ROME
It is a city, it is a dream, it is a memory of seemingly limitless and endless power. It is the story itself. Define the word “empire.” The Eternal City. Rome. Rome.
One of the guidebooks states that one can turn any corner in Rome and stumble upon “something beautiful and unexpected that was placed there centuries ago, apparently in the most casual way.” This is not hyperbole, it is literally true.
Legend has it that if you throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain, in the heart of the city, one day you will come back. The fact that the bottom of the fountain is covered anew each day with coins shows that visitors look forward to returning to this place that represents much of civilization’s past. Only the countries of the New World have a history that was not directly shaped by the people of this city. But even the majority of the inhabitants of the Americas came from countries that, themselves, bore the indelible stamp of the Roman Empire, which, for centuries, ruled most of the then-known world.
Ancient Rome was a republic ruled by Gaius Julius Caesar, who was assassinated in 44 BC. After ten years of civil war and political chaos, his heir, who became known as Caesar Augustus, established the monarchy, which brought the Empire two hundred years of prosperity and the Pax Romana (Roman Peace). Rome ruled supreme over most of what we now know as Europe and it was said that a Roman citizen could travel anywhere safely, no one would dare harm him. Because of this, people from outlying provinces converged on the city to become politicians, military men, and artisans, but above all to become simple Roman citizens. Rome quickly became the center of art, culture, and economy for the entire Mediterranean world. Although the empire collapsed centuries ago, the mystique of Rome has hardly diminished today. Built on the famous seven hills, the city has lived up to the legend that “all roads lead to Rome”. As the guides state, it is impossible to turn a corner without encountering a building, a ruin or a monument, which is like a living postcard.
Then, of course, there is Vatican City, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Vatican Museum, which houses the Sistine Chapel in its complex interior. Although it is clearly a separate entity and not part of the life of the city, that alone would attract thousands of visitors no matter where it was located. Michelangelo’s Pietà , the famous statue of Mary holding the body of Jesus, just inside the entrance to St. Peter’s, is one of thousands of works of art in the city that make it hard to believe these timeless masterpieces are actually there. , in flesh and blood, so to speak, for the common people to see, if not touch.
In addition to the Vatican, three of the most visited monuments in the city are the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain and the ruins of the Forum.
Take a stroll down Corso, one of the city’s busiest streets, past dozens of clothing and art shops, follow the crowds into what feels like the heart of Rome, and you’ll come across the magnificent statues of the Fontana of Trevi. Bernini began the work, it was continued by Pietro of Cortona and finished a hundred years later by Nicola Salvi. The fountain depicts Neptune as the King of the Sea looking down on his subjects from a chariot drawn by galloping, swooping seahorses.
At 85 feet tall and 65 feet wide, Trevi is the largest of Rome’s many fountains. Most of these fountains were built to mark the end of the aqueducts, which brought pure water to Rome. Today the fountain has modern pumps and the water is oxidized to keep it fresh.
Although some of today’s Romans will disdain the Trevi because it was made famous by an American movie (Three Coins in the Fountain), most are proud of it, as witness the groups of schoolchildren gathered around the teachers giving base conferences. from the fountain on any spring day.
Perhaps an even more famous and familiar site for people all over the world is the Colosseum. This magnificent ruin has been reproduced so many times and in so many different mediums that you start to come across it as you stroll along Via Imperiali, the wide avenue that runs through the city and leads to most of the main attractions. Suddenly there it is, just as you’ve seen it hundreds of times. Despite its dilapidated state, there is a strange thrill in being where so many fought and died, where the lives of Christians and gladiators were saved or extinguished at the whim of an emperor or an audience.
During the day there are always many tourists waiting to enter the Colosseum and use the audio tour equipment. But come back at night and you may feel the ghosts of those who witnessed or experienced glory or violent death, wandering the ruined halls.
Between the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain, on the Via Imperiali, it is impossible to walk through what remains of the Roman Forum without stepping onto the “ground” and summoning memories of the feet that walked there so long ago and the events that took place. that still impact many cultures.
The Forum, if not the geographical center of Rome, was the center of art, religion, politics, and economics. In other words, all the things that made Rome what it was. He held this position from at least 7 B.C. C. up to 4 d. c.
The Roman hills, among which the Palantine and the Capitoline stand out, surround the small valley that contains the remains of the Forum. The Senate met there and all important public meetings were held there. Because of this, it was once filled with countless statues and monuments honoring public officials. Temples and basilicas honoring the gods were everywhere.
Naturally, the importance of the Forum as the symbolic and real seat of Roman power meant that when there were political struggles, this was where they took place and as a result many buildings and monuments suffered damage over the years. It wasn’t until the 20th century that a full and systematic excavation of the area was carried out and it is now possible to see enough ancient structures, whether original or restored, to appreciate the glory that the Roman Forum once was.
These are just some of the places of interest that you can visit around Rome. We have not talked about the beautiful Spanish Steps, the perfect architecture of the Pantheon, the Holy Cross Church with the tombs of Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Donatello, Macchievelli, Dante, Marconi, Fermi and Galileo and so on. The churches that are not even mentioned in the guidebooks contain amazing frescoes and of course there are works by Michelangelo everywhere.
It would be impossible to see everything in one trip, so if you go to Rome make sure to throw a coin in the Trevi, thus ensuring your return. The Eternal City will be waiting for you.