Some Final Thoughts

I never imagined I would miss Rome as much as I do now. In my last days before leaving the historical city I anticipated my arrival to the United States so much that I rushed through some of my last activities in Rome. I was however able to fit a few final things in as I departed from Rome and that made it worthwhile to spend an extra final weekend there, while many headed home. I am planning a backpacking trip across Europe for the Summer of 2011 with a few close friends, Rome will definitely be on our travel itinerary. I cannot wait to experience and taste the food and lifestyle again if not only once more.

Chruches of Roma

I do not think I have ever been to a city with as many churches in as compact of an area. On my last day here I went through the Sistene Chapel and saw one of the most famous places in the Catholic religion. I found out that this is the very room where bishops will be locked in, at the death of a Pope. No one will be allowed to leave until one is selected, and even the food that is given is somehow brought through the windows. This room has an incredible amount of art, and it is compacted into a very small room. My favorite painting in the room is in Michaelangelo's self portrait, where a saint is holding his skin. Unfortunately do to the copyrights of a Japanese company, we were not allowed to take pictures inside.

Ciao Roma

As my last week in Rome comes to a close I find I am racing through the city trying to see every last thing that I missed. I found a pizza place that I have been trying to find for weeks, Dar Poetta. I was told by an old friend, who is from Florence, that this is the best pizza in the world. I went and tried it out and I have to say it was absolutely incredible. The menu has about thirty different kinds of pizza, and each one comes out looking delicious. The pizzas are thin, and the toppings are cooked under the cheese. I am going to have to say I agree with my friend, that this was the best pizza I have ever had, I only wish I had of found it sooner.

THE Piazza Navona

The Piazza Navona is one of the most popular places in Rome, I will definitely miss walking through this piazza. Whether I was going to grab a gelato, or heading up there to take some great pictures of the three fountains within, I always looked forward to it. I expect that I will mostly miss how wide open it is, and how there are always vendors with great art. Walking through one last time earlier today I purchased a few pieces myself, one of the Colosseum, and one of the Vatican City. As I left I turned back for one last glance of the grand piazza, until the next time I can grace it with my presence.

Santa Maria del Mar

Barcelona does not feature nearly as many churches as Rome does. However, its Santa Maria del Mar is a very famous church, and is massive as well. The church is not nearly as wide as it is long, and when we entered there was even a public wedding taking place. The windows are all done with stained glass and at the top of the entrance there is a giant circular window which lets in most of the church's light. Just past the nave are roof high columns that surround the altar in this basilica style church. The walls of stone do not feature as much artwork as is featured in some Roman churches such as inthe San Ignazio.

Fontana del Nettuno

As mentioned in a previous blog, the Fontana del Nettuno features more active sculptures. Centered by a sculpture of Neptune taking down an octopus in fight, while using his trident. Interestingly enough, contrary to what I had previously written about this fountain being more lively, it was actually once much more plain. Apparently, in order to add more symmetry to Piazza Navona's landscape, this statue of Neptune was added to the middle of the fountain. Originally the only statue that featured a struggle in Piazza Navona was in the Fontana del Moro, within which there is an Ethiopian in a struggle with a dolphin. Also later added, were the sculptures of the seahorses which surround the god Neptune. I really enjoy this fountain, mainly in part because of the sea horses, they have a lot of character.










http://www.romaviva.com/Piazza-Navona/neptune_fountain.htm

Fontana del Moro

This week on a walk through Piazza Navona I took specific notice of one fountain in particular, the Moro fountain. Its difficult to tell what the statues that line the fountain are supposed to represent, but it looks as though they are drinking out of some sort of bottle. Centering the fountain is an image of a triton who is riding a dolphin, although it more looks as more as if he is wrestling with it. The fountain is well known for the special marble with which it was made, an antique rose marble. This fountain is peaceful as compared to the Fontana di Nettuno which features a much more active portrayal.

http://goitaly.about.com/od/romeitaly/ss/piazzanavona_4.htm

Walk Along the River

For a class assignment we were told to develop an hour long walk through Rome. I chose to make my walk follow the river, starting at the Piazza del Popolo a very famous piazza that was developed over hundreds of years and contains the Santa Maria del Popolo. After a brief stop at the Santa Maria del Popolo we will head back to the Tiber River and walk south to the Ponte Sant' Angelo where we will cross and arrive at the Castel Sant Angelo. The Castel Sant Angelo has been used for many things since it was built, such as a city wall, a prison, and as a safe house for popes in times of political unease. Leaving the Castel Sant Angelo we will head back toward the bridge, and southward along the river. We will go down to Piazza Trilusa, a common local night time hang out for Italians, where I will take the class through a few of the bars we have been to. Every time we have been to these bars we were the only Americans. Heading back to the river we will go south once more toward Isola, where the walk will conclude. Isola was once home to a temple dedicated to Aesclepius, the god of medicine, in times of plague the sick would be isolated here. Check out the map of our sights...

