The weather in Rome was absolutely perfect on my
second day of explorations around the Eternal City.
In the morning I decided to use up the rest of my
24 hour ticket for the sightseeing bus and I went
four stops from Piazza della Repubblica to the Piazza
Bocca della Verita where I got off the bus. Leaving
the Roman Forum behind me I walked towards the Tiber
River and had to cross a major street which felt
like taking my life in my own hands, given the aggressive
and impatient driving habits of the Romans.
Traffic in Rome can be a bit hair-raising sometimes
Once across the street I crossed the Tiber River
on the Ponte Palatino and started walking northwards
on the western river bank. The remnants of the Ponte
Rotto (the “broken bridge”), an old
bridge from the 2nd century AD, were lying photogenically
inside the river bed. Along my riverside walk I
admired the Smart Cars that were parked sideways
in tiny parking spots along the Tiber River. Just
a bit further north I crossed another bridge to
get across to the Isola Tiberina, the island in
the Tiber River.
The Ponte Rotto with Tiber Island in the background
Tiber Island has long been associated with the
sick ever since, in 293 BC, a temple was dedicated
to Aesculapius, the god of healing and the protector
against the plague. Today it still houses a hospital,
the Ospedale Fatebenefratelli, which was founded
in the late 1500s. The ancient Temple of Aesculapius
now lies buried for many centuries under the San
Bartolomeo church that was built in the 10th century.
Rome is a collection of layers and layers of antiquity.
A fashion shoot in Rome
After crossing back to the left bank of the Tiber
I continued my walk past a fashion shoot with three
attractive models. They attracted a crowd, but the
producers were shooing everyone away that wanted
to take a picture of the photo shoot. Further on
I reached the Vatican and walked up the Via della
Conciliazione until I was standing on the large
square right in front of Saint Peter's Basilica.
Thousands of people were attending mass, and a policeman
confirmed for me that it was indeed Pope Benedict
XVI who was holding mass. The area in front of the
church was roped off and only priests, monks and
nuns were allowed to sit inside the restricted area.
Pope Bendict XVI is reading mass
Having observed the proceedings for a while, I
turned around and walked into a local church: Santa
Maria in Transpontina, a Carmelite church that stands
on the site of an ancient Roman pyramid. Further
on I admired Castel Sant’Angelo, a massive
fortress that was started in 139 AD as the mausoleum
of Emperor Hadrian. The tomb was converted into
a military fortification in 401 and was also used
as a fortress and residence for the Pope as well
as a prison. Since 1901 the fortress holds a museum
to the castle’s history.
The Castel Sant'Angelo and the bridge with some
of its statues
Just outside the castle, the Ponte Sant’Angelo
is a splendid structure, completed in 134 AD by
Roman Emperor Hadrian. Today it only accommodates
pedestrians who all admire the 10 angel statues
that flank the bridge’s abutments. Back on
the east side of the Tiber River, I continued my
walk into the Piazza Navona district which features
narrow streets filled with many cafes, bars and
restaurants.
The Piazza Navona with the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi
The Piazza Navona is one of Rome’s most popular
gathering places. Built originally on the Stadium
of Domitian, an ancient competition arena from the
1st century, it is a longitudinal piazza anchored
by the famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (the Fountain
of the Four Rivers). Two additional fountains flank
the Piazza Navona: the Fontana del Moro at the southern
end, and the Fountain of Neptune at the northern
end. The entire square is restricted to pedestrians
only and features many welcoming bars and restaurants
with outdoor patios that are perfect for people-watching.
Various street performers were practicing their
craft as well, drawing crowds of onlookers.
The interior of the Pantheon
Continuing through the atmospheric narrow streets
of Old Rome I reached another one of Rome’s
main sights: the Pantheon, one of Rome’s most
stunning buildings. Built between 125 and 128 AD,
it was designed by Emperor Hadrian as a temple to
the goods of Ancient Rome. At one point the Pantheon
was a fortress and poultry market and since medieval
times it has been a Roman Catholic Church.
Light shines through the "oculus" into
the Pantheon
The height and the diameter of the rotunda are
equal at 142 feet (43 metres) and the coffered dome
is still the largest unreinforced concrete dome
in the world to this day! And the centre of the
dome has a hole called an “oculus” (Latin
for “eye”) which provides the only light
inside the building. The Pantheon is one of the
most well-preserved ancient structures in Rome,
and it quickly became my favourite building in the
Eternal City.
The Trevi Fountain, one of the most popular sights
in Rome
Not far away I came across the next famous sight
on any Rome itinerary: the Fontana di Trevi. This
is one of Rome’s more recent creations: it
was only completed in 1762 and originally was the
end point of the Aqua Virgo Aqueduct that was in
built in 19 BC. This is one of the most popular
gathering places in Rome, and it is estimated that
roughly 3,000 Euros are thrown into the fountain
every day for good luck.
The Spanish Steps - another must-see sight in Rome
The narrow streets of Old Rome were really filling
up with people now. Speaking of popular places,
the Spanish Steps are certainly among the choice
destinations for any traveller to Rome. These steps
connect the Piazza di Spagna at the base with the
square in front of the church of Trinita dei Monti
at the top. These 138 steps make up the widest staircase
in all of Europe and they are usually crowded with
people. The Fontana della Barcaccia (Old Boat Fountain)
on the Piazza di Spagna is another huge crowd pleaser
in this area.
The Fontana della Barcaccia
Continuing on eastwards towards the basilica of
Santa Maria Maggiore, I made my way to my next destination
for a different way of sightseeing: I had scheduled
a sightseeing tour on two wheels on the Ancient
Appian Way.
