Italy Day Eighteen - Rome's Greatest Hits

 (A multi-part recap of my mid-April to early May Italy trip.)

Day Eighteen in Italy and the final day of my tour.  I awoke ready to see more of the Eternal City.  On tap for the morning we'd be visiting three of Rome's greatest sights - the Colosseum, the Forum, and the Pantheon.

Just a girl and her cow at the Colosseum

Our tour's main guide (MG) had arranged for a fleet of passenger vans to spirit the group from our hotel to the Colosseum.  There we'd again meet up with two local guides for today's walking tour.  My tour-mates and I all piled in and our vans took off at a frantic pace through the tangled traffic of Rome.  It evidently was rush hour and everyone was in a hurry.  Vehicles vied for space on the narrow lanes, while dozens of Vespa scooters performed death-defying maneuvers, weaving in and out of the traffic.  It was organized chaos!   But soon I could see the brown stone form of the Colosseum rising above street level.  Our vans let everyone out on the sidewalk just above this great structure.

The Colosseum was amazing!

When one thinks of Rome, one of the first things that comes to mind is the Colosseum.  And what a great view we had for our initial glimpse of this historic arena!  Like any well-known landmark, it's one thing to see photographs in books, but quite yet another to be there live and in person.  The Colosseum was even more magnificent than I'd imagined!

Tiers of arches

After lots of photographs from our perch above, we were introduced to our local guides for the day, who promptly led us down a long staircase and across the street to the Colosseum's North facade.  This side had four tiers of arches and walls rising into the air, a distance of about 48 meters, or 157 feet.  (A height equal to that of a 12-15 story modern building.) 

An impressive sight!

Our local guide for today was excellent - the best local guide I'd had on this tour.  She launched right in on the history of this grand stadium.  The Colosseum was the largest ancient amphitheater ever built, and the is the largest standing amphitheater in the world.  It's oval structure measures 620 feet in length, 511 feet in width, and the footprint is roughly the size of 6 acres.  The stadium was built to hold 50,000 to 80,000 spectators.  With such a large number of people, the designers also built many entrances/exits, 80 arched doorways in all.

Ground level view

The Colosseum was built between 72 and 80 AD, under three different emperors, collectively known as the Flavian dynasty.  When completed, the Colosseum was known as the Flavian Amphitheatre. Travertine, Roman concrete, and volcanic tuff were used to construct this massive structure.  The Romans pioneered both the use of concrete and the rounded arch to erect such a mammoth arena.  Builders stacked blocks of travertine, without mortar, into arch shapes.  These arches were temporarily supported until the final keystone at the very top was pounded into place.  Once each arch was finished it was able to bear the weight of the next story above.  To further reinforce the structure, iron pegs were inserted into the larger stones.

The holes were due to scavengers stealing the iron bars that held the blocks together

Our guide explained the Colosseum in its glory days would've been clad in white marble.  The columns were ornately decorated, with bronze statues sitting in the upper arch openings.  Timbers rose from the very top of the structure, used to hold a canvas awning that shaded spectators.  Sadly after Rome fell, the marble facade and iron bars were scavenged for other building projects.  The guide pointed out the pock-marked upper arches riddled with large holes as evidence.  With all of that destruction, I was amazed this huge arena was still standing today.

Walking on a Roman road

For today our tour group would only walk around the outside of the Colosseum.  Although Kim and I really wanted to go inside, MG commented that it wasn't that interesting, and looking at the outer walls was good enough.  (Luckily Kim and I had booked an inside tour of the Colosseum for the following morning, which I'll recap in the next post.)  So after sauntering along most of the north side, our guide led us towards an adjacent grassy strip of land where a large triumphal arch sat.

Arch of Constantine

This huge structure was called the Arch of Constantine, built in AD 312-315 to commemorate a military coup and the acceptance of Christianity by the Roman Empire.  The Emperor Constantine had a vision he'd win under the sign of the cross, so when this victory came true he legalized Christianity.   The arch was massive and well preserved.  The largest of the triumphal Roman arches, it came in at a height of 69 feet and 85 feet in width.

