The Fugates are coming! Part 10 - Rome (Forum)

We walked through the Forum after we left the Colosseum. Like the Colosseum, I had never been to the Forum despite visiting Rome two times before. Unfortunately I can't really say too much about it. We kind of strolled through, but I don't think that there were any kind of markers or signs to tell the visitors what was where. Might have been helpful.


The Forum was the center of the Roman Republic. This was where the Senate and the republican government began. This was a gathering place and a place for justice and worship. And probably for all the latest fashions and quality sporting goods.


The three arched areas in the background are part of the Basilica of Maxentius (and Constantine). It was the largest building in the Roman Forum. It was not built until after 300 AD. Yes, those are groin vaults.


Here's where some signage would have been nice. I have no idea what these might have been. I'm going to say that it was a Taco Bell built in 237 AD by Nautius Maximus. Prove me wrong.


Look at all the rubbish strewn along the path. Shame really.


Does anyone know what this structure was? There's a prize for the correct answer.


On the left are the remains of the Temple of Castor and Pollux, and on the right is the Temple of Vesta, I believe.


This whole area, between the Capitoline and Palatine hills, was originally a grassy wetland. A covered sewer system was built in the 7th century BC to drain the water to the Tiber.


Castor and Pollux again.


and again. Built in 495 BC, it was.


This was the Temple of Saturn. It is supposed to be the oldest surviving structure in the area. It was built between 501 and 498 BC.


Ewww. There are basilica remains everywhere.


Here is the Arch of Septimius Severus. It was finished around 203 AD.


The triumphal arch commemorated the victories of Septemius Severus and his sons Caracalla and Geta over the Parthians. After poppa died, Caracalla had Geta assassinated.
The Capitoline Museum is the large building in the background. The bottom of it (with the three arched openings, one of which you can see here) was the Tabularium, the official records office of ancient Rome. When we were in Rome before this I took many pictures of these same temple remains from the Tabularium.


On the left is the Temple of Saturn again. And on the right is the Temple of Vespasian and Titus. Say, aren't those the fellas that built the Colosseum? Why yes, they are.


Sarah peruses the mess the Romans made. To the left of the Temple of Saturn are the remains of the Basilica Julia, which was begun in 46 BC by Julius Caesar and finished by his adopted heir Augustus. It was built with with the spoils of the Gallic War. It contained law courts, shops, government offices, and space for banking.
Well, I've had enough of Rome. I'm moving on to a new city.

The Fugates are coming! Part 9 - Rome (Colosseum)

Although I had been to Rome twice before, this was my first visit to the Flavian Amphitheater, aka the Colosseum.


Rome's Colosseum was the biggest amphitheater built in Roman times and took about ten years to build, with its completion coming in 80 AD. It was begun by Vespasian and was finished during the reign of Titus. It was called the Flavian Amphitheater because both of these emperors were part of the Flavian Dynasty. It could hold about 50,000 spectators, which might not be too big compared to today's stadiums, but was incredible 2000 years ago. The name Colosseum supposedly came from a nearby colossal statue of Nero or Apollo.


Here we are entering the Colosseum. Once again there were people on the outside trying to convince us that we needed to buy their services as a tour guide. We declined. I think we did okay without them.
This trip was the first time that I ever encountered these poor art history prostitutes.


Happy Fugates, mesmerized by the "magic likeness-creating device".


It's sad how they let their stadiums fall apart. Actually, there were fires, earthquakes, and a number of restorations that affected it. Also, in the Middle Ages the amphitheater was used for shops, homes, a cemetery, and a religious order. Some of the building material was also taken and used for other projects over the years.


Breeding ground for mosquitoes.


It has been estimated that 500,000 people and over 1 million wild animals were killed during the games held here.


In 1749, Pope Benedict XIV declared that the Colosseum was a sacred site because Christians had been martyred there. He forbade its use as a quarry and set up the stations of the cross.


The Colosseum had a stage-like contraption set up when we were there. I don't know if it's always there or not. I read that they don't have any large events there because they can only accommodate a few hundred spectators in temporary seating.


The Fugates from behind.


Bonnie and Sarah look up at something. It must have been more interesting than the Forum directly in front of them.


Bonnie and Steve pose above a sign with a bunch of scary Latin words.


We escaped through the art history prostitutes and the Roman re-enactors to make our way to our next stop: The Forum.

The Fugates are coming! Part 8 - Rome (about town)

We walked around a lot, like you do, and saw quite a bit. There were many things that we saw that I had already seen and reported on in this blog. So here are some pictures from our walks around town.