San Giovanni della Pigna

The San Giovanni della Pigna is a little known church located in Piazza Della Pigna. The Piazza is small, and suits the church quite well. Inside of the church there are only nine rows of benches, that can probably only hold about 4 people each. While small, the church does have some features that seem quite expensive, such as marble flooring, and a grand chandelier that looks to be made of crystal. The roof is done with gold and white coloring, while the walls are lined with different paintings of holy figures. The church has a very solemn feeling, and there was not a tourist there during my entire fifteen minute stay. My favorite feature of the church was the art behind the altar, which is a painting that blends with a sculpture above it.

Gymnasts and Dancers

On numerous occasions in my nightly adventures, I have wandered through Piazza Navona, one of the great Piazzas in all of Rome. Quite commonly I have spent time watching some of the performers who partake in different activities there each night. In my past two walks through the Piazza Navona I have seen men doing different dances and gymnastics.

The dancers I saw were spinning on their heads and then pushing off of their hands into the air. The next night the gymnasts I saw were bending their bodies in many different directions. One of the performers took the top half of his torso and brought it behind him through the front of his legs.

San Giovani Laterano

The San Giovani Laterano is the one of the two most famous churches in all of Rome. It has the Papal Altar, which is an altar only the pope can direct mass from. It is extremely tall, and lined with gold along the top.

I found the ceiling to be one of the most interesting parts of the church. It consists of gold framing around artistic designs. The walls feature some incredible art as well, it is done very softly, and looks as though it is almost done with chalk. Of course it isn't but the artwork in this church is quite exquisite. For instance look at the picture above with the apse with its mosaics.

http://goitaly.about.com/od/romeandvaticancity/ig/Basilica-of-St-John-Lateran/Basilica-ceiling-picture.htm

Santa Maria sopra Minerva

The Santa Maria sopra Minerva is located near one of the major tourist attractions in Rome, the Patheon. If you walk along the back of the Pantheon you will be sure to find a giant obelisk with an elephant underneath, once there you have reached your destination.

This church is slated as the only Gothic church in all of Rome. The style of this church is different from many of the other churches we have been to. There were skeleton heads, something I have not generally noticed in the other churches we have been to, as well as the lighting was extremely low. It was quite difficult to capture pictures but I did manage a few so enjoy.

Boys Town

In Citta dei Regazzi also known as Boy's Town in Rome there is a small town of boys who grow in to men under the watch and care of the brother next to them. Boys town is a small city in Rome which is run by boys from the ages of 14-20, all have different responsibilities. The town has an internal government system operated by the boys themselves, many of whom were orphans at one time. Every two months a mayor is elected and he is allowed to select the other members of his cabinet.

The town was originally started to take the boys who were orphaned in war. In more recent years the camp has started taking boys from all over Europe, African, and where ever else needed. The highest current influx of boys are from Afghanistan. It is a sad place to see, thinking of what these boys have been through, however it also shows that maybe there is some hope for them after all.

http://www.boystownofitaly.org/

Bargain Much?

Trying to haggle with vendors is not always easy as I experienced the other night. While in Piazza Navona the other night I saw a few paintings I really liked. I have found that with patience it is usually easy to get a fair price from vendors, however this was not the case the other night. The vendor had already agreed to sell me one painting for a set price, when I tried to get a second for the same price he would not sell it to me, and even claimed that I was trying to rip him off.

All money issues aside, the Piazza Navona is a great place to pick up some fairly cheap art. Quite often you can find art salesmen in front of the Quattro dei Fuimi fountain trying to sell paintings.

