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| Friday, 16-May-2008 16:20 |
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A very special day...
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“I don't pretend to know what love is for everyone, but I can tell you what it is for me;
love is knowing all about him, and still wanting to be with him more than any other person,
love is trusting him enough to tell him everything about yourself, including the things you might be ashamed of,
love is feeling comfortable and safe with him,
but still getting weak knees after all these years...when he walks into a room and smile at you.”
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| Friday, 16-May-2008 12:04 |
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Piazza del Popolo
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| Quote: | In 1589, Pope Sixtus V had an Egyptian obelisk moved from the Circus Maximus to the center of the square. The 23,2m/73ft high obelisk was originally built in 1300 BC and was taken from the Sun Temple in Heliopolis in 10 BC by the Roman Emperor Augustus. The obelisk was erected at the Circus Maximus to commemorate the conquest of Egypt.
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| Quote: | | In 1815 to 1816 Giuseppe Valadier redesigned the square by adding the walls around the square, giving the square its current oval shape. He also added the central fountain and the four Egyptian lions around the obelisk |
| Quote: | At the southern end of the square are two symmetrical churches on either side of the Via del Corso, a street leading straight through the heart of Rome to the Piazza Venezia. The churches, the Santa Maria dei Miracoli and the Santa Maria in Montesanto were commissioned by pope Alexander VII in 1658. They were both designed by Carlo Rainaldi.
The churches are not identical since the surface area for the Santa Maria in Montesanto (on the left) was smaller. In order to preserve symmetry, he created an oval dome for this church and a circular dome for the Santa Maria dei Miracoli. |
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| Friday, 16-May-2008 06:25 |
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Piazza di Spagna (The Spanish Steps)
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PIAZZA DI SPAGNA
Finally, through sheer perserverance, we found the Spanish Steps (what with the heat and mind-boggling signs  ).
Piazza di Spagna, the square, has been described in many guides as "one of the most majestic urban monuments of Roman Baroque style" but forgive me, if I cant share the sentiments...
Perhaps, it was due to the frustration of finding it or the wilting flowers adorning the stairs, but in the end, I wasnt THAT impressed with it.
THE SPANISH STEPS
The staicase with its ramps and stairs connect the square to the church, the Trinità Church, that dominates the piazza from above.
It was so-named after the Spanish ambassador who lived there... just in case you're pondering over it.
View from the steps
The Spanish Steps, I've forgotten how many steps (we actually counted them as Nafisa and I laboured up the steps!) had a butterfly-like plan. Created by Francesco De Sanctis in the eighteenth century, this daring architectural feat with its ramps and stairs is designed in Italian Baroque style.
However lacking I thought the attraction was, still it attracted curious tourists like yours truly,
who then happily flocked around the fountain at the bottom of the steps..eager to cool themselves after the weary journey 
This famous Barcaccia Fountain, is the work of Pietro Bernini and his son, Gian Lorenzo(who created the renowned baldachino of St. Peter's Basilica).
Oblivious to the form of a sinking ship, sun and bee ornamentation found at the fountain, as usual, Nafisa just had to touch the water, ... Cool and refreshing 
Later, refreshed by gelato, we forged ahead to via Condotti...Rome's famous shopping street
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| Thursday, 15-May-2008 16:21 |
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Sant'Ignazio di Loyola & The Aurelian Column
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Rome's church of San Ignazio di Loyola is a masterpiece of trompe l'oleil.
It is located a few minutes' walk from the Pantheon.
Inside, the sense of theater continues when you realize that the church's "dome" is actually a masterpiece of trompe-l'oeil painted on a flat surface by Andrea Pozzo in 1685.
Pozzo painted the trompe l'oeil ceiling, a false dome in the nave, on a canvas that is 17 metres wide.
The piazza in front of the church of San Izanzio di Loyola is a late baroque theater set of buildings, with two palaces from 1727-1728 by Filippo Raguzzini framing it on the other side, and is a 'good example of 18th century urban planning', so says tha guide.
Then, it was off to our still elusive Piazza di Spagna...the missing steps.
And, we walked by...
Column of Marcus Aurelius
| Quote: | The Column of Marcus Aurelius, also known as the Aurelian Column, was built between AD 180 and AD 196 as a gift by the Senate and the people of Rome and erected near the emperor's own temple, the Temple of the Deified Marcus.
