Rome: random wanderings in the eternal city

  Rome, Italy
Saturday, May 27, 2006

With new technology I'm happily back in the game so after a few days downtime it was time to hit the sights once more. Game on!

I spent three great days here a few years ago with my sister and Canadian friend Al, so I'd actually seen a lot of the major attractions already. However it's also said of the eternal city that 'a lifetime is not enough' and with around 900 churches here alone, they're probably right. So I thought with one day to spare and little money (as I've dropped a bundle here already), I might as well ditch the map and go for a wander to see whatever free sights I could find.

Relying on my beer-soaked memory, street signage, abstract bus route maps and the occasional pointer from one of the locals, this is the result...



Starting out from my wonderfully located hostel (Roma Inn on Via Urbana, right next to Cavour metro and 5 minutes from the Colosseum), I headed up the hill to Termini to pick up a train ticket. On the way is the monumental but often overlooked church of Santa Maria Maggiore. Complete with Egyptian hieroglyph obelisk, it sits proudly on the Esquilino (one of the seven hills of ancient Rome) but is not a major attraction so is usually spared the tour groups. Just watch out for the traffic whilst taking a pic!

At Termini the automated ticket machine spat out both a ticket and my Visa card (bless it) so I happily headed west along a section of the ancient city walls to Piazza Repubblica, a grand set of buildings around a typically extravagent Italian fountain of energized bronzes. It was warming up and the water looked inviting but I didn't want to get arrested just yet so dismissed the idea of a quick paddle.



I was vaguely heading north as a view over the city from the Pincio would be just dandy before the heat of the day set in. The first of many un-named churches, resplendent with elaborately inscripted facades, hove into view somewhere near the top of Via Barberini which ended up being the next accidental port of call. Not much here except a wee fountain but despite that it is one of top-tier attractions around town. Whatever - I liked the row of Mr Bean vehicles lined up on a road heading out of it much more.

The Pincio is a large park behind Villa Medici. The villa I somehow missed but that's cool because in the park there's another Egyptian obelisk as well as a smashing view over Piazza del Popolo and a great swathe of western Roma. Looking downwards into the pre-noon sun, it was a shame the giant obelisk in Popolo was draped and under renovation, but seeing it's one of the oldest sights here I'll give it a break.



I had to chuckle coming down the stairs into the piazza. This is where both Ains and Al took a little spill when last here due to copious amounts of vino imbibed before attempting the slippery staircase. We had exchanged some words with some smart-alec local kids and were trying to make a graceful exit but that wasn't meant to be and both ended up on their bottoms giggling like schoolgirls. I probably shouldn't laugh though - I would have done the same if I was first down. It is a really slippery decline worn smooth with millions of footsteps each year so I wonder how many lawsuits the authorities receive. Probably a few even if they don't pay them much heed. Ahh, the joys of travel.



As I didn't break a leg it was time to head south towards the river and the Vatican area. My radar went blank for a time so I actually headed east (back the way I came) but ended up at the Spanish Stairs which was a good consolation prize all things considered. As usual it was covered with bodies so I redirected and found my first new gem of the day - the Mausoleum of Augustus.

This one I hadn't seen before. Apparently Octavius, the adopted son of Julius Caeser who later became known as Augustus and the first Emperor of Rome, built himself a giant round burial mound just near the banks of the Tiber to the north of the ancient city. It's one huge tomb, but fair enough that he had a high opinion of himself as he did rule for something like forty years and gave the empire a glorious and long-lasting second wind to boot. A lot of it still remains although the gates are barred so you can't go inside. Oh well. As a bit of a history buff I'm surprised I missed this one the last time.



Down to the banks of the Tiber and I was reunited with a bunch of bizarre buildings on the western bank. First was a great gothic church of unknown name (it was just too far to walk in the heat) but very nice all the same. Next along the line is the Palazzo di Giustiza, glistening brilliantly white on the far shore and crowned by a team of raging bronze horses. The Tiber itself was looking its typical shade of murky green but it has been the centre of attention for ages so that's probably to be expected.