Hard to fit it all in one frame!

From the grassy park-like area in front of the arch I was far enough away from the Colosseum, I could finally fit the entire structure in my camera lens.  The crowds of people along the bottom give one a sense of the massive size of this structure.  It was absolutely enormous!  How in the world did those ancient Romans build such an arena?  And how many people (probably slaves) did they kill in the process?

Roman road leading to the Forum

While pondering this question, our guide motioned that she was ready to move on.  Following her from the Colosseum area, we walked upon the perfectly placed stones of an old Roman road that led to the area's next attraction - the Roman Forum.

Looking back at the Colosseum

The Forum was the center of ancient Rome.  Located in the small valley between Palatine and Capitoline Hills, this rectangular plaza was the the space where day-to-day life events happened for the Roman citizens.  Not only a bustling marketplace, the Forum was also the setting for public speeches, the site of triumphal parades and elections, the venue for criminal trials, and the center of commercial and legal affairs.  It was the home of ancient Rome's most important temples, monuments, and government buildings.  Today this historic plaza was surrounded by the ruins of these ancient buildings, with ongoing archeological excavations happening throughout the area. 

Arch of Titus

The Forum got its beginnings in the 7th century BC when Romans drained a swampy area between Palatine and Capitoline Hills to build temples and a market.  When the Roman Republic was established in 509 BC, the Forum became a central part of the city.  The area began to change in the 4th century AD when Christianity took over and the temples became converted into churches.  The central plaza slowly devolved into a grassy area for grazing cattle.  In the 15th and 16th centuries the Forum fell into decay, with much of its stonework stolen or burned for its lime content.  Constant floods from the nearby Tiber River covered the ancient structures in layers of silt.  Beginning in the early 1800s archaeologists began unearthing some of the ruins.  Today the excavated remains of this important piece of ancient Roman history are visited by 4.5 million people annually.

Selfie time!

After passing through security, our first stop was at another triumphal arch, the Arch of Titus.  This grand monument was erected to commemorate the Roman victory over the province of Judaea (Israel) in 70 AD.  

Carving details inside the Arch of Titus

Like the Arch of Constantine, this arch also had ornate carvings over every inch of its inner walls.  Our guide explained that these panels depicted the triumphal procession through Rome after defeating of Judea.  Unlike the Arch of Constantine, which had a fence around it, visitors were welcome to walk right up to this arch for a closer inspection.

Looking towards the Forum

Although not quite as tall as its neighboring triumphal arch, the Arch of Titus was still impressive, towering 50 feet in height.  Again, I was mighty impressed at what the ancient Romans were able to build without any of our modern machinery.

Arch of Titus side view

Next to the Arch of Titus was an overlook.  It was here that my tour-mates and I got our first glimpse of the Roman Forum.  Perched above the Forum's main street, below were several crumbling ruins of ancient buildings amongst lots of trees and greenery.  I couldn't wait to go down there and see more!

So many photo ops!

But first, a quick rest break.  After everyone took turns using the nearby WC's we all sat down on some nearby steps and our guide talked a bit more about this ancient Roman town center we were about to see.

Taking a break while our guide explains some history

Palace ruins

Then we followed our guide to the first stop, the ruins of a enormous central hall called the Basilica of Constantine.  After walking past the remnants of two stout stone walls, we came to a tall structure with a series of high arches.  This was all that remained of a mammoth Roman hall of justice, where citizens came to work out legal matters such as inheritances and building permits.  In its heyday this hall of justice building was as long as a football field and its roof towered 130 feet into the air.

Not much left of these ancient walls

Basilica of Constantine ruins

That's one high wall!

Walking back towards the Forum from the Basilica of Constantine, our group passed by a beautiful white church with several large sculptures rising from its roofline.  Since the tour didn't include this building, later research identified this place as the Basilica of St. Frances of Rome.

Walking towards the Basilica of St. Frances of Rome

Now it was time to delve into the heart of the Forum!  Our guide led everyone down the ancient main road, called the Via Sacra.  In Rome's heyday, this street would've been full of people, shopping at the wooden stalls of merchants peddling their goods.