The column is 30 meter high and formed of 28 blocks of carrara marble. It is put on a large rectangular pedestal and bears a spiraling band of reliefs depicting events during the imperial campaigns in the north.
The reliefs are deeper and more expressive than those on the column of Trajan, but they are also less refined and the compositions have a lower quality. Inside the column, which has a diameter of 3,7 meter , is a spiraling staircase that leads to a platform at the top on which a statue of Marcus Aurelius and his wife Faustina the younger used to stand. This statue was replaced by a statue of st. Paul, the original has disappeared.
source: http://www.aviewoncities.com
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| Thursday, 15-May-2008 15:23 |
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Pantheon
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To save time, we took a cab to Pantheon.
A good call...as it nestled in these narrow streets..
but then again, where it stands was not chosen by chance.
It is a legendary place in the city's history. According to Roman legend, it is the place where the founder of Rome, Romulus, at his death was seized by an eagle and taken off into the skies with the Gods.
PANTHEON
^the Latin lettering on the entablature inscribed in bronze read: M AGRIPPA L F COS TERTIUM FECIT, which translates to "Built by Marcus Agrippa, the son of Lucius, third counsul."
| Quote: | The Pantheon (Latin Pantheon, from Greek Πάνθειον Pantheon, meaning "Temple of all the gods") is a building in Rome which was originally built as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome, and rebuilt circa 125 AD during Hadrian's reign. The intended degree of inclusiveness of this dedication is debated. The generic term pantheon is now applied to a monument in which illustrious dead are buried.
It is the best preserved of all Roman buildings, and perhaps the best preserved building of its age in the world. It has been in continuous use throughout its history.
Since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a Christian church. The Pantheon is currently the oldest standing domed structure in Rome.
source: http://www.romeguide.it
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Michelangelo (1475-1564) looked at everything with an artist's critical eye, and he was not easily impressed. But when Michelangelo first saw the Pantheon in the early 1500s, he proclaimed it of "angelic and not human design." Surprisingly, at that point, this classic Roman temple, converted into a Christian church, was already more than 1350 years old.
The Pantheon is the Roman monument with the greatest number of records:
the best preserved, with the biggest brick dome in the history of architecture and is considered the forerunner of all modern places of worship and it is the most imitated of all ancient works.
The front portico has three rows of 8 columns, each one with a diameter of 1.5m, 11.8m tall and 60 tons in weight.
The huge columns were quarried in Egypt and transported all the way to Rome using barges and vessels.
Theses columns support a pediment with an inscription attributing the Pantheon to Marcus Agrippa even though it was built by Hadrian.
A huge bronze door gives access to the cylindrical building.
Just so you can imagine the size, its diameter equals the interior height of 43.3m.
The interior is a perfect circle, its diameter and height are exactly same, 43.3m.
The wall is 6.05m thick and on the lower level are seven niches with a pair of Corinthian columns.
^tomb of painter Raphael
The building's dome, more than 43 meters high to me is the most impressive part of the monument.
Until 1436(when the Florence Cathedral was constructed), it was the largest dome in the world.
At the top of the dome is a large opening, the oculus, which was the only source of light.
The oculus also helped reduce the massive weight of the dome, which was the most important problem the Romans faced during its construction.
PIAZZA DELLA ROTONDA
This square is found right in front of the Pantheon. The Pantheon dominated the place so much that the Romans simply call this "square of the Pantheon".Surrounding this square are the façades of the XVIII century's palaces.
In the middle of the square, stands an elegant marble fountain decorated with dophins and maskarons.
Made in the time of Clement XI, he had it surmounted with an obelisk in 1711.
As with the other fountains, Nafisa simply had to touch the water...
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| Wednesday, 14-May-2008 20:25 |
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Colosseum
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Colosseum
It's difficult to describe the excitement at my first sight of the Colosseum...
I think it was only then that it struck me that I was actually in the Eternal City.
Even from afar, this imposing ancient Colosseum commands your attention.
| Quote: | "The Flavius amphitheatre is the biggest and most imposing in the Roman world, but is also the most famous monument in Rome and is known as the "Colosseum" or "Coliseum". Started by Emperor Vespasian of the Flavia family, it was opened by his son Titus in 80 A.D.
