Exploring Rome

Rome, a city filled with archeological wonders and magnificent architecture all at the same time, is a fascinating city to explore. We got lucky with the weather and while it was fairly cold it was sunny during the day which made exploring by foot enjoyable.  The city needs to be seen both during the day and at night when a lot of the attractions are lit up. The city was still decorated for Christmas with elaborate Christmas light displays hanging over the city streets and many shops and hotels displaying wreaths around their doorways. Many piazzas had decorated or lite up Christmas trees and many shops and restaurants were playing Christmas music making it a magical Christmas feel in the city.  The hustle and bustle of tourists in the city made for large crowds wherever we went. Guess many others had the same idea of visiting over the holidays. 

The city is quite walkable but the many twists and interconnecting streets can cause Google maps to get confused at times. Not to far from the hotel is Fontana Di Trevi, a public fountain with ornate sculptures This is one to see during the day and at night. They say it’s lucky to throw a coin with your right hand over your left shoulder which means you are going to return to Rome in the future. We didn’t have any coins when we visited and in fact I didn’t see anyone do this. After buying some very tasty gelato (a must have when in Italy regardless of temperature), we made our way to the Pantheon.  Another magnificent building to see for its unique architecture with a large circular domed ceiling and large granite columns out front.  In ancient a Roman it was used as a temple and today is a Catholic Church. A few streets over is Piazza Novano a large rectangular piazza that was built in the same shape as Circus Maximus, an ancient Roman chariot racing and entertainment stadium. There was supposed to be a Christmas market at the piazza however we were told it was shut down early because of some illegal activity. We were a little disappointed in hearing that because we were really looking forward to see what a Roman Christmas market would look like. A few stalls did remain open and they were selling trinkets and some had games you could play for a prize. The merry go round was still operational but not very popular the night we walked through. 

Right next to Piazza Navona is the Pantheon. Completed in 125AD, the Pantheon was originally a Roman temple and is now a church dedicated to St. Mary of the Martyrs. This magnificent structure is one of the best preserved Ancient Roman buildings in Rome today. The architecture of the Pantheon is impressive with the dome being the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. Out front 16 massive granite columns support the triangle concrete vestibule. These columns reportedly came from Egypt, weigh 60 tons each, are 39 feet tall and 5 feet in diameter. Unfortunately we did not go inside because the time we visited, it was actually closed. Another time perhaps because the interior is supposed to be spectacular. 

In the heart of the city is the Roman Forum, a sprawling plaza filled with important historical ruins that give a glimpse into Ancient Rome’s economic and judicial ways. These ruins are just mind-blowing. For centuries, the forum was the heart of day-to-day life in Rome. The ruins include many important ancient government buildings, temples, and the marketplace - the centre of economic activity. The Forum was a venue for important public speeches, judicial trials, and a general meeting place for ancient Romans. The Forum also served as the venue for celebratory military processions. Accessible from the Forum and situated 40 metres above, is Palatine Hill; myths and legends surround the origins of Palatine Hill and it is said that the cave was inhabited by Luperca, the she-wolf that took care of Romulus and Remus.  According to the legend, when the brothers grew up, they decided to create a city on the banks of the river, but when they could not agree on some points of the decision, Romulus killed Remus and founded the city of Rome. Archeologists have found ruins that would suggest the area was inhabited by the ancient Roman upper-class who build sumptuous palaces on the hill.  From atop the hill, you have great views overlooking Rome and can get a glimpse of the back side of the Colosseum. 

The Colosseum, one of the most popular ruins in Rome, was built in 6 years and completed in 80AD. This oval shaped amphitheatre held up to 80,000 spectators during its time. Built out of travertine limestone, volcanic rock, and brick concrete, it was the largest amphitheatre built in its time. The Colosseum was to showcase various entertainment events of the time for the Roman citizens.  These day-long events included gladiator contests, animal hunts, public executions, reenactment of famous battles, and dramas. Given its capacity size the architects of the Colosseum was built with 80 entrances at the ground level. The stairs leading up the various levels were sloped such as when you are leaving the Colosseum you feel like you are being "spit out" because the sensation you feel walking down the steps. Each of the 80 entrances were marked by Roman numerals above the entrance door, with today only 2 entrances still having their markings in place. As with most things in ancient Rome, spectators gained access based on their social class and were restricted to their "area". Doing a guided tour of the Colosseum when in Rome and seeing the Colosseum both during the day and at night is a must. Our guide provided us with great insight and coloured stories about its history.  As a popular tourist attraction, it is very crowded but is well worth the visit, if only to imagine what actually took place there and the magnitude of it all.  

The beauty of Rome's architecture cannot be understated.  While there are many ancient Roman ruins scattered around the city to visit, there are many other buildings, churches, and piazzas that have striking architecture. Perhaps it's just me, but it part of the reason I love Europe so much...you find such rich history, culture, and splendid ancient architecture that has survived the test of time.