Italian Trip Diary -- Day #18 -- Rome

Saturday, June 29, 2001, Rome:

Still somewhat dazed from our botched-up arrival in Rome, we decided to tour the local area, starting with the Villa Borghese.  

The Villa Borghese from the side.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

The building and the surrounding gardens were built by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, a nephew of Pope Paul V, beginning in 1613, based on designs by the architect Flaminio Ponzio.  

The symmetrical entrance facade of the Villa Borghese.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

Cardinal Borghese used it as is 'party' villa -- just outside the walls of Rome.  The Cardinal continued to expand and improve the Villa until his death in 1633.

The upper section of the mail facade is covered with sculpture in the Baroque manner.
Inspiration for a wedding cake perhaps?  Photo by Blomme-McClure

Cardinal Borghese was a patron of both Bernini and Caravagio.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini's 'Apollo and Daphne' captures the moment when the nymph, Daphne,
was transformed into a tree by her father to avoid being burned by the touch of the sun god, Apollo.
Photo from Expedia.

The core of the gallery's collection was assembled by Cardinal Borghese, although later occupants including Napoleon's brother-in-law, Prince Camillo Borghese, added (and subtracted) works.

'Princess Pauline Borghese' (Napoleon's sister) by Antonio Canova.
Photo from Expedia

The galleries require reservations, which we made for noon from the hotel.  Upon arrival, we found that we could not even purchase tickets until noon.  Visits to the picture galleries on the top floor are supposed to be limited to 30 minutes, so we immediately climbed the stairs to find a dazzling array of Caravaggios,

'Saint Jerome Writing' by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, oil on canvas, circa 1606.  Photo from Expedia

Raphaels,

'The Deposition of Christ' by Raphael, circa 1507.  Photo from Expedia

Titians,

'Sacred Love and Proface Love' by Titian, circa 1514.  Photo from Expedia

and several other wonderful works.

'Madonna and Child with Saints Ignatius of Antioch and Onophrius' by Lorenzo Lotto, circa 1508.  Isn't this mischievous baby wonderful?  Photo from Expedia 

No one was keeping track of the half hour time limit, though, so we stayed longer and circled back to savor the dazzling array of Italian masters.

Coming back down stairs we found that to get to the sculpture and antiquities we had to leave the villa by one door and walk around to the other side to the main entrance in the hot mid-afternoon -- very strange and not worth the effort given what is available elsewhere in Rome.  After a lunch in the overcrowded cafeteria we took a look at the formal gardens (pretty meager, but nice)

Fountain in the formal garden of the Villa Borghese.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

and then walked through the park

Walk from the Villa Borghese through the gardens to the Il Pincio.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

to Il Pincio on the prow of the Pincian hill overlooking the Piazza del Popolo and the domes and turrets of Rome beyond.

Domes and turrets of Rome from the terrace of Il Pincio.  Photo by Blomme & McClure

The views from the top are breathtaking and they constantly changed as we descended to the square below.

The Piazza del Popolo is a large oval with an Egyptian obelisk surrounded by fountains at the center. 

The Piazza del Popolo from the terrace of Il Pincio with the Egyptian obelisk and fountains in the center.
The dome of St. Peter's basilica is on the horizon.  Ristorante Rosati is under the awnings on the left.
Photo by Blomme-McClure 

Three major streets, the Via di Ripetta, the Via del Corso (one of Rome’s chic shopping streets which runs to the Victor Emmanuel monument), and the Via di Babuino, radiate out from the south side.  Between these streets are two seemingly twin Baroque churches.

The 'twin' churches of Santa Maria dei Miracoli (left) and Santa Maria in Montesanto were initially designed by Carlo Rainaldi and completed in 1681 and 1679 respectively by Bernini working with Carlo Fantana.

Except for two small corners, the square has been cleared of traffic. 

The Egyptian obelisk of Seti I was brought to Rome by the emperor Augustus in 10 BC.
It was originally erected in the Circus Maximus and moved to the Piazza Popolo in 1589.
The terrace of Il Pincio on the Pincian Hill is in the left background.
Photo by Blomme-McClure 

We stopped in the sidewalk café at Ristorante Rosati (Piazza del Popolo 4, Rome, 3225859) for a leisurely drink looking out on the square.

We opted for a taxi back to the hotel and a nap, while Carl went on to the Piazza di Spagna

The Spanish Steps with the church of Santa Trinita dei Monti at the top.
The steps are a favorite gathering place for tourists and shoppers taking a break from the
Via dei Condotti, which has become a pedestrian street, leading away from the steps.
Photo by Koiveneumi

and climbed the Spanish Steps back to the hotel.

That evening we dined at the charming Ristorante L’Eau Vive (Via Monterone 85/85a, Rome, 68801095) tucked away in a street behind the Pantheon.  It is run by an order of Carmelite nuns who come to Rome from all over the world.  They cook and serve the food and also perform religious songs and dances.  You haven’t lived until you’ve seen two nuns (one from the Philippines and one from Vietnam) en pointe performing a tribute to the Virgin.  The nuns who served us were very sweet and after dinner they showed us the upstairs dining room which has an arched and frescoed ceiling.  It is reserved for non-smokers.