The highly ostentatious opening ceremony, lasted one hundred days during which people saw great fights, shows and hunts involving the killing of thousands of animals (5000 according to the historian Suetonius). For the opening, the arena space was filled with water for one of the most fantastic events held in Roman times, naumachias – real sea battles reproducing great battles of the past.
Imagine it all white, completely covered in splendid travertine stone slabs. It is elliptic in shape in order to hold more spectators. It had four floors; the first three had eighty arches each; the arches on the second and third floors were decorated with huge statues.
What we see nowadays is just the skeleton of what was the greatest arena in the ancient world. Three-fifths of the outer surrounding brick wall are missing. In the Middle Ages, when no longer in use, the Colosseum was transformed into an enormous marble, lead and iron quarry used by Popes to build Barberini Palace, Piazza Venezia and even St. Peter's.
The holes still seen in many columns are just the holes made to extract the lead and iron used by the Romans for the nails inside the marble blocks.
The amphitheatre could hold up to seventy thousand spectators. The tiers of seats were inclined in such a way as to enable people to get a perfect view from wherever they sat. Entry was free for all Roman citizens, but places were divided according to social status, the seats at the top were for the people, the nearer you got to the arena the higher your social status.
After the VI century, with the Empire's decline, the Coliseum fell into disuse and its walls housed confraternities, hospitals, hermits and even a cemetery. From the Middle Ages onwards, the Coliseum has been one of Rome's and the world's greatest marvels, attracting hoards of visitors.
Threatened with demolition by Sixtus V for town-planning reasons, it was declared a sacred monument dedicated to the Passion of Christ by Benedict XIV, placing a cross on a pedestal, as a symbol of the sufferings of all Christian martyrs. This cross is still the starting point for the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. Since then, it has become an object of worship for Christians and was protected from further destruction and ruin; in fact, Popes after that restored and consolidated it."
source: http://www.ItalyGuides.it
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'The holes still seen in many columns are just the holes made to extract the lead and iron used by the Romans for the nails inside the marble blocks.'
First encounter with the Colosseum was from the bus.
Later, in the evening, we were back..
Next morning, we were back. Yet again...
How was the Colosseum experience?
It was like "seeing the ghost of old Rome floating over the places its people walk in"(Charles Dickens).
Arco di Constatino
| Quote: | This Triumphal Arch was dedicated in AD 315 to celebrate Constantine's victory three years before over his co-emperor, Maxentius.
Constantine claimed he owed his victory to a vision of Christ, but there is nothing Christian about the arch - in fact, most of the medallions, reliefs and statues were scavenged from earlier monuments. There are statues of Dacian prisoners taken from Trajan's Forum and reliefs of Marcus Aurelius, including one where he distributes bread to the poor.
Inside the arch are reliefs of Trajan's victory over the Dacians. These were probably by the artist who worked on Trajan's column.
source: http://www.italyguides.it
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| Wednesday, 14-May-2008 20:11 |
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After piazzas, come PIZZAS!!!
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Next on her 'to-do list'...PIZZA 
To those who know her, it's not surprising why it was easy to get Nusaiybah off her bed
for our dinner date with Zeynab Özbek. When Zeynab heard that we hadnt have a pizza meal yet while in Rome, she immediately recommended her fav pizza haunt near her apartment. Zeynab claimed that the restaurant was regarded as one the best pizzerias in the city.
We took the Metro to Colosseo Station, just opposite the Colosseum to meet up with Zeynab.
The restaurant was about ten minutes' walk from the Colosseum.
The following night, we had pizza again...but this time, it's wood-fried oven pizzas at a restaurant near our hotel...
And yes, she had to order her fav Margaherita,
while I opted for my fav mushroom.
A satisfying meal?
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| Wednesday, 14-May-2008 09:48 |
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Gelato, gelato, gelato!
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Let's take a break from the places which we visited.
One of the 'thingss-to-do' list by Nusaiybah was that she MUST have gelato in Rome...
Well, she wasnt disappointed coz at the end of our first day there, right next to our hotel...she had her first gelato in Rome. 