The Forum main street

Old brick walls everywhere

Temple of Antoninus & Faustina

Our group passed by two large temples - one circular in shape and the other with grand columns lining its doorway.  The circular temple was called the Temple of Romulus, built in the 4th century AD.  It had a striking green door, originally bronze, now oxidized by the elements.  The grander of the two structures was called the Temple of Antonius Pius and Faustina, built between 138 and 161 AD.

Ancient palace walls

To our left, on the Forum's west side, tall brick walls of an ancient palace climbed up nearby Palatine Hill.  Believed to be the first imperial palace in Rome, historians think this colossal structure was built sometime after 64 AD.  The ruins themselves were quite impressive.  I couldn't imagine how grand this palace must've been!

Headless statue

Courtyard for the Vestal Virgins

Our group then headed into a grassy courtyard area.  A row of (mostly) headless marble statues occupied one side.  The grass was interrupted by two rectangular pools which were lined by bushes of lovely pink roses.  The local guide explained this was the courtyard adjacent to the house where the Vestal Virgins once lived.

Pretty pink roses

The Vestal Virgins were an elite order of six priestesses in ancient Rome, dedicated to guarding the eternal flame in the Temple of Vesta.  This was an important job, as Romans believed the fire's extinction spelled doom.  The women were chosen from noble families before they reached the age of ten, and were required to serve for 30 years.  Like a priest, a Vestal took a vow of chastity, abstaining for the duration of her 30-year term.

The headless statues of past Vestal Virgins

We were told the line of marble status along one side of this courtyard depicted some of the more well-known Vestals.  With the beautiful white marble of the sculptures, the green lawn area, and the stunning pink roses, this was one of my favorite places to photograph in the Forum.

More palace ruins

Vestal Virgin statues

Looking towards the Arch of Septimius Severus

Past the Vestal Virgins, our group walked towards the Forum's north end, emerging into a large open area where the remains of several buildings towered above.  Another triumphal arch anchored one side.  Our guide pointed out this as the Arch of Septimius Severus, commemorating this emperor's battles in Mesopotamia.

Temple of Vesta

This large plaza had two notable ruins - both with a few standing marble columns under crumbling bases.  The first was pointed out as the Temple of Vesta, an extremely sacred spot to the ancient Romans.  This temple housed the sacred flame that the Vestal Virgins tended.  

"If those walls could talk..."

Temple of Castor and Pollux

The second set of columns was part of the Temple of Castor and Pollux, once one of Rome's oldest temples.  Built in the 5th century BC, it was a very prestigious house of worship.  Looking at these remaining columns topped by a small piece of decorative marble, it was hard to imagine the grand structure that once stood here.

Side note:  Apparently these three weather-worn columns are now the most photographed sight in the Forum.  (So of course I captured copious images of them!)

Top portion of the Temple of Antoninus & Faustina

Our guide led us back to the Temple of Antoninus & Faustina and pointed out several diagonal cuts high up on the marble columns.  She said that in medieval times, this temple was pillaged.  The cuts into the columns were from scavengers attempts to pull them down and reuse the marble.  (Thankfully they weren't successful!)

Broken column pieces

There were ruins to be found everywhere.  One area we passed by was full of broken column pieces, bits of marble uncovered by numerous archeological explorations over the years.

 

The Forum was a busy place!

Speaking of archaeologists, our guide then spoke about the decline and rediscovery of this important center of Roman life.  Beginning in 27 BC, Rome began to fall.  The assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC plunged Rome into further civil unrest.  Eventually after many wars, much of Rome fell into ruin.  During the early Middle Ages the Forum gradually became buried with silt and debris from flooding of the nearby Tiber River.  Centuries of deposition raised the Forum's ground level by as much as 30 feet.  In the early 1800s archaeologists began excavating areas of the Forum.  This process accelerated in 1898 by the Italian government.  Today a large amount of the Forum has been uncovered, and is on display for the millions of visitors who come to Rome. 

