DONE NOW!!!!!
FINISHED
Must see
- The Colosseum
-The Pantheon
-The Trevi Fountain
-真理之口 Mouth of Truth
About each item and Landmark:
Colosseum
/Italian name: Colosseo/
The Roman Colosseum or Coliseum, originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, was commisioned in AD 72 by Emperor Vespasian. It was completed by his son, Titus, in 80, with later improvements by Domitian.
The Colosseum is located just east of the Roman Forum and was built to a practical design, with its 80 arched entrances allowing easy access to 55,000 spectators, who were seated according to rank. The Coliseum is huge, an ellipse 188m long and 156 wide. Originally 240 masts were attached to stone corbels on the 4th level.
Just outside the Coliseum is the Arch of Constantine (Arco di Costantino), a 25m high monument built in AD315 to mark the victory of Constantine over Maxentius at Pons Milvius.
Vespesian ordered the Colosseum to be build on the site of Nero's palace, the Domus Aurea, to dissociate himself from the hated tyrant.
His aim was to gain popularity by staging deadly combats of gladiators and wild animal fights for public viewing. Massacre was on a huge scale: at inaugural games in AD 80, over 9,000 wild animals were killed.
Roman gladiatorswere usually slaves, prisoners of war or condemned criminals. Most were men, but there were a few female gladiators. These combats were attended by the poor, the rich, and frequently the emperor himself. As gladiators fought, vicious cries and curses were heard from the audience around the Roman Colosseum. One contest after another was staged in the course of a single day. Should the ground become too soaked with blood, it was covered over with a fresh layer of sand and the performance went on. The gladiatorial games continued until Christianity progressively put an end to those parts of them which included the death of humans.
The Roman Coliseum is located in the heart of piazza del Colosseo, on the homonymous B(blue) metro line.
Colosseum admission fee:
Full ticket - €15.50
EU reduced ticket - €10.50 (available only for European citizens aged between 18 and 25)
Opening hours:
Mid February - mid March: 9 AM - 4.30 PM
Mid March - end March: 9 AM - 5.00 PM
End March - end August: 9 AM - 7.00 PM
End August - end Sept.: 9 AM - 6.30 PM
End Sept. - end October: 9 AM - 6.00 PM
End October - mid March: 9 AM - 4.00 PM
-The Pantheon
-The Trevi Fountain
-真理之口 Mouth of Truth
About each item and Landmark:
Colosseum
/Italian name: Colosseo/
The Roman Colosseum or Coliseum, originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, was commisioned in AD 72 by Emperor Vespasian. It was completed by his son, Titus, in 80, with later improvements by Domitian.
The Colosseum is located just east of the Roman Forum and was built to a practical design, with its 80 arched entrances allowing easy access to 55,000 spectators, who were seated according to rank. The Coliseum is huge, an ellipse 188m long and 156 wide. Originally 240 masts were attached to stone corbels on the 4th level.
Just outside the Coliseum is the Arch of Constantine (Arco di Costantino), a 25m high monument built in AD315 to mark the victory of Constantine over Maxentius at Pons Milvius.
Vespesian ordered the Colosseum to be build on the site of Nero's palace, the Domus Aurea, to dissociate himself from the hated tyrant.
His aim was to gain popularity by staging deadly combats of gladiators and wild animal fights for public viewing. Massacre was on a huge scale: at inaugural games in AD 80, over 9,000 wild animals were killed.
Roman gladiatorswere usually slaves, prisoners of war or condemned criminals. Most were men, but there were a few female gladiators. These combats were attended by the poor, the rich, and frequently the emperor himself. As gladiators fought, vicious cries and curses were heard from the audience around the Roman Colosseum. One contest after another was staged in the course of a single day. Should the ground become too soaked with blood, it was covered over with a fresh layer of sand and the performance went on. The gladiatorial games continued until Christianity progressively put an end to those parts of them which included the death of humans.