Late Night America

Many bars in Rome close at two, however the careful wanderer can find others that stay open much later on the eve of a major sports event. One such bar that is continually loaded with Penn State and Pittsburgh Steelers fans, finds a way to keep a few after hours game watchers from the Pennsylvania area for Penguins playoff games. This bar is located on one of the streets surrounding Piazza Navona. It is great to see a congregation of people celebrating a common cause thousands of miles away, and in their usual fashion. For these Americans, they have three hours of time to act like Americans, and be themselves in their own right. It isn't too often that in Europe you're able to find a place that is so dedicated to American teams. By the late hours most of the Italians have cleared out and Americans are all that are left. It is certainly a change after six hours in a bar, when you enter at about 23:00 and Piazza Navona is filled with merchants and people, by the time you leave the Piazza is empty. All that can be seen are street sweepers, most people are starting to get up for work, just while we take our walk home.

Pretty Sneaky

The other night I was sitting on the outside of the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi and was approached by a man. Before I had the chance to walk away he started weaving something around my wrist, it was some sort of bracelet. After a small conversation with the man, in which he asked me about my studies and if I enjoyed Rome, he asked for fifteen Euro. I neglected to pay anything at first, telling him I had no money. He then kept hassling me so I told him I had a bit of change and gave him a few coins. He was a younger guy who spoke good English, and he started laughing at the low payment. It was at this point that he said "You're good, you should come work for me." Referring to how I was able to be so sly when dealing with his business.

Santa Maria Novella in Firenze

The Santa Maria Novella is one of the more famous churches in Florence. In the center of the piazza out front of the church are several benches with inscriptions on them in Italian. These benches are encompassed by two obelisks which feature turtles on them that are similar to those on the turtle fountain. The outside of the church features color ways of green and white which is very different from the churches in Rome that do not often feature colors on the outside. As you walk up the steps there are three doors, the center much larger than those on the side. Most notable in this church is that there is a crucifix with a very modern look. The crucifix is of gold and is large, while Jesus is portrayed with much more color than has been seen in many other churches.

Duomo in Firenze

The Duomo in Firenze is one of the most historic churches in all of Italy, and the most famous in Firenze. The walk to the top is very similar to that of the Vatican, however there is no elevator allowing for a cheat of about 200 stairs. After the first few flights of stairs you reach a plateau in which you walk in a circle around the base of the dome. From here you can see the many paintings on the dome but at a distance it is hard to see there every detail. Continuing on, there are a few hundred more steps, through a tightly congested place. This dome walk is dwarfed compared to the dome walk in the Vatican. Different than the Vatican you can make it up these stairs without a close pin for your nose, due to body odor. Finally at the top of the dome, you can see out across Florence's great churches and towers, such as Santa Maria Novella, Santa Croce, Santa Spirito, and Palazzo Vecchio. Coming back down the stairs after enjoying the view atop the Duomo, you come across another plateua lining the inside of the dome. From here you can see the paintings on the dome in good detail. They are extremely demonic and extremely graphic. This are some of my favorite paintings because they are action sequences.

Protestant Cemetery

Early in the morning the Protestant cemetery is a tourist's dream. As a holy place of burial it is quite beautiful, the grave stones are exquisite. A lot of the grave stones are sculptures of religiously significant moments through out history. It is quiet and an escape from the tourists, even the animals there, primarily cats are of a quiet nature. You can walk through rows of graves for hours and the only thing you might see is a cat pop out from behind some plants. At this cemetery the cats are taken care of and kept by some of the gratuities given. Passing out of the lot that is connected to the entrance, which is the addition by the way, is the smaller less full cemetery. Here is kept the Pryamid of Gauius Cestius Epulo he had a pyramid built, which took less than one year, and it soars above the city of Rome.

Festa della Repubblica

The Festa della Repubblica is a day of national celebration in Italy. It signifies the Italians movement to a Republican style of government. At the parade there are soldiers who engage in marches down closed streets. The streets are occasionally closed in the week leading up to the parade so that the soldiers can practice. This makes it extremely difficult for many to cross during the late hours, however it is worth it because the parade is incredible. It was really crowded by the time I got there and it was hard to see much, but from what I could tell the entire Italian military was on display. They had armoured trucks driving down the streets, in front of rows of military men. My favorite part of all was the fly over, where the colors of the Italian flag are left in streaks across the sky. It is a sight to see, I highly recommend seeing this if you happen to be in Rome, on this national holiday.

Piazza Navona Landscape

The Piazza Navona has one of the more unique shapes and designs to it of all the Piazza's in Rome. Apparently in the guide book it said that this piazza was once flooded by its fountains every August. Then apparently the dwellers of the streets would paddle after the rich who rode around in this unbelievably massive "pool". Above is one of the more famous domes in all of Rome, the Dome of Sant'Andrea della Valle. If we were to have lived in the times of this great flooding, one might have paddled around and admired this magnificent tower above. The domes windows allow a light from above to tear throughout the church, definitely something I recommend giving a look for yourself.