Ancient sculpted marble

Crumbling columns

Foundation remains

What a job these archaeologists have!  But how exciting it must be to discover items from thousands of years ago.

A large archway

After spending a good amount of time walking around this fascinating window into ancient Rome, our guide led us out of the Forum area, and up to the top of nearby Capitoline Hill.  

View from atop Capitoline Hill

From atop this bluff my tour-mates and I had an incredible, birds-eye view of the entire Forum area.

A great overview of this amazing place

I think it was even more impressive to look down upon the ruins of this important place in everyday Roman life.

Selfie to prove we were here

And of course it was also a great place to capture that perfect selfie!

Look at all the people!

The weather was great yet again.  We'd had nothing but sunshine and warm temperatures the entire time my friend Kim and I had been in Italy.  We wondered, was it always this way?

Piazza del Campidoglio

From Capitoline Hill, our guide then walked over to an adjacent plaza, called Piazza del Campidoglio.  We learned this square was once the religious and political center of ancient Rome.  Nowadays it functioned as the home of the city's government.  Museums flanked opposite sides, while the mayoral palace anchored one end.

Marcus Aurelius statue

A huge statue of a man on a horse was located in the center of this piazza.  Commemorating former Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, it was placed here by Michelangelo, who we learned designed this plaza.

 

Grand staircase leading up to Piazza del Campidoglio

Michelangelo intended that people approached this grand plaza from a huge stairway on the side opposite the mayoral palace.  (Our group entered from the opposite side - oops!)  The sloped, stone walkway was indeed impressive.  My favorite part was the gigantic marble statues flanking the plaza's entrance.  What a grandiose portal!  Although we didn't get to walk up the sloped entrance, everyone got a chance to instead make their way downhill to our next attraction.

We found where the pope shops!

From the Piazza del Campidoglio, we wound through a commercial shopping district, featuring many high-end stores.  It was an interesting place to window-shop.  Our guide pointed out one store in particular as the place that supplies the pope's religious clothing.  Their window displays were quite interesting - full of ornate robes, stoles, and two pope hats.  I guess I'd never thought about where his Holiness bought his vestments.  Now I know!

Fashions for his Holiness

Around the corner from the pope shop was a small plaza with an obelisk that had a sculpted elephant as its base.  This was the Piazza della Minerva, home to the only major Gothic-style church in Rome.  This church apparently housed the tomb of Saint Catherine of Siena (whose head I'd recently seen in her church in Siena.)  The elephant obelisk was designed by Bernini and placed in this square in 1667.

Piazza della Minerva

Elephant and Obelisk designed by Bernini

Looming behind the Piazza della Minerva's whimsical elephant obelisk were the rounded walls of the next of Rome's most famous attractions - the Pantheon.

Backside of the Pantheon

The Pantheon was an ancient Roman temple dedicated to all the Roman gods.  One of the best-preserved interiors of any temple, its dome served as the model for many other famous domes to follow, including St. Peter's Basilica.

The spectacular columned entrance of the Pantheon

As our group rounded the corner the Pantheon's spectacular columned entrance came into view.  What a sight it was!  Composed of 16 huge columns made of red and gray granite, each was 40 feet tall and 15 feet in circumference.  Although most ancient columns were constructed as a stack of cylindrical marble pieces, these were each made from a single piece of stone.

Inscription details

In front of the Patheon was another large square, and it was absolutely packed with people.  A huge line snaked back from its entrance for several blocks, stretching into a neighborhood of shops and restaurants.

The line to get in was long!

If we wanted to get inside the Pantheon (and we did!) our group had to walk to the very back of this monstrous line and wait for our turn.  So everyone followed our guide to the line's end.  

Having fun while waiting

While the line slowly shuffled forward, my friends and I passed the time checking out the nearby shops, and taking goofy selfies.

Getting closer to the entrance

The line, although long, moved fairly quickly.  In about 10 minutes time, we entered into the plaza and had a good view of the Pantheon's grand facade.  

The entrance columns were enormous!