The Roman Coliseum is located in the heart of piazza del Colosseo, on the homonymous B(blue) metro line.
Colosseum admission fee:
Full ticket - €15.50
EU reduced ticket - €10.50 (available only for European citizens aged between 18 and 25)
Opening hours:
Mid February - mid March: 9 AM - 4.30 PM
Mid March - end March: 9 AM - 5.00 PM
End March - end August: 9 AM - 7.00 PM
End August - end Sept.: 9 AM - 6.30 PM
End Sept. - end October: 9 AM - 6.00 PM
End October - mid March: 9 AM - 4.00 PM
Roman Pantheon
The Roman Pantheon is the most preserved and influential building ofancient Rome. It is a Roman temple dedicated to all the gods of pagan Rome. As the brick stamps on the side of the building reveal it was built and dedicated between A.D 118 and 125.
The emperor Hadrian (A.D 117-138) built the Pantheon to replace Augustus’ friend and Commander Marcus Agrippa’s Pantheon of 27 B.C. which burnt to the ground in 80 A.D.
When approaching the front of the Pantheon one can see the inscription above still reads in Latin the original dedication by Marcus Agrippa. The inscription reads:
"M. AGRIPPA.L.F.COSTERTIUM.FECIT”
“Marcus Agrippa son of Lucius, having been consul three times made it”.
Despite all the marvelous building projects that the emperor Hadrian produced during his reign, he never inscribed his name to any, but one, the temple of his father Trajan. That is why the Roman Pantheon bears the inscription of Marcus Agrippa, and not the emperor Hadrian.
The pediment,(the triangle section above the inscription) is blank today, but there would have been sculpture that acted out the battle of the Titans. Great bronze doors guard the entrance to the cella and would have been covered in gold, but it has long since disappeared.
The original use of the Pantheon is somewhat unknown, except that is was classified as a temple. However, it is unknown as to how the people worshipped in the building, because the structure of the temple is so different from other traditional Roman temples such as in the Roman Forum.
The Pantheon exists today in such amazing form because the Byzantine emperor Phocas gave it to Pope Boniface the VIII in A.D 608 and it was used as a church ever since. The Pantheon has been in use since the time it was built.
Architecture of the PantheonProbably one of the most fascinating features of the Pantheon is the Architecture. The structure of the Pantheon is comprised of a series of intersecting arches. The arches rest on eight piers which support eight round-headed arches which run through the drum from its inner to its outer face. The arches correspond to the eight bays on the floor level that house statues.
The dome itself is supported by a series of arches that run horizontally round. Romans had perfected the use of arches which helped sustain the weight of their magnanimous buildings.The Romans were aware of the heavy nature of their building materials. So they used lighter materials toward the top of the dome. \ On the lowest level travertine, the heaviest material was used, then a mixture of travertine and tufa, then tufa and brick, then all brick was used around the drum section of the dome, and finally pumice, the lightest and most porous of materials on the ceiling of the dome.
This use of lighter materials on top alleviated the immense weight of the dome. The Roman Pantheon was probably constructed by using an elaborate setup of wooden scaffolding, which in itself would have been costly. The elegant coffers on the dome were likely struck with a device that was exacted from floor level.
The detail of this building is extraordinary. If the dome of the rotundra were flipped upside down it would fit perfectly inside the rotunda. When approaching the Pantheon from the outside it appears rectangular in shape. But it is only the first small room (cella) that has corners. The rotunda is completely round. The small entry room would have been entered by climbing a staircase that is now entirely under modern ground level.
Also, in antiquity there would have been a large colonnaded enclosure in front of the building making it almost impossible for one to glimpse the dome at the back.
The statues of Augustus and Agrippa stood in the apse at the end of the colonnaded side aisles of the entrance.
The interior design of the Roman Pantheon is a striking synthesis of tradition and innovation. The dimensions of the interior height and the diameter of the dome are the same (145 Roman feet., which is 141 feet. 8 inches;43.2m).