Here is the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, aka the Fountain of the Four Rivers in the Piazza Navona. It was made by Bernini and erected in 1651. We saw some of his other amazing sculptures at the Villa Borghese the last time I was in Rome.


The four figures in the sculpture are supposed to represent four great rivers in the four continents recognized by Renaissance geographers. They are the Danube in Europe, the Nile in Africa, the Ganges in Asia (Indian subcontinent, please), and the Rio de la Plata in the Americas. Hmmph. Apparently they had never heard of the Great Miami River, Wolf Creek, or the mighty Olentangy.


Here we are arriving at the Pantheon. It's old.


Here's the opening at the top into which rain and snow (if there is any) will fall. That must make for an interesting mass. Steve and I were hoping to catch a picture of a bird flying over the opening, or oculus, which we did see. Unfortunately our cameras were not fast enough.


After the Pantheon (still seen above) we went to some other churches that I've already reported on. We went to the Chiesa di Sant'Ignazio with its trompe-l'oeil dome, ...


the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva with Michelangelo's Christ the Redeemer statue, San Luigi dei Francesi the national French church in Rome with its Caravaggios, ...


and San Pietro in Vincoli with its chains of St. Peter and Michelangelo's Moses.


See! I hope you don't think me too lazy, but there are pictures of all these places already on the site somewhere. You should have them memorized by now.


And there's the monument to Vittorio Emanuele II. Behind it is the Capitoline Hill with its museum, and then the Forum beyond that. The Forum will be in one of my next postings.


Here is the Trevi Fountain, surprisingly not too crowded. I think we attempted to throw a coin in the fountain. It's reported that approximately 3000 Euros are thrown in the fountain every day. I need to build me a big ole' fountain.


We stayed at the bottom of the Spanish Steps this time, and there were no choirs singing.


We also went back into Santa Maria del Popolo in the Piazza del Popolo. There are more Caravaggios in here, including the one that Lara talked about at the symposium. Remember?


Here is the view back into the Piazza del Popolo with the obelisk, which is blocking the entrance to the Via del Corso between the twin churches (which I have never inside of). Speaking of things I've never done...


I've been to the Piazza del Popolo a few times now, but this was the first time that I ever went out of the old city through the Porta del Popolo (formerly the Porta Flaminia) in the Aurelian Walls. Here we look back at the gate from the outside. This gate was the beginning of the Via Flaminia, which was Rome's most important road to the north.

The Fugates are coming! Part 7 - Rome (St. Peter's Basilica)

Much of our time in Rome was spent dodging rain drops. Luckily a lot of the rain fell while we were in the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's Basilica. Actually, even though we got wet for a while, we lucked out in avoiding the rain. I think the weather actually became pretty nice the next day.


Here's a view from inside the Vatican Museum of the rainy day in Rome.


From the museum we walked around the block to St. Peter's. Of course it's a pretty big block. Vatican City is the smallest country in the world, both in population (about 900 people) and size (about 110 acres), and is just a walled enclave within the city of Rome. And here's the wall to prove it. Along this strip of road there are a bunch of freelance history and art guides who try to get you to purchase their services in the museum or church. I just thought it was kind of sad seeing these people (art and history people like Sarah and I) standing out in the rain trying to make some money. Luckily we have a built-in tour guide, and we don't have to pay her.


Here's St. Peter's Square, out in front of the basilica. In this picture I managed to just miss the obelisk in the middle of the square. The Roman Emperor Caligula brought the 13th century B.C. red granite obelisk to Rome in A.D. 37.


Okay, I figured that I needed a better picture. So here's one that I guess I could have taken if we had climbed to the top of the dome again. But we didn't. I need to do that again, now that I have a camera.


Here are members of the Swiss Guard who protect the Vatican. The popes recruited Swiss mercenaries for defense a long time ago, then Pope Julius II founded the Swiss Guard in 1506 as the personal bodyguards of the pope. They probably have the toughest looking uniforms of any fighting force on the planet.


After passing through security we made it inside. The church is huge. It has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world, and on the moon. It can hold 60,000 people. It was completed in 1626.


Here is Michelangelo's Pietà. He made it in 1499, and it is absolutely beautiful.


A little bit of the open space down the side aisle.


Here's good ole' St. Peter. I rubbed his foot, as others were doing and I had done before, but I did not kiss it, as others were doing. I think there's probably a Peter Rabbit/foot rubbing joke in there somewhere, but I'm not going to look for it. I have standards.


Here's the dome, if you can see it.


And Bernini's baldacchino below it.


And, in case you forgot them, here are all the popes' names. Memorize them. Go.