Italy's capital was our third stop of the Europe 2011 trip. It was my second time in Rome (wow, never thought I would be able to say that) and it was by far my favorite city this time around. Everything there is so OLD; at times it was hard to fathom that a building I was standing in was a thousand years old. And the food, the food! I ate more pizza and pasta in those three days than I have the past three years. It was all delizioso! Basically, you can see why Rome was my favorite: the history, the food, the wine... So, below (and above) are some photos of this incredible place.
We stayed at Hotel Diocleziano, where the top floor room has a terrace. It cannot be officially reserved, but you can request it shortly before your stay and hope it is open---well, we were lucky because it was available! Below are pics of it and the view. We also got a little surprise from room service because it was my sister's birthday the day we arrived.
The Colosseum: It was built from 72-80 AD and inaugurated with games that lasted 100 days, throughout which 5,000 animals were slaughtered. Yikes! Anyway, this elliptical amphitheatre rises up four stories and could seat about 50,000 people. The upper story was for the lower classes and women (surprise, surprise) while the lowest story was reserved for more prominent citizens. There were two special boxes with the best views in the house; naturally, the emperor sat there. These fans came to the Colosseum for a variety of shows, including: battle reenactments (it was possible to flood the arena floor for mock sea battles!), dramas, mock animal hunts, executions, and gladiator contests. The floor of the arena was made of wood with sand over it; the sand served two purposes: preventing the combatants from slipping and soaking up the blood. The floor is no longer there, so you can see the elaborate tunnels and cages underneath. Here is where the animals and gladiators were kept before the fight; intricate pulley systems could hoist up the cages through trap doors on the arena floor. It was pretty intense to stand inside something that has been around for almost 2,000 years and to know all the crazy activities that occurred there! Right next to the Colosseum is the Arch of Constantine, the Roman Forum, and other arches and ruins.
The Pantheon: This circular temple was completed in 27 BC and dedicated to all the pagan gods. The front portico has multiple columns that were all quarried in Egypt and brought to Rome. The cylindrical building has a diameter that equals the height of the dome; at more than 43 meter high, it is the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. The Pantheon was converted into a Roman Catholic church in 609 AD, dedicated to "St. Mary and the Martyrs." It now contains the tombs of the famous artist Raphael and of several Italian kings. The bottom pics are Raphael's tomb and the statue, "Madonna del Sasso," under which it sits. (This was made by his pupil, Lorenzetto.)
Fontana di Trevi: The Trevi fountain is at the ending part of the Aqua Virgo, an aqueduct constructed in 19 BC. The central figure of the sculpture is Neptune, god of the sea; two sea horses pull his seashell chariot. One of the horses is calm and obedient, the other one resistive; this is supposed to symbolize the fluctuating moods of the sea. Legend says you will return to Rome if you throw a coin into the water.
Scalinata di Spagna: The Spanish Steps were built in the 18th century between the Piazza di Spagna and the French church, Trinita dei Monti. There are 138 steps and they make up the widest staircase in Europe. The bottom pics are my sister and I at the top (it is hard to see us) and the view from up there.
Castel Sant'Angelo: St. Angelo's Castle was initially built between 135-139 AD as a mausoleum for Roman Emperor Hadrian. Later, in 401 AD, it was converted into a fortress. Then, in 590 AD, Pope Gregory the Great led a procession through Rome asking God to end the plague. The procession ended at this fortress, where they say an angel appeared, sheathing his sword as a sign of the end of the plague. (This is how it obtained its current name; it was previously called the Mausoleum of Hadrian.) The bottom pics are of the Tiber River, along which the castle sits. Also are pics of the view from the top of the castle to the Vatican City. (Another post to come will be just on the Vatican; what an incredible place!)
Obelisks: Eleven of thirteen ancient obelisks in Rome are below. The majority were taken from Egypt after the Roman conquest.
Finally, along with all those ancient buildings and landmarks, Rome's food and wine were attractions of their own kind. My two favorite restaurants were Babbo's Ristorante and Trattoria Al Tettarello.