The architect, who is unknown, did this on purpose to show the harmony of the building. The marble veneer that we see today on the interior was for the most part added later.
However, the Roman Pantheon in its present state allows us a glimpse into the marvelous and stunning world of Roman architecture. The dome would have been gilded to look like the heavenly sphere of all the gods that the name Pantheon evokes. The oculus was an engineering gem of the Roman world. No oculus had even dared come close in size to the one in the Pantheon. It is still lined with the original Roman bronze and is the main source of light for the whole building. As the earth turns the light flows in to circle the interior making the viewer aware of the magnificence of the cosmos. The oculus was never covered and rain falls into the interior and runs off the slightly convex floor to the still functioning Roman drainpipes underneath. The Pantheon has since antiquity been used to inspire artists during the Renaissance as well as become the tomb for important figures in Italian history.
The Italian kings Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I as well as the famous Renaissance painter Raphael and his fiancée are buried in the Pantheon. It is a wonderful example of second century Roman architecture. It boasts mathematical genius and simple geometry that today still impresses architects and amazes the eyes of casual viewers.
Location:Piazza della Rotonda, Rome
Opening hours: Mon – Sat: 9 am - 6.30 pm and Sun: 9 am –1 pm.
Tel: +39 06 68300230Links:
The emperor Hadrian (A.D 117-138) built the Pantheon to replace Augustus’ friend and Commander Marcus Agrippa’s Pantheon of 27 B.C. which burnt to the ground in 80 A.D.
When approaching the front of the Pantheon one can see the inscription above still reads in Latin the original dedication by Marcus Agrippa. The inscription reads:
"M. AGRIPPA.L.F.COSTERTIUM.FECIT”
“Marcus Agrippa son of Lucius, having been consul three times made it”.
Despite all the marvelous building projects that the emperor Hadrian produced during his reign, he never inscribed his name to any, but one, the temple of his father Trajan. That is why the Roman Pantheon bears the inscription of Marcus Agrippa, and not the emperor Hadrian.
The pediment,(the triangle section above the inscription) is blank today, but there would have been sculpture that acted out the battle of the Titans. Great bronze doors guard the entrance to the cella and would have been covered in gold, but it has long since disappeared.
The original use of the Pantheon is somewhat unknown, except that is was classified as a temple. However, it is unknown as to how the people worshipped in the building, because the structure of the temple is so different from other traditional Roman temples such as in the Roman Forum.
The Pantheon exists today in such amazing form because the Byzantine emperor Phocas gave it to Pope Boniface the VIII in A.D 608 and it was used as a church ever since. The Pantheon has been in use since the time it was built.
Architecture of the PantheonProbably one of the most fascinating features of the Pantheon is the Architecture. The structure of the Pantheon is comprised of a series of intersecting arches. The arches rest on eight piers which support eight round-headed arches which run through the drum from its inner to its outer face. The arches correspond to the eight bays on the floor level that house statues.
The dome itself is supported by a series of arches that run horizontally round. Romans had perfected the use of arches which helped sustain the weight of their magnanimous buildings.The Romans were aware of the heavy nature of their building materials. So they used lighter materials toward the top of the dome. \ On the lowest level travertine, the heaviest material was used, then a mixture of travertine and tufa, then tufa and brick, then all brick was used around the drum section of the dome, and finally pumice, the lightest and most porous of materials on the ceiling of the dome.
This use of lighter materials on top alleviated the immense weight of the dome. The Roman Pantheon was probably constructed by using an elaborate setup of wooden scaffolding, which in itself would have been costly. The elegant coffers on the dome were likely struck with a device that was exacted from floor level.
The detail of this building is extraordinary. If the dome of the rotundra were flipped upside down it would fit perfectly inside the rotunda. When approaching the Pantheon from the outside it appears rectangular in shape. But it is only the first small room (cella) that has corners. The rotunda is completely round. The small entry room would have been entered by climbing a staircase that is now entirely under modern ground level.
