Italian Trip Diary -- Day #19 -- Rome

Sunday, July 1, 2001, Rome:

On Sunday morning we took a taxi to the Victor Emmanuel Monument on the Piazza Venezia.  The monument was erected in honor of Victor Emmanuel II, the first King of Italy.

The Victor Emmanuel Monument home of Italy's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

 It was designed by Giuseppe Sacconi in 1885 and the sculptures adorning it were created by Italian sculptors of that era.  It houses the Tomb of Italy's Unknown Soldier who was buried there in 1921.  While it is an important site, the structure -- which can be seen from all over Rome -- is widely derided as 'the wedding cake', 'the typewriter' and even 'the urinal'.

Two of the domed churches near the Piazza Venezia -- Santa Maria di Loreto begun in 1507 by Anotnio da Sangallo and completed in 1582 by Jacobo del Duca and  Santissimo Nome di Maria al Foro Traiano designed by Antoine Derizet around 1740.  Trajan's Column rises out of the Trajan Forum on the right.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

We went to the right of the monument, passed the ramp leading to the Basilica of Santa Maria in Aracoeli, and climbed the ramp to the Piazza del Campidoglio on the Capitoline Hill.

Piazza del Campidoglio with statue of Marcus Aurelius.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

This beautiful square is based on a design by Michelangelo.  An equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius

Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius at the center of the Piazza del Campidoglio.  This is a replica -- the original
is inside the Capitoline Museum.  Experts speculate that the emperor is granting clemency to an enemy
captive about to be trampled under the horse's right front hoof.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

is the central focus of the radiating pavement.  The Palazzo Senatorio

Palazzo Senatorio which was redesigned by Michelangelo by moving the campanile to the center and adding the imposing double staircase with fountains and statuary below.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

is at the back flanked by two buildings that form the Capitoline Museum (they’re connected by an underground passageway which has a spur that goes under the Senatorio to a gallery with splendid views of the Roman Forum).

Capitoline Museum in the Palazzo dei Conservatori is a medieval palace the was redesigned by Michelangelo in the 1530's as part of the Piazza del Campidoglio project.  On the opposite side of the Piazza, Michelangelo added the matching Palazzo Nuevo to his design -- although it was not finished until 1654. 

The galleries of the Capitoline Museum contain an abundance of wonderful paintings and sculptures including 'The Dying Gaul'.  You can see photos and comments about 'The Dying Gaul' in my post from last winter here: 

http://zylopho.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-dying-gaul-at-national-gallery-of.html

There is so much wonderful art in the Capitoline Museum that I'm creating a separate post on the museum following this one.

We had lunch on a roof terrace with views out over the city to the Vatican.

View from the roof terrace of the Capitoline Museum including the domes of the Vatican (between the trees)
 and the Basilica of Sant Andrea della Valle.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

There was a wedding reception in progress, so access was restricted.

After completing our tour of the museum, we walked down the Capitoline Hill behind the Victor Emmanuel into the Forum, under the Arch of Septimius Severus

The Arch of Septimius Severus forms the entrance to the Roman Forum.  The arch was dedicated in 203 AD in honor of the victories of Septimius Severus over the Parthians in 194 thru 199 AD.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

Bas reliefs of Parthian captives on the Arch of Septimius Severus.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

and through the ruins of many magnificent temples

Temple of Vesta set against the ruins of the House of Tiberius in the Roman Forum.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

The Temple of Antonino & Faustina which the Christians repurposed as the Basilica of  Saints Cosmo & Damiano.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

and buildings to the Arch of Titus.

The Arch of Titus was built by the Emperor Domitian in 82 AD to commemorate his older brother, Titus,
and his many  military victories including the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

It was a hot, sunny day and the Forum was crowded with tourists.

From the Arch of Titus we walked to the Colosseum

Colonnade along the Via Sacra leading from the Roman Forum to the Colosseum.  Roman triumphal processions came along this route on their way to victory celebrations in the Colosseum.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

which is no longer in the center of a swirling sea of traffic and has been extensively repaired and buttressed. 

The Colosseum (aka the Flavian Amphitheatre) was built between 70 AD and 80 AD by the emperors Vespasian,
Titus and Domitian (the Flavian emperors).  It held between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

There was quite a wait for tickets to get inside, which is somewhat disappointing.  The area beneath the floor of the arena (what George refers to as “the backstage” area) has been partially covered by new floor (so the Pope can say one mass a year or something)

The interior of the Colosseum with the temporary floor used by the Pope to say mass.  Photo by Blomme-McClure

which allows visitors to walk out above the maze of cells and cages where the martyrs and lions and gladiators were kept before Nero’s spectacles. 

The maze of cells and passageways where the martyrs, beasts and gladiators were held below the floor of the
arena at the Colosseum (what George calls the 'backstage').  Photo by Blomme-McClure

Somehow this new structure interferes with the ancient sense of brutality which the place used to convey before the renovation.

The Arch of Constantine at the southwest corner of the Colosseum is the most recent of the Roman triumphal arches, built in 315 AD to commemorate Constantine's victory in the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312 AD.
Photo by Blomme-McClure

We stopped for a drink at a café overlooking the arena and then taxied back to the hotel for a much deserved nap after an exhilarating day.  We opted for a restaurant near the hotel, Ristorante Il Giardino (now Giardino di Alvino,Via Zucchelli 29, Rome  www.ilgiardinodialbino.com/home.html).  We ate in a lovely vine-covered courtyard which had once been a handball court – a peaceful end to a long, hot day.