Pantheon ~ Piazza della Rotonda ~ Rome, Italy

It was lunchtime on a hot Roman day and we were looking for a place to enjoy a lunch.  The square in front of the Pantheon has several cafés around the perimeter of it and we chose the one right on the corner so we could get a front row seat to look at this magnificent historical engineering feat. 

The Pantheon in Rome, Italy

We’d gone inside the Pantheon the night before when it was getting dark so we needed to come back to get the daylight photos and I was so glad we did.  It isn’t a building that gives a flashy ‘wow’ factor but in a very quiet way, displays a protecting shield to an incredible treasure.  The familiar portico and 14 meter columns of the Pantheon exude history. 



Great front doors to the Pantheon in Rome

The Pantheon was built by Hadrian in 120AD and still has the original bronze doors of that day.  These incredible large doors are over 2000 years old!  Other bronze that was originally put inside was stripped away to make canons in the sixteenth century but that pilfering left no damage to the structure. 

The oculus of the Pantheon in Rome

Noontime during the summer solstice the sun would shine straight down through the nine meter opening of this oculus and reach the floor.  That would be an incredible sunbeam to see!  If you were to stand beneath and look up during a rainy time, you’d feel the raindrops.  It really is open, although I couldn’t test that so we have to believe.

The interior of the Pantheon, Rome, Italy

The size of the interior of the Pantheon is 43 meters in diameter and is a full circle.  The dome was made of concrete and was the largest existing dome for over 1000 years and is still the largest of a non-reinforced dome in the world.  The Pantheon was never destroyed throughout history, which is unusual for most structures from this era, it has most certainly stood the test of time.

Sculptures within the Pantheon in Rome

Once the Pantheon became a Roman Catholic Church in 609, the statues of the Roman gods were replaced with religious art and sculptures.  Many of them were done by the master artists of that day who have since been buried here.  Raphael was one of those and his tomb is displayed inside.

Statues over the pulpit in the Pantheon, Rome, Italy

The Pantheon is still used as a church and mass is celebrated there.  There are several chapels and many sat in chairs during our visit although there was no service being held. Special occasions and weddings are also held in the Pantheon, now that would be a very special place for a very special day.

Piazza della Rotonda in Rome, Italy

As on all of our days in Rome, we wandered until well after dark and enjoyed the lights of the piazzas and the fountains and the sculptures and the cafés and the people……ok, enough said, you know what I mean.  This was an amazing city!  Belissimo...  Ciao Roma !

To see some of the other sights on our visit to Rome, click here for more.

Colosseum ~ Forum ~ Rome, Italy

Today was another great day in Rome and we planned on getting to the Colosseum early to purchase a tour package that included the ruins of the Forum, as well.  The feeling of awe that I felt when I first saw this incredible structure was still there as we came to it this morning, this will be a very interesting tour.

The Colosseum in Rome, Italy

We purchased our tickets from the area in front of the Colosseum and had a guide with a microphone for that part of the tour. We were about to enter histories greatest ancient stadium and see where they made history all those years ago.

Inside the Colosseum in Rome

This famous ampitheatre has seen many forms of entertainment over the years and one that might not be well known is that it had a plumbing system when it was first built that allowed it to be filled with water and mock sea battles would be carried on here.  That story doesn’t seem to have a lot of credibility with historians but with the stage props and all that is known to be true, it could have happened.  There were sails used to protect the spectators during rain or sun and they were manned by sailors and used to create a breeze when necessary so why couldn’t there be mock sea battles?

Exposed tunnels in the Colosseum

The Colosseum has had many changes through the centuries but the one that might be most memorable is the contests of the gladiators and the animals.  They were brought in through underground tunnels and the animals then kept in cages in the two levels below the arena’s main area.  The lions are what we generally think of for the battles but there were different animals brought from foreign countries to be battled against including rhinos and hippos and so many others. The hunts would be staged with moveable trees and buildings. 

Inside walls of the Colosseum in Rome

Before the Colosseum received major damage from an earthquake in 1349, it was also used for housing, fortress, workshops and a Christian shrine.  There was also damage including being stripped of the marble façade.  There are different stories as to where that marble went but what it leaves is a stone building with some holes left by the bronze clamps that were also taken, still visible today.   

A musician plays in Rome

After a short break from the tour of the Colosseum, we began a tour with a different guide who led us about the other ruins and Forum.  She did not have a microphone, and that made it very difficult to hear what she said with all the outside noises around us, and those with hearing problems would hear nothing.  We did hear some beautiful music being played by someone set up nearby for everyone’s enjoyment. 

Arc di Constantino in Rome

The Arc di Constantine was named after and dedicated in 315 during a visit when Emperor Constantine visited the city and reference is made to his reign on the arc. This beautiful archway is just outside the Colosseum and was the finish line for the marathon event in the 1960 Olympics. Wouldn’t that have been a thrill to have participated in? 