Also, in antiquity there would have been a large colonnaded enclosure in front of the building making it almost impossible for one to glimpse the dome at the back.
The statues of Augustus and Agrippa stood in the apse at the end of the colonnaded side aisles of the entrance.
The interior design of the Roman Pantheon is a striking synthesis of tradition and innovation. The dimensions of the interior height and the diameter of the dome are the same (145 Roman feet., which is 141 feet. 8 inches;43.2m).
The architect, who is unknown, did this on purpose to show the harmony of the building. The marble veneer that we see today on the interior was for the most part added later.
However, the Roman Pantheon in its present state allows us a glimpse into the marvelous and stunning world of Roman architecture. The dome would have been gilded to look like the heavenly sphere of all the gods that the name Pantheon evokes. The oculus was an engineering gem of the Roman world. No oculus had even dared come close in size to the one in the Pantheon. It is still lined with the original Roman bronze and is the main source of light for the whole building. As the earth turns the light flows in to circle the interior making the viewer aware of the magnificence of the cosmos. The oculus was never covered and rain falls into the interior and runs off the slightly convex floor to the still functioning Roman drainpipes underneath. The Pantheon has since antiquity been used to inspire artists during the Renaissance as well as become the tomb for important figures in Italian history.
The Italian kings Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I as well as the famous Renaissance painter Raphael and his fiancée are buried in the Pantheon. It is a wonderful example of second century Roman architecture. It boasts mathematical genius and simple geometry that today still impresses architects and amazes the eyes of casual viewers.
Location:Piazza della Rotonda, Rome
Opening hours: Mon – Sat: 9 am - 6.30 pm and Sun: 9 am –1 pm.
Tel: +39 06 68300230Links:
The Trevi Fountain
The Fontana di Trevi - or Trevi Fountain in English -is a fountain in Rome, Italy. It is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and the most beautiful in the world.A traditional legend holds that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome.The fountain is worldwide famous but many people do not know the history and the secrets hidden behind its construction. It is time to do justice to this extraordinary masterpiece of Italian art.
To see more click here to go to the official site.
"Curiosities"
Many men were injured and few died during the construction of the fountain. In 1734 a stone-cutter was crushed by a large block of travertine. in 1736 a mason fell from the roof and died. In 1740 an apprentice slipped on the Travertine and passed away after many head lesions.The fountain is mostly built of travertine stone. The name of this stone derives from the Latin adjective tiburtinus, which means from Tibur, the actula city of Tivoli, about 22 miles (35 kilometers) East of Rome.The stone is a mineral consisting of a massive usually layered calcium carbonate formed by deposition from spring waters or especially from hot springs.Travertine was often used as a building material. The largest building in the world constructed mostly of travertine is the Colosseum in Rome. Other notable buildings using travertine extensively include the Sacré-Cœur Basilica in Paris and the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California. The travertine used in the Getty Center construction was imported from the same querries in Tivoli that supplied the stone for the Trevi Fountain.The Papal Crest on the attic is also made of travertine. It does not show the different colors of the Corsini Family Coat of Arms. Therefore the stonecutters used crosshatching to symbolize the various paints. For the blue in the horizontal band they used horizontal crosshatching. They used a vertical crosshatching for the three red oblique stripes. The background does not have any crosshatching...meaning silver. The crosshatching method used here follows a very popular convention in helarldy.