And then in no time our tour group was at the Pantheon's front door.  It was huge - standing at 23 feet in height and made entirely of bronze.  And apparently it was original to the structure.

Pantheon front door

Built in 27 BC, the Pantheon was a marvel of Roman engineering.  Its tall dome, at 142 feet in height, was the largest made until the Renaissance.  For stability, the Pantheon's base was as wide as its dome was high.  The dome was made of concrete, getting lighter and thinner as it approached the top.  The base was made of heavier concrete, while the upper dome's concrete was mixed with lighter weight volcanic rock.  To further reduce weight, the inside of the dome's ceiling was constructed with a pattern of indented squares, which made it lighter without compromising strength.

The interior was amazing!

Upon entering the Pantheon, it was this spectacular dome's interior that first caught my eye.  The perfect rows of concave squares were a thing of beauty.  

But boy was it crowded!

The walls below the patterned dome ceiling were all ornately decorated.  There were columns, sculptures, multicolored marble, and beautiful side altars.  

So much art to see

At the dome's very top was a large hole, called the oculus.  Thirty feet in diameter, it was completely open to the elements and served as the building's only source of light.  Since this hole had no cover, during rainy days, the building occupants got wet.  The Pantheon's floor was slightly slanted and had been designed with holes to drain away any rainwater that got inside.  Those Romans thought of everything!

Beauty every direction you looked

Although the Pantheon was constructed as a temple honoring the Roman gods, after the fall of Rome, it was converted into Christian church.  This saved the Pantheon from the rampant cannibalism of artifacts that befell most of the ancient Roman houses of worship.  It continues to function as a consecrated Catholic church to this day.

The hole in the domed ceiling is open to the elements

More details

Another amazing part of the Pantheon was its beautiful marble floor.  Built of red, white, and rust-colored marble, it had a pattern of alternating circles and squares.  Not only designed to drain rainwater, 80 percent of its original marble stones were still intact.  I was awed by the fact that I was standing an 1,800 year old floor.  And it looked to be in fantastic shape.

The building is still used as a house of worship

Another structure from ancient Roman times that made me wonder "How in the world did they build this?"  The Pantheon was so impressive, both for the sheer size and innovation that had created this amazing temple, and the fact that its interior had been so well preserved.  In a day of touring iconic Roman sights, this had been a highlight!

Colorful marble floor

But now it was past noon, we'd been on the go for over four hours, and my friends and I were famished.  Our morning tour now complete, everyone was on their own for the rest of the afternoon.  Time to find a lunch spot!

Bruschetta for the win!

Kim, Debbie, and I were joined by tour-mate Rashi.   We four ladies started down a nearby street in search of a good restaurant.  After consulting google many times, and walking in a circle, we finally settled on a cute local restaurant with red checkered tablecloths.

Pasta dish with local artichokes

Seated at an outdoor table next to a very narrow lane, while waiting for our food we ladies entertained ourselves by watching the people walking by.  Only a couple of blocks from the Pantheon, there was plenty of foot traffic.

Enjoying lunch near the Pantheon

Our food and beverages were tasty.  Of course, I had to have a limoncello spritz (I was becoming fond of them.)  I was also becoming fond of bruschetta, the delicious Italian aperitivo consisting of plump, ripe tomatoes and olive oil on a slice of toasted bread.  Because it was artichoke season, and Rome was known for their artichokes, I also chose a pasta dish featuring this vegetable.  After a morning full of touring famous sights, it was nice to relax and enjoy a leisurely meal.

Havin' fun in the streets 

After lunch it was time for more exploration of the Eternal city!  My friends and I wandered amongst the streets of Rome, popping in to any shop that caught our eyes.  In no time, we ended up at the banks of the Tiber River.  Several beautiful bridges spanned this river's green waters.  Should we go see what was on the other side?

Ponte Vittorio Emanuele ii over the Tiber River

Of course!  My friends and I spied a tall, rounded building on the opposite shore.  Walking across the bridge directly in front of it, we gaped at the gorgeous sculptures lining this bridge.  Romans really knew how to build impressive and beautiful structures!

