Another day and another city walk to tick off the big sites. We were into the swing of earlier starts (or me waking everyone up earlier) and we headed back to the Centro Storico. First stop was a proper look at the Pantheon
Its 2000 years old and one of the most important and influential buildings in the western world. Its also Rome’s best preserved ancient monument. It’s quite hard to take a photo that includes the amazing roof, the largest unreinforced concrete dome ever built
You can see it here together with Il Vittoriano taken from the roof of Castel Sant Angelo
It was originally built in 27 BC but was burnt down then struck by lightning and destroyed a second time. Emperor Hadrian rebuilt it a third time in 125 AD and has stood the test of time ever since. It was originally a temple dedicated to all gods (pan = all, theos = gods). After the fall of the Roman empire it was consecrated as a Christian church which spared it from the plundering – largely anyway – that befell many roman buildings.
Over time it became an important burial chamber. Italian kings Umberto I and Vittorio Emanuel II are buried here as is the artist Raphael
Its the dome that commands the attention as the pinnacle of Rome’s architectural successes. If it looks perfect, that’s because it is. The diameter is exactly equal to the internal height of 43.3m. Not bad for 2000 year old technology. The most fascinating aspect for me was the Oculus, the hole in the centre of the roof. Not only was it an open symbol to connect with the gods but its vital to the structures stability by absorbing and distributing the huge tensile forces in the dome, much like the key stone in arch. The panels you can see were recessed to reduce the dome’s immense weight
With an open hole in the roof where does the water go when it rains. Answer, through these small holes in gently sloping floor. Ingenious
Speaking of the floor, while on our travels and in visiting many wonderful buildings I had to remember to look at the floor. It was almost always as stunning and beautiful as the walls and ceilings. The Pantheon was no exception
Its an extraordinary building, historically, architecturally and visually, both inside and out. I’m glad we took the trouble to get there early and beat the worst of the crowds
A final couple of shots from the splendid Piazza Della Rotonda outside the Pantheon before we moved on
As you walk through Rome the number of churches is almost beyond comprehension and every one we stuck our head into was just glorious. This one – I think – is the Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena that never got a mention in my guide book
We were headed across town and passed through the Government buildings area around the Piazza Colonna. I took a shot of this nondescript building as apparently its where the Italian PM stays when he’s in town
The Colonna di Marco Aurelio, carved with images to celebrate the victories of Marcus Aurelius
We moved on to another of the city’s well know sites. This is the Piazza di Spagna.
Overlooked by the Spanish Steps and the Trinità dei Monti. It was very popular but I really liked it. The square and steps were big enough to handle the crowds and there was a pleasant atmosphere. It was a famous subject and haunt for famous writers and poets. Keats lived around here for a while
There is also another lovely fountain at the base the Fontana della Barcaccia
Its shaped like a sinking boat and fed by the same water supply as the Trevi Fountain. As the water pressure is low, it’s sunken appearance is actually a clever piece of engineering
TJS was feeling the strain and needed a lie down on the steps
Excellent views to be had as you climb the steps to the top
From there we took a walk along to the Pincio Gardens. The views across the city from these gardens on the fringe of the famous Villa Borghese park were tremendous
Just below the gardens is another of Rome’s huge and impressive squares, the Piazza del Popolo
As always centred around another very fine fountain
We headed back for another long afternoon rest (and afternoon stroll for me). In the evening we decided to head out for a walk on our way to an evening meal in Trastavere.
I wanted to see to see the Piazza de Campidoglio, supposedly one of the finest in Rome. The walk along the lane leading up gave great views over the Forum
The square was indeed rather fine and pleasantly quiet in the early evening
The approach guarded by a couple of X-rated statues
The bridge over the river Tiber on the approach to Trastavere
The Trastavere district has become a renowned area for dining out in Rome. Its a more gritty area than where we were staying but the narrow streets were buzzing with activity and hundreds of restaurants and bars. Like always everywhere looked welcoming and we had a fine meal
One thing I noticed in Italy is that they never seem to turn away a customer. No matter how busy a place looked if you showed up they would always magic up a table from somewhere. This happened to us a few times and I just think that’s great. Too many times in the UK you are made to feel like an inferior person for having the audacity not to have booked or worse see a half empty place but still be told they are too busy to serve you
With a belly full of food we took a lovely stroll through the busy streets trying to take mental notes of places we’d like to eat when we come back
The hot weather in Rome was occasionally a problem but it comes into its own for wonderful al fresco dining
We took a tram back (much more reliable than buses) and had a nice evening view of Il Vittoriano
And the floodlit Imperial Forum
And just for a change we ate another pile of Gelato on the way back to the apartment. Be rude not to. When in Rome…….
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