatican. The facade of St. Peter's was in restauro when I was here last, so it was wonderful to see it without scaffolding.

The Piazza in front of the Basilica di San Pietro is magnificent. All the saints look down upon you. The Pope regularly appears here and blesses the courtyard.

At one point it was fashionable for Romans to import obelisks from Egypt for their gardens. After the renaissance, many of these obelisks were found and set up again, usually with crosses on the top and abjurations against pagan demons.

The Swiss Guards' outfits were designed by Michaelangelo. Heh heh. They're funny-looking.

St. Peter's is unbelievably huge. Even the view from the base of the dome is breathtaking.

The interior of the basilica is decorated with mosaics.

Looking down towards the altar, where an English mass was being said. Jen is unmoved.

After several hundred more increasingly inward-sloping stairs, we reached the top of the dome. This is the best place to get a look at the parts of the Vatican City that regular people never see.

It looks pretty nice in there...

Piazza di San Pietro from above.

The Vatican Museums

A lovely view of the Piazza and the medieval city center, in the area known in Roman times as the field of Mars.

A view of the dome from the roof of the basilica. You can just barely see the line of people along the observation area.

The Janiculum hill runs south from the Vatican, and offers some of the best views of the city. The green line is the river. On the left side you can just see the dome of the Pantheon.

The Gianicolo is a great place to rest a while with your special someone.

At the south end of the Gianicolo is the Centro, where I spent my time while I was in Rome. The program was probably on one of the week-long field trips -- it looked pretty closed.

Another view of the Centro.

Rome was built where it is because of this island in the Tiber, which made an excellent crossing point. The island has long been associated with medicine. A modern hospital is built on top of the remains of a temple to the god of health, Asclepius.

The bridge of Cestius links the Tiber island to the far side of the Tiber, known as Trastevere. On the far side of the bridge is a wonderful little Italian ice cart.

The colosseum has recently been fitted out as an outdoor theater. There is a walkway along the middle where you can see the wonderfully complicated underground workings. It goes down at least half as far below ground as it rises above ground.