The famous rite of throwing a coin in the fountain has two main explanations. First, the Ancient romans used often to throw coins in fountains, rivers or lakes to make the Gods of water favor their journey and help them go back home safely. Second, this tradiition has been invented to raise funds for the maintenance of the fountain.The Trevi fountain project was financed by the revenues from the re-intruduction of the Lotto game in Rome. The numbers of the first extraction on February 14th 1972 were 56, 11, 54, 18, 6.Another legend says that not only who trows a coin, but also who drinks the water of the fountain can be sure to come back to Roma. Today the water of the fountain is recycled but you can still drink from the cast iron pipes located on the steps. Emprees Charlotte of Austria, wife of Emperor Maximillian celebrated the rite using a precious cup donated by Pope Pius IX.The Trevi Fountain appears in the movies Three Coins in The Fountain(1954) and La Dolce Vita (1960) (if you know more movies post the names in the comments section).Once upon a time when a lad had to leave Rome was brought by his fiancee to the fountain and made drink the water with a brand new cup. After the rite they broke the cup to symbolise the indissolubility of theri love.
To see more click here to go to the official site.
"Curiosities"
Many men were injured and few died during the construction of the fountain. In 1734 a stone-cutter was crushed by a large block of travertine. in 1736 a mason fell from the roof and died. In 1740 an apprentice slipped on the Travertine and passed away after many head lesions.The fountain is mostly built of travertine stone. The name of this stone derives from the Latin adjective tiburtinus, which means from Tibur, the actula city of Tivoli, about 22 miles (35 kilometers) East of Rome.The stone is a mineral consisting of a massive usually layered calcium carbonate formed by deposition from spring waters or especially from hot springs.Travertine was often used as a building material. The largest building in the world constructed mostly of travertine is the Colosseum in Rome. Other notable buildings using travertine extensively include the Sacré-Cœur Basilica in Paris and the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California. The travertine used in the Getty Center construction was imported from the same querries in Tivoli that supplied the stone for the Trevi Fountain.The Papal Crest on the attic is also made of travertine. It does not show the different colors of the Corsini Family Coat of Arms. Therefore the stonecutters used crosshatching to symbolize the various paints. For the blue in the horizontal band they used horizontal crosshatching. They used a vertical crosshatching for the three red oblique stripes. The background does not have any crosshatching...meaning silver. The crosshatching method used here follows a very popular convention in helarldy.
The famous rite of throwing a coin in the fountain has two main explanations. First, the Ancient romans used often to throw coins in fountains, rivers or lakes to make the Gods of water favor their journey and help them go back home safely. Second, this tradiition has been invented to raise funds for the maintenance of the fountain.The Trevi fountain project was financed by the revenues from the re-intruduction of the Lotto game in Rome. The numbers of the first extraction on February 14th 1972 were 56, 11, 54, 18, 6.Another legend says that not only who trows a coin, but also who drinks the water of the fountain can be sure to come back to Roma. Today the water of the fountain is recycled but you can still drink from the cast iron pipes located on the steps. Emprees Charlotte of Austria, wife of Emperor Maximillian celebrated the rite using a precious cup donated by Pope Pius IX.The Trevi Fountain appears in the movies Three Coins in The Fountain(1954) and La Dolce Vita (1960) (if you know more movies post the names in the comments section).Once upon a time when a lad had to leave Rome was brought by his fiancee to the fountain and made drink the water with a brand new cup. After the rite they broke the cup to symbolise the indissolubility of theri love.
La Bocca Della Verita
- The Mouth of Truth (La Bocca della Verità) -In the portico of the Paleochristian church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, at the foot of the Aventine hills, a Roman statue is conserved that has attracted the attention and curiosity of tourists from all over the world. It is the "Bocca della Verità", which in English means the Mouth of Truth, an ancient stone mask from the Classical period that represents a river god with an open mouth, wide eyes and a flowing mane of hair.
The reason for its unshakeable fame is a rather macabre legend associated with the mask since ancient times. If a liar puts their hand inside its mouth, they will lose it.
This legend probably originates from Roman times. It is said that the rich wife of a Roman noble was accused of adultery. The woman denied the accusations, but her husband wanted to put her to the test by making her hand inside the stone mouth. Knowing perfectly well that she was lying, the woman used a very clever strategy. In front of a group of curious bystanders who had gathered around the Mouth of Truth, the man who was actually her lover embraced her and kissed her. She pretended that she didn't know him and accused him of being a madman and the crowd chased him away.