There were so many flavours to choose from that you're spoiled for choice
Nusaiybah was too busy with her gelato, so I needed another model
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| Wednesday, 14-May-2008 00:56 |
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Fontana di Trevi (The Trevi Fountain)
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We hopped on the next bus, heading towards the stop at Piazza Barberini. According to the guide book, Fontana di trevi and the Spanish Steps are in the vicinity.
When we alighted at Piazza barberini, we asked the tour guide the direction to the Spanish Steps. Unfortunately, she gave us the wrong direction ( she might have gotten her left and right mixed up)..
Instead of Spanish Steps, the signs were pointing towards Trevi Fountain...and later, the signs were for Spanish Steps instead. Very frustrating! So anyway, I decided against asking more people that in the end, would confuse us. Instead, we followed the throngs of people heading towards a particular direction... we figured it couldnt be harmful to follow them as they were led by guides.
Somewhere along the way, Nafisa soon fell asleep.
The heat got the better of us and we were enticed by the many gelato shops...and succumbed to gelato...yet again (but gelato deseves its own entry )
If I were to choose my fav spot in Rome, it would be...
Fontana di Trevi...the Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain is a fantastic work of art, a true Baroque wonder...
a jewel of water and stone nestled between the square! It is much more than just a sculpture.
It was so crowded that we literally had to climb over people at times to get closer to the fountain.
The warning of pickpockets in the area kept on echoing in me throughout...'be wary of your surroundings and your belongings' I constantly reminded Nusaiybah.
It's difficult to get a shot without having someone else in your frame...that's how crowded it is 
But soon, we were simply enthralled by its beauty. I forgot about the long, uncertain walk we had gone through...the narrow road with the ever present crowd of tourists like us.
The Trevi Fountain is such an impressive monument. Nusaiybah and I love it!
But, I wonder why would Pope Clement XII commission Nicoli Salvi to
build such a HUGE fountain in such a small square like Trevi square!
You can already hear its presence from the nearby streets. That's how we know we were on the right track. In fact, as you get nearer, the sound of its gushing waters grows constantly more intense, reaching a crescendo in the square, where you will find the most breathtaking sight.
Suddenly, the narrow streets that we've been walking along seems to open out and
we find ourselves standing before it.
The central figure of the fountain, in front of a large niche, is Neptune, god of the sea.
He is riding a chariot in the shape of a shell, pulled by two sea horses.
Each sea horse is guided by a Triton.
One of the horses is calm and obedient, the other one restive.
They symbolize the fluctuating moods of the sea.
On the left hand side of Neptune is a statue representing Abundance.
The statue on the right represents Salubrity.
Did I toss a coin into the fountain? Legend has it that you will return to Rome if you throw a coin into the water by tossing it over your shoulder with your back to the fountain. 
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| Tuesday, 13-May-2008 05:36 |
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The Vatican City, St Peter's Square
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The Vatican was just a few minutes' walk away from Castle Sant'Angelo.
We walked along Via della Concilliazione. Opened in 1950, this wide street was supposed to be big enough to hold the crowd...but still, I wasn't quite prepared with the numerous people and the heavy traffic...perhaps, we came at the peak hour? Consolation was that there were police officers to help direct the traffic and allow us to cross to the square.
When we reached St Peter's Square,as with the other places of interest we'd been to, it was crowded 
the queue was snaking and the heat unbearable!
Nusaiybah wasn't keen on hanging around for too long, nor was she eager to join in the queue...
St Peter's Square
She may be smiling in these pictures, but she wasn't my willing subject...
we decided to rest Nafisa under some shade, far from the madding crowd(what a cliche )
On either side of the obelisk,
which was moved to the middle of the square by Domenico Fontana in 1585,
are two great fountains built by Bernini (1675)
and Maderno (1614).
 
The measurements of the square are impressive: it is 320 m deep, its diameter is 240 m and it is surrounded by 284 columns, set out in rows of four, and 88 pilasters.
Around the year 1670, the pupils of Bernini(designer and builder of the square)
built 140 3.2m-high statues of saints along the balustrade above the columns.
The wall that surrounds the Vatican City
We decided to hop on the bus again and continue our tour of the city...
Again, the Vatican City...but this time we were there in the evening @ 17.00.
Notice the thinning crowd?
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