Entertainment and transportation in Rome

There were lots of gladiators standing out there waiting to get their photos taken with you, for a fee.  Apparently some are not licensed to do this but I am not sure how you’d learn who was and who wasn’t, do they carry a ‘gladiator license’?  Horse drawn buggies were offering rides that may closely resemble days of old.

Gladiator Fabio

My sister happened to get this photo as I was approached by a Fabio lookalike (or was he the real one?) who proudly showed me his muscles but after a gentle squeeze and an ‘oohhh’, I turned down his offer for a photo.


The ruins of the Forum in Rome

We walked through some other ruins until we reached the Forum where we were right down within the ruins of old Roman days.  Our guide had so much information which we were not able to hear properly but what we could see was worth seeing and we walked on the ground that had once been walked on by Julius Caesar before his assassination here in 44BC.

The Colosseum in Rome, Italy

This was quite a tour of history in the ancient city of Rome. The Colosseum and Forum are amazing to visit and there are still more digs being done to find more pieces of history in this incredible part of the world.  After hearing about Julius Caesar’s assassination and the gruesome gladiator battles it was time to get back to this real world and go have some lunch. As I say that I realize that this was a real world at one time and not just a story book we read when we were young. Hmmm, food for thought or better yet, food for lunch. Our time in Rome is not over so I will be sharing more of the sights later and here is our tour of St. Peter's Basilica.

Rome ~ Ancient City ~ Italy

Our train ride from Venice to Rome was a four hour trip with sunshine and different scenery to enjoy all the way, other than inside the many and some very long tunnels we travelled through.  The sky darkened with storm clouds as we approached Rome and once we were off the train and waiting for the taxi, we heard the loudest clap of thunder I am sure I have ever heard and the skies opened up and it poured!  Welcome to Roma!

Rain in Rome, Italy

We saw very little through the rain splattered cab windows on our way to the hotel but by the time we’d checked in and were back out for a walk with complimentary hotel umbrellas, the rain had stopped and we were enjoying sunshine and learning the neighborhood.  We found what became our favorite ‘happy hour café’ after our sightseeing days and with a great map from the hotel, we planned the next few days.

The Colosseum in Rome

We set out after our complimentary continental breakfast and walked the few blocks to catch the Metro.  It cost us 11euro each for a 3 day pass and with only two metro lines and well announced stations, is very easy to use.  We had one transfer to make and within minutes and after walking up many steps, we stepped out into the sunshine to see the incredible Colosseum, what a thrill that was!  The station exit doors couldn’t have been placed any better to give that ‘catch your breath’ moment to remember.

The ruins of the Ancient City of Rome

We planned to have a tour of the Colosseum and the ruins the following day so we were not going in but carried on to view the ruins that cover quite a bit of the area, many of them archeological digs that are roped off and not accessible but many of them are open to the public to wander and others, (for a fee) for tours. 

Remains of ancient buildings in Rome

We climbed a nearby hill overlooking the Colosseum and wandered among more ruins of old buildings as we made our way to see even more down the street.  The Ancient City dates back to 753BC and Rome grew to become one of the largest empires. These ruins are many centuries old and it is so difficult to comprehend that these ruins we are looking at were built with such limited means.

Church in Rome, Italy

The doors were open so it was impossible to not go inside to see what this church looked like.  Many have the dome which extends above very high walls and sure does make it difficult to get a photo that will show that height, especially when the area is not that large.  The rules vary but the churches that do not allow photos to be taken will have a notice with a red line drawn across a camera at the front door so there is no confusion about that.

The Victor Emmanuel Monument in Rome

The Victor Emmanuel Monument, who was a King of Sardinia and a symbol for a united Italy, also houses a museum.  Statues of historical figures adorn the building, often called the 'wedding cake' or 'typewriter' by locals, and has grand stairs leading up to the front.  The Unknown Soldier is also buried here in this monument that was completed in 1911.

St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, Rome, Italy

We used the metro once again and made our way to the Vatican for the tour we had previously booked to see at 2:30pm.  We found a nice restaurant to enjoy a quick lunch and cold drink before walking over to the site, which I will write about later.  

 

St. Peter's Basilica lights up at night

We followed this walk more than once as it was within walking distance of our hotel and saw St Peter’s Basilica both at night and day.  It can be seen from many locations and seems to draw one’s eye to it and is the focus of several photos, this was taken from one of the bridges crossing the Taber River.

Ponte Sant'Angelo on Taber River

The Taber River is a big part of the city of Rome and there are several crossings which we walked across during our days of sightseeing.  We took the metro to the farthest points we wanted to see then would take the whole day to make our way back towards the hotel as we did our sightseeing.  We’d stop at our favorite ‘happy hour café’ at the end of our day, we’d sit al fresco to have a nice cold drink and talk about our wonderful day in Rome.