Santa Maria in Trastevere

The Santa Maria is in Trastevere is a beautiful church located a few blocks off of the road Trastevere. The fountain at Santa Maria in Trastevere was dead to the eye, as there was no water flowing from it at the time. The piazza is wide open and has quite a few stores surrounding it. As you enter the church the doors are smaller than in many of the other churches, almost kind of discreet. In fact, the church really isn't big at all, but it definitely has some fine artwork. The altar which is dwarfed by the papal alter mentioned in previous blogs, is in front of a wall of gold that is topped with a half dome. My favorite part was the curvy stair well that leads up to the seat where the organ is played.

Fountains of Roma

Far West of Trastevere is an incredible fountain, the Fontana Paola. At the top of the building to which the fountain is connected there are dragons, and in front of the fountain is an incredible view of many of Rome's major sights. The water in this fountain is clear as can be and looks fit for a swim. It was surprising to see such an impeccable fountain so far from mainstream Roma. Especially when there are fountains such as the Fontana della Bocca della Verita Fountain. This fountain which is supported by two stone men which hold it overhead. The fountain currently does not have much upkeep, it was dirty and the water looked brown. In a change of pace and toward the Jewish Ghetto, the Fontana delle Tartarughe. Also known as the Turtle Fountain, for the four turtles atop the fountain. These four turtles are being helped in to the fountain by four boys, who are pushing them in to the water.

Fontana dei Quattro Fuimi

Finally, I have settled on a theme for the place I will write about, Piazza Navona. I chose this place because it is a place I often go and I love the three fountains through its center. I am also intrigued to learn about the many buildings surrounding this famous Piazza. The first thing you will probably notice entering the piazza is the Fontana dei Quattro Fuimi, a great fountain in the center of the piazza. Many friends and I have sat in front of this fountain and taken pictures, which is a popular tourist attraction. There are also many salesmen surrounding this fountain, because it is such a tourist hot spot. Rising high above the fountain is an Egyptian obelisk, which is inscripted with heiroglyphics.

References:
http://www.romaonline.net/Contents/Luoghi_Txt/Tour_it/agonale/fontnavona

The Pantheon

Today before my final departure and move from my once beloved apartment I thought it necessary to stop by the Pantheon once more, before I moved to Trastevere. It sits on one end of the Piazza della Rotonda with vast pillars at the entrance. As you pass through the grand door way your eyes are immediately drawn to the gigantic opening at the top of the dome. On a bright sunny day the light that shines through the hole is dazzling and brightens the entire temple. I have heard that visiting the Pantheon while raining is truly breath taking, and plan to see this for myself before leaving Rome.

Giordano Bruno and Free Thought

If you are ever in Campo de Fiori you might notice a statue of Giordano Bruno in the center of the piazza. The importance of this statue is what led me to choose Campo as my theme for a place in Rome. Giordano was burned alive for his beliefs at Campo. According to Rick Steve's many of his beliefs (one such that the world revolved around the sun) went against those of the Catholic church. It later turned out that many of Bruno's theories were proven right, and thus his statue was put in the center of the piazza. As such I have been told that many modern day political riots and protests, especially those dealing with dealing with freedoms and rights, start in the center of Campo. I think that it is incredible that he was given a statue some years later for his free thought, in the very place he died.

1. http://digidownload.libero.it/blaze0606/Giordano.Bruno1.jpg
2. Rick Steve's Rome 2009

Metro Strangers

On the train down to the Amalfi Coast there were a series of homeless who we encountered. One such was a woman who was walking up and down our metro and breastfeeding her child. Generally this is an accepted practice, however this woman also had one free hand and was holding a cup in it, walking up to every single person soliciting for money. This was one of the more disturbing experiences I have had with the beggars of Italy. Throughout my first two weeks in Rome having been exposed to their lifestyle, I now have some compassion for beggars as I often don't in America. When I first arrived I did not want to give money to any of the homeless, however now I will under certain circumstances give money to a beggar. This was not one of those cases because I felt that the feeding in public was a ploy and a play on people's emotions.

