At last, this is the last city I'll be visiting on my summer Europe trip, the Ancient city of Rome. Here are some top things I plan on visiting:
Commonly
known as St. John Lateran's Archbasilica,
St. John Lateran's Basilica, St. John Lateran, or just The Lateran Basilica, is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Rome and the
official seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope. It is the oldest and
ranks first among the five Papal Basilicas of the world.
Arcibasilica di San Giovanni in Laterano
The official
dedication of the Archbasilica and the neighboring Lateran Palace was led by Pope Sylvester I in 324,
declaring both to be a Domus Dei
or "House of God." The church was residence
of the popes coming back from the exile in Avignone during 1377 when it was
moved to the Vatican.
Sculptors of the
late baroque made the great statues of the Apostles in 1700 and are featured
throughout the church. Above the sacramental altar there’s a fragment of the
table on which Jesus consumed the last supper.
Colosseum
Rome’s great
gladiatorial arena is the most iconic sight in the city of Rome. Inaugurated in
AD 80, the 50,000-seat Colosseum, was originally known as the Flavian
Amphitheatre. Inside, tiered seating surrounded the arena. It is built over an
underground complex (the hypogeum) where animals were caged and stage sets were
prepared. Entertainment such as gladiators fighting wild animals or each other
was taken place at the arena.
The arena was
originally named after Vespasian's family (Flavian), and although it was Rome’s
most fearful arena, it wasn’t the biggest. The Circo Massimo could hold 5 times
more, up to 250,000 people. The name Colosseum was introduced in medieval times and was not a
reference to its size but to the Colosso di Nerone, a giant statue of Nero that
stood nearby the site.
The outer walls
have three levels of arches, jointed by columns. The external walls were
originally covered in travertine and marble statues filled the niches on the
2nd and 3rd stories. The 80 entrance arches, known as vomitoria, allowed the viewers
to enter and be seated in a matter of minutes.
During the fall
of the empire in the 6th century, the Colosseum was abandoned. In the Middle
Ages, it became a fortress occupied by two of the city's warrior families: the
Frangipani and the Annibaldi.
Pantheon
The church was
built by Hadrian over Marcus Agrippa’s earlier 27 BC temple and has stood since
AD 120. It exhibits bronze doors and it
features the largest unreinforced concrete dome ever built.
Hadrian's temple
was dedicated to the classical gods, hence the name Pantheon (a derivation of
the Greek words pan (all) and theos (god)). In AD 608 it was blessed as a
Christian church. Because of this dedication, it was spared the worst of the
medieval times that took down many of Rome's ancient buildings.
The original
church was commissioned by the emperor Constantine and built around 349 on the
site where St. Peter was said to be buried between AD 64 and 67. But like many
medieval churches, it eventually fell into disrepair. In the mid-15th century
it was restored by Pope Nicholas V and then more successfully, Julius II.
Vatican Museums
Highlights include the spectacular collection of classical statuary in the Museo Pio-Clementino, a suite of frescoed rooms by Raphael, and the Michelangelo-painted Sistine Chapel.
On the inside are
three courtyards: the Cortile della Pigna, the Cortile della Biblioteca and, to
the south, the Cortile del Belvedere.
On the whole,
exhibits are not well labeled, so an audioguide or buying the Guide to the
Vatican Museums and City is the best options for visitors.
The Spanish Steps
(Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti) is perfect for people watching. Piazza di
Spagna was named after the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See, although the
staircase was designed by Italian Francesco de Sanctis and built in 1725 with a
legacy from the French.
At the foot of
the steps, the Barcaccia (the ‘sinking boat’ fountain) is believed to be by
Pietro Bernini, father of the more famous Gian Lorenzo.
Trevi Fountain
The famous tradition is to toss a coin into the water, promising that one day you'll return to the Eternal City.
The fountain's
design, was work of Nicola Salvi in 1732 and portrays Neptune's chariot being
led by Tritons with sea horses – one wild, one docile – representing the moods
of the sea.
Museo e Galleria Borghese
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To limit
numbers, visitors are admitted at two-hourly intervals, so visitors need to
book tickets and get an entry time.
The villa is
divided into two parts: the ground-floor gallery, with its superb sculptures, complex
Roman floor mosaics and over-the-top frescoes; and the upstairs picture
gallery.
Castel Sant'Angelo
Dungeons, tombs, papal chambers, canons, armor, temporary exhibits, and
an angel at the top are all to explore in this round castle. It began as
Emperor Hadrian's design for his own tomb. A secret passageway, the 'passetto,'
links the castle with the Vatican apartments. Summer evenings offer concerts on
the terraces. In winter, an ice skating rink goes up outside.
I used http://www.lonelyplanet.com and http://www.tripadvisor.com
To check out more top spots to visit in Europe on my travel and lifestyle blog posts check out: Florence Adventures, Venice Adventures, or Paris Adventures
I used http://www.lonelyplanet.com and http://www.tripadvisor.com
To check out more top spots to visit in Europe on my travel and lifestyle blog posts check out: Florence Adventures, Venice Adventures, or Paris Adventures
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