St. Angelo Bridge leading to the Castel Sant'Angelo

Later I learned this was the St. Angelo Bridge and it led to the Castel Sant'Angelo, an ancient structure that was used as a castle, prison, and place of refuge for the pope when he was under attack.

Roman solider actors who posed for money

Of course the bridge was packed with tourists, gaping at the sculptures, heading towards the castle, or posing with two men dressed as gladiators.  I'd heard these so-called gladiators were just actors trying to trick tourists into paying for photos with them.  I clicked a few quick free images as I walked by.

The birds liked this statue

Bridge selfie

On the Tiber's opposite shore, my friends and I followed a sidewalk paralleling the river that led to another fantastic bridge just a few short blocks away.  This was the Vittorio Emanuele ii Bridge, named after a former king of Italy.

Looking towards St. Peter's Basilica

The V-E ii bridge led directly towards the main road into St. Peter's Square.  The point where our riverside path intersected with the bridge gave us an awesome view of St. Peter's Basilica and its lovely dome.  Although I was tempted to continue towards St. Peter's Square, Kim and I had plans to visit the Vatican area in two days.  

Ponte S. Angelo (St. Angelo Bridge)

Another look at Vittorio Emanuele ii Bridge

Travel buddies

So instead my friends and I returned across the Tiber River via the Vittorio Emanuele ii Bridge.  Just like the St. Angelo Bridge, it was also studded with sculptures.  I gaped at all the fantastic statues lining the bridge railings.

Vittorio Emanuele ii Bridge was quite ornate

Bridge sculpture close-up

On the other end of the V-E ii Bridge I noticed a large billboard advertising a concert honoring the late Pope Francis.  I got the impression even though he was dead, the Italian people still loved Papa Francesco.

Even after his death, Pope Francis is still popular

We'd walked a ton today, and everyone was ready to head back to our hotel for a little rest before our final group dinner this evening.  So Debbie google mapped a route for us, and we four ladies strolled amongst Rome's scenic city streets.

Loved this flowering bush over the doorway

Walkin' the streets of Rome

It was quite a distance back to our hotel!  Partway, we decided to take a break and have some refreshments.  Debbie ordered her usual Aperol Spritz, Kim her usual birra, but Rashi and I went for the gelato.

Gelato break

Tonight was the final activity of our Italy tour - a farewell group dinner at a nearby restaurant.  Everyone was seated at a super-long table and offered a glass of prosecco for a toast to this country we'd had the privilege of traveling through these past 16 days.

Lotti says it's time to party!

I sat next to my tour buddy, Steve and his wife Cyndy, who were from a town near Vancouver, Canada.  A fun couple, I had really enjoyed their company and would miss them, especially Steve's sense of humor.  At the dinner Steve confessed to me one of his hobbies was collecting Spongebob memorabilia.  That just made me love him all the more!

Pic with Steve and Cyndy, two of my favorite tour-mates

Our dinner was mostly forgettable.  The food was pretty blah, but there was plenty of it!  Actually too much - I could have done without most of the dishes.  One course was simply a plate of chopped up, over seasoned white meat chicken pieces.  I'm not sure if the restaurant had extra chicken they were just trying to get rid of - it kind of seemed that way!

I can't forget my traveling buddies, Kim and Debbie!

Our MG of course had to blab on about how great a group we were and to be sure and fill out our trip evaluations when we returned home (believe me, I did!)  I surely wasn't going to miss her at all!  The night was bittersweet though, as I'd miss all of my tour-mates, some of whom were heading home the following morning.  And Kim and I were sad to see Debbie go - she was leaving early the next day for Turin.  We'd had a blast traveling with our good friend, who we'd met in 2023 on our very first tour in Ireland.

It was a good group of people!

I'd had an absolutely memorable day seeing some of the most iconic landmarks in Rome.  Although the city had been overwhelming at first, by day two it was starting to grow on me.  Luckily, Kim and I had planned for two more days by ourselves to further explore the Eternal city.  So join me for my next blog post where I'll tour the inside of the Colosseum and return to Palatine Hill.