As it's spring just about every plane tree along the Tiber's banks has dropped its balls of annoying, itchy spore. The air is thick with it around this area and is very painful on the eyes. Ouch. Time to abort!



Which brought me nicely to Castel Sant Angelo, heavily featured in one of the other Dan Brown novels - Angels and Demons. It's a squat chunk of building a stone's throw away southwards in the direction of the Vatican and was apparently one of the only structures that remained relatively intact in Rome after the ravages of the Middle Ages. I was considering breaking my freebee rule and going in, but I'm a man of my word and I have to leave something to do the next time I come here. Pretty unusual and impressive from the outside anyway.

I'd brought some long pants just in case I wanted to check out St Peter's as well but by now I couldn't be bothered with the queue, especially since lunch was very much in order. So I got lost in the backstreets around Piazza Navona and had a late bite to eat before resuming the mission with a favourite of mine - the Pantheon. I knew it was around here somewhere...



This is certainly the most intact building that remains from imperial times, probably as it was converted to a church early on and has been continually maintained as a place of worship since. Funny how it was the popes who were the main culprits in pulling off tiles or whatever to build other things. Still, it has stood proudly in central Rome since it was built by the son-in-law of Augustus, Marcus Agrippa, in 27BC - which is why you can see a in big, bold MAGRIPPA across the front door.

Its concrete dome is one of the largest known in history and has somehow withstood the tests of time, although it doesn't make a great ceiling due to a huge hole in its apex which would let a flood in during a storm. These church fellows probably need a bath anyway. Out of interest, a bunch of Italian kings and the artist Raphael are buried within.



By now I was heading in the general direction of my favourite part of town. If I could just find the wedding cake then there would be a numerous ncient Roman ruins sprinkled about nearby. Statues quietly pointed the way until found myself at the Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, a hideously garish thing that's surrounded by a giant public racetrack on which buses, cars and mopeds blast around pursuing any pedestrians they set their sights on. The monument itself seems like the centre of town - so big and ugly and seen from eveywhere. Another unusual sight nearby is the Colonna Traiana, a different style of ancient column with scenes carved in spirals up its rounded surface. Can't remember where I've seen one of those before but they are found in other cities.



A short hop from there is the entrance to the free (and best) section of the Imperial Forum. So much history, power, fame and intrigue embodied in a single Roman site! From Romulus and Remus to Scipio Africanus and Marius, Caesar, Cicero, Pompey, Augustus, Marc Antony and Cleopatra, Vespasian, Marcus Aerelius and Constantine - many of the greatest names in ancient history walked this ground, debating, conniving, bribing, raising armies and assassinating in order to become the 'first in Rome'. Who knows what the world would have become without it though...

The masses were thronging so on to the Colosseum to wrap up the magical mystery tour. Not a penny spent on admission fees and looking at the map afterwards, many of the sights in central Rome actually missed, so the adage would probably ring true about a lifetime spent and still not everything seen. Amazing.



In order to return I took hostel buddy Charlotte from Brighton up to the Trevi in the evening, had a pasta on the square and threw a coin over the shoulder (which legend has it ensures the return visit). This is definitely one sight that should be done at night. Hope you enjoy the rest of your time in Italy mate and thanks for a pleasant evening!



The rest of my time spent here was computer related so a headache all around. An interesting thing was seeing all the local election advertising around the place, overlaid on the general political commentary that you seem to get in Rome more than most cities. Whether it's George Bush, the Vatican Mafia or their local member, they all seem to get a hard time and you know what - they probably deserve it too.

So despite a number of trying situations Rome is still one of my favourite places on Earth and I think I'll look forward to coming back again and again if i can for the rest of my life.

Til next time Roma, ciao!

Next entry -> Sicilian gangsters in Catania

Krazy Kontraptions

The ridiculous meets the moon rover in this case - two wheels front, one aft and on top of a plastic pod which would disintegrate under a good hailstorm, so I really don't know how it survives on Rome's streets.



No wonder it was covered in dust and looking abandoned. The owner probably died of embarrassment!