The Roman Forum—Temple of Vespasian and Titus, Arch of Septimius Severus and Temple of Saturn
Dates visited: September 16, 2004 – September 19, 2004
Rome is around five hours from Venice by train, and ranks among one of the best cities I’ve ever visited. I loved Rome, not just for the Ancient Roman buildings, but I loved it for so many different aspects—people, streets, vibe, piazzas (public squares), atmosphere, food… …I loved it for so many more things that I struggle to describe. Point is … …I fell in love with Rome. Period.
I visited Rome for my interest in Ancient Roman architecture and it did not disappoint. The Historic Center of Rome, along with the Vatican City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the Pantheon to the Colosseum to the Roman Forum, it was fascinating to see these structures built 2000-plus years ago. These buildings (or what remains of them) have been nicely preserved and I could close my eyes and visualize myself back in the glory days of the Roman civilization. Of course, my knowledge of the Roman Empire is primarily from reading Asterix comics so for the most part, I kept imagining a battalion of Roman soldiers getting thumped by Obelix!
The Spanish Steps was a great place for people watching. At the base is the Piazza di Spagna, with the uniquely shaped Fontana della Barcaccia (Fountain of the Old Boat). You can spend a whole day just sitting on the steps as this place is just abuzz with activity. Rome has many beautiful fountains, but my favorite ones were the world famous Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain) where we did the revered act of throwing a coin from my right hand over the left shoulder, Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers) and Fontana del Tritone (Triton Fountain).
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- Trevi Fountain—one of the most famous fountains in the world
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- The Pantheon—portico and its granite Corinthian columns
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- Inside the Colosseum—considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering
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- Temple of Julius Caesar… ..his body was burned here
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- Temple of Antoninus and Faustina… …built in 141 AD
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- On the cordonata (monumental steps) by Michelangelo on the Capitoline Hill, leading to Piazza del Campidoglio
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- Fontana del Nettuno (Fountain of Neptune) at Piazza del Popolo
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- In front of the Vittorio Emanuele II Monument
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- Fountain of the Four Rivers at Piazza Navona… …designed in 1651 by Gian Lorenzo Bernini for Pope Innocent X
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- The twin churches of Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto
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- The Spanish Steps—widest staircase in Europe—leading up to the Trinità dei Monti church (covered for renovation)
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- Fontana del Moro (Moor Fountain) in Piazza Navona… …represents a Moor or African, standing in a conch shell, wrestling with a octopus, surrounded by four Tritons
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- The Pantheon and the Fontana del Pantheon
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- The House of the Vestal Virgins—the residence of Vestal Virgins at the Roman Forum
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- Fontana dell’ Obelisco… …surrounding the obelisk in Piazza del Popolo
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- The Colosseum arena, showing the hypogeum (network of tunnels and cages beneath the arena where gladiators and animals were held before contests began)
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- Piazza del Campidoglio, on the top of Capitoline Hill
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- This is where the Roman Senate sat
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- The Roman Way of Parking
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- The Temple of Saturn—built in 497 BC, was a temple to the god Saturn in ancient Rome
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- Arch of Septimus Severus—built in 203 AD to commemorate the Parthian victories of Emperor Septimius Severus and his two sons
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- Fontana della Barcaccia (Fountain of the Old Boat/the No Good Boat) in Piazza di Spagna… …named because it is in the shape of a half-sunken ship with water overflowing its bows
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- The Colosseum—largest amphitheatre of the Roman Empire and in the world
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- Fountain at the Vittorio Emanuele II Monument
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- Temple of Castor and Pollux—built in 495 BC as gratitude for victory at the Battle of Lake Regillus
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- Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona… …represents four major rivers of the four continents through which papal authority had spread: the Nile representing Africa, the Danube representing Europe, the Ganges representing Asia, and the Río de la Plata representing the Americas
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- Maskeron of Fontana del Pantheon
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- Fontana del Tritone (Triton Fountain) by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and commissioned by Pope Urban VIII
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- Egyptian obelisk of Ramesses II from Heliopolis in the center of Piazza del Popolo
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- Hieroglyphics on the obelisk of Ramesses II from Heliopolis in the center of Piazza del Popolo