Vatican Dome

Today we explored the Vatican and got to see the architecturally perfect design of one of the most famous buildings in the world. Once we had walked through and mass was about to start we decided to head over to the Vatican Museum, which to our dismay was closed because it was a holy day. After overcoming our disappointment we decided we were going to go in to the dome at the top of the Vatican. From this area you can see down to the altar within St. Peter's Basilica. The walk to the dome is full of curves and tight. If you are claustrophobic this walk is not for you, as there are sometimes hundreds of people packed into a tiny stairwell, sweating and treking together. All of the walk proves worth it a top the great church. The view from the top of the Vatican is absolutely breathtaking. You can see so many of the Roman monuments, and with such perfect view. There are green gardens alongside parts of the Vatican which combine incredible skill of artistry and gardening ability.

Pieta

Today we visited that Vatican and I became extremely interested in one piece in particular, the Pieta. It blew my mind that they had to put this behind bulletproof glass so I read about it in Rick Steve's “Rome 2009” and found out that in 1972 a man came at the sculpture with a hammer, leading to the protective glass being put in front of it. Upon further reading on the sculpture itself I also learned that this is Michaelangelo's only piece in which he inscribed his name, which is inscripted on Mary's ribbon. I learned a lot in the reading, Michaelangelo who left much of his work unfinished had this one done by the age of 24. He put extraordinary detail into it, such can be told by the way that Jesus arm hangs low to show his “dead” weight. Also the value and interpretation behind the size of Mary, and both the impossible youth she was sculpted with. It is almost as if she is holding her baby child, and in a way that is what the artist was trying to show. In one book they refer to her as a mother who looks younger than her son.

1. http://crazymindseye.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/pieta4.jpg
2. Rick Steve's Rome 2009

Not at a Church

Earlier this week our class went through a series of churches on a field trip. At the second church we went to, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, there was a beggar who was outside using the importance of this church as a ground for making profit. She brought absolutely nothing to the table, she was not opening doors or handing out information about the church. This is wrong and a disgrace to the grounds of the church. Like many of the other beggars in town she would use her position near the door to ask every single person who came by with a sort of step-in-your way attitude.

San Ignazio

My favorite of the three churches we went to on our field trip was San Ignazio. It was the final church we went to and it is located less than thirty seconds from my apartment. However, I have never been there before because there is an orange caution tape lining the front of the church, and the entrance isn't easily visible. I am glad we went though, because the paintings inside were incredible. Apparently there was not enough money left in the budget when the building was being constructed and the architects were not able to put a dome in like they had wanted. So, it was decided that the painters would paint the ceiling in such a way that it would look like a dome. All of the ceiling looks three dimensional and it was painted incredibly.

1. Rick Steve's Rome 2009

I usually love grapes!

Today I went to the market at Campo de Fiori and got some grapes. There is supposed to be great produce at these markets, so I'm hoping my experience was just one bad one. However, the grapes were horrible, they had no flavor and were squishy. There are a lot of stores there one primarily just for cheese that I plan on checking out soon. I have been told that any stores that specialize in only one thing are going to be great. I believe there is also a stand for meat in Campo de Fiori which I will be checking out soon as well.

Beach Fashion

Today was the first of many beach days. The beach is about an hour ride on the metro, which is completely worth it. There are a lot of different things about the Italian beaches than American ones. Mostly its the fashion trends, many of the men are wearing speedos and extremely tight bathing suits. The women follow suit, what most of them wear would not be legal in the United States. Another strange piece that was disturbing is that the age cut off for girls to wear tops is not exactly distinguished. As far as the sandals and shoes go, I did not notice anyone wearing them. I am pretty sure that most people choose to go barefoot and do not bring sandals with them. I am sure the beach will be an ongoing trend in many of my blogs, it was a great finish to my first weekend in Rome.

Forum: Mamertine Prison

Today I visited the Forum for my second time since arriving in Italy. This is one of the must see places for anyone who visits Rome, as it was at one time the central point of the entire city. Apparently this was the location where politics and judicial life were centralized. This is a huge area that is difficult to catch all in one visit, but it is definitely a worthwhile site. Many of the structures lay in ruins, or have been excavated as the buildings have weathered over the years. One of the most interesting things I explored at the Forum, was the Mamertine Prison that was underneath a church. According to Rick Steve's travel guide of Rome this cell was used to hold the Saints Peter and Paul. If you get a chance this is a worthwhile area to see, along with the Mamertine Prison there are many other parts of the layout that you should try to see.

Look to the left here and you can see a view of the grate atop the prison where Peter was kept.