When she put her hand into the mouth, the woman declared that she had never kissed any other man apart from her husband and the poor madman who had just kissed her. In this way she was certain that she hadn't lied and her hand was saved. The betrayed husband saved her honour, but the Mouth of Truth lost its credibility and it is said that since that day it no longer carried out its function as a right and unappeasable judge.
The mask is so famous that even Hollywood honoured it in a film about the city called Roman Holiday. In one of the most memorable scenes, Gregory Peck, in front of a terrified Audrey Hepburn, daringly challenges the mask by putting his hand inside its mouth.
Even today, this ancient mask is the cause of queues of tourists who line up outside the beautiful Paleochristian church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. The thrill of the risk is evidently too strong and you honestly can't resist putting your hand inside this harmless, but unsettling stone face and hope for the best!
Coordinate: 41,8885558N 12,4816474E
Address: Piazza Bocca della Verita 32
The Piazza Bocca della Verità lies across the Tiber River from the Trastevere neighborhood via the Ponte Palatino. This is a particularly ancient area of Rome, just a short walk southwest from Campo dei Fiori, south of the landmarks Foro Romano (Roman Forum), Palatine Hil, and the Colosseo (Coliseum). The walk is quite scenic past the other monuments and a chance to experience history first hand.
Public Transport:
The area can be reached by buses: 15, 23, 57, 90, 92, 95, 716.
Admission fee:
Free
Opening hours:
The church is open 10am-1pm & 3pm-5pm, and the portico – containing the Mouth of Truth – is open 9am-1pm & 2.30pm-6pm
The reason for its unshakeable fame is a rather macabre legend associated with the mask since ancient times. If a liar puts their hand inside its mouth, they will lose it.
This legend probably originates from Roman times. It is said that the rich wife of a Roman noble was accused of adultery. The woman denied the accusations, but her husband wanted to put her to the test by making her hand inside the stone mouth. Knowing perfectly well that she was lying, the woman used a very clever strategy. In front of a group of curious bystanders who had gathered around the Mouth of Truth, the man who was actually her lover embraced her and kissed her. She pretended that she didn't know him and accused him of being a madman and the crowd chased him away.
When she put her hand into the mouth, the woman declared that she had never kissed any other man apart from her husband and the poor madman who had just kissed her. In this way she was certain that she hadn't lied and her hand was saved. The betrayed husband saved her honour, but the Mouth of Truth lost its credibility and it is said that since that day it no longer carried out its function as a right and unappeasable judge.
The mask is so famous that even Hollywood honoured it in a film about the city called Roman Holiday. In one of the most memorable scenes, Gregory Peck, in front of a terrified Audrey Hepburn, daringly challenges the mask by putting his hand inside its mouth.
Even today, this ancient mask is the cause of queues of tourists who line up outside the beautiful Paleochristian church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. The thrill of the risk is evidently too strong and you honestly can't resist putting your hand inside this harmless, but unsettling stone face and hope for the best!
Coordinate: 41,8885558N 12,4816474E
Address: Piazza Bocca della Verita 32
The Piazza Bocca della Verità lies across the Tiber River from the Trastevere neighborhood via the Ponte Palatino. This is a particularly ancient area of Rome, just a short walk southwest from Campo dei Fiori, south of the landmarks Foro Romano (Roman Forum), Palatine Hil, and the Colosseo (Coliseum). The walk is quite scenic past the other monuments and a chance to experience history first hand.
Public Transport:
The area can be reached by buses: 15, 23, 57, 90, 92, 95, 716.
Admission fee:
Free
Opening hours:
The church is open 10am-1pm & 3pm-5pm, and the portico – containing the Mouth of Truth – is open 9am-1pm & 2.30pm-6pm