Rome, Italy (Colosseum and Roman Forum)

 27 April 2024 - Rome, Italy (Colosseum and Roman Forum)

We arrived in Rome on 24 April amidst a downpour that included a brief spate of hail. The hotel is centrally located in the ancient part of Rome and we spent a couple days (in cool temps and occasional rain) just wandering around the hotel area to orient ourselves.  Our first scheduled tour is of the Colosseum and Roman Forum, less than a half mile away. Huge, huge crowds - the time between Liberation Day (24 April) and Labor Day (1 May) is holiday time for Romans.  School is out and it seems like it is a Spring break for everyone. Lots of patience is needed.  People have been courteous and accommodating of my scooter. Great people watching area!

Our first pizza in Italy! Delicious!

Russ miscalculated the tip amount, which made him some friends at the local cafe.  I got a free lemoncello out of it!

The view from the cafe (this is right in front of our hotel). The green silos on the right are along the area where a subway is being constructed.  Locals are very unhappy because it is taking so long, every time they dig, they find more ancient ruins which need to be investigated by archeologists. And they have had to brace the ancient buildings so they don’t fall apart while the subway is being constructed.

A sample of the crowds we encountered.

The road to the Colosseum had several statues honoring Caesars.  This one is Caesar Augustus.  Dates from 1st century AD.

Another Caesar, this is Nerva, who served for two years after the passing of Nero.

The Colosseum. We walked around the outside.  In a couple of days, we will get a tour of it.

The stones on the top are the “cobblestones” of the Roman era.  The ones on the bottom are the “modern” ones.  My scooter can handle the bottom ones, but I crossed over about 100 feet of the top kind of cobblestones.  Won’t do that again.

When the area was in its prime, it was covered with temples, arches and buildings that were covered with decorations like this.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, waves of invasions destroyed the temples and statues.  The area became a quarry where people were allowed to take what they wanted - marble, statues, columns…. The Vatican pilfered also and took marble and columns for St Peters.

The holes in the wall mark where the marble coverings and decorations were removed.

We walked over to the Capitoline museums to see how difficult it will be to climb the hill to them.  Most people take the steps. I found a workaround.

The Capitoline Museums is a group of buildings around a piazza in a plan conceived by Michelangelo in 1536.  It took over 400 years to complete.

The Vittorio Emmanuel Monument is a tribute to the man who “unified” Italy and became its first king. The monument houses a museum on the unification and  the tomb of the unknown soldier. Building started in 1885 and finished in 1935.

Local Romans do not like the monument because it is so large and very close to the Roman ruins.  Aesthetically it clashes with the area.  They call it various derogatory names, including “typewriter” and “wedding cake.”

Ancient medieval and Renaissance buildings were destroyed to make way for the building.

50 tons of bronze (from melting army guns) created this statue of the king.  His moustache is 1 meter long!

We went up to the terrace (5th floor) and then took an outside elevator to the top for great views of Rome.

The Colosseum and the Roman Forum are just behind the monument.

We caught a zoomed in view of St. Peter’s Basilica.

A large statue of Vittorio Emmanuel leading troops in battle.

We finished our day of wandering with some delicious treats.

Up on the 3rd level of the Colosseum.

Samples of the top of columns in the Colesseum.

Archeologists are restoring some parts of the Colosseum so visitors can get an idea of its original splendor. Marble and tile used to cover the floor areas.

Wooden floors with sand used to cover the underground labyrinth.  

This is the entrance point for the Caesar and Senators.

Women and others were limited to standing in the third tier.

This area is being redone to reflect a little of how it originally look.  Initially, animals were used for the bloodsports, but when they were found to be able to leap up into the seating area where the rich and famous lived, extra barriers were put in place.

The underground area was where the gladiators, slaves, Christians, animals and others who were part of the bloodletting stayed until it was time for their event. Then they were lifted on platforms into the arena.

An example of the floor tiles.

The Roman Forum was built in an area that had been drained of wetlands. When the Roman ‘Empire collapsed, invading armies destroyed the aqueducts, denying water for the population and driving them out of Rome.  This area was repeatedly flooded, raided of its statues and marble and eventually turned into a field where Romans came to picnic.  

Our guide said that there are at least 7 or 8 levels of civilization to explore in the Roman Forum area.  They are down to level 3.

Just a portion of a temple that has been restored.  The missing columns can be found in various churches in Rome.

Example of the columns that were used for the temples.

One more level down and pieces have been found of the original basilica (senate chambers).

The wall coverings and decorations were very ornate.

The Arch of Constantine, dedicated in 315 AD. Many of the sculptures were taken from other monuments dedicated to Trajan, Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius.  The sculpture heads were placed with Constantine’s likeness.

One of the other remaining arches, dedicated to Septimius Severus in 203 AD.

On our way to the Spanish Steps.

Here at the bottom of the steps, along with ALOT of people.

Russ climbed up the steps to get a photo of the piazza and water fountain in front of the steps.

Russ played “Where’s Waldo” on the steps.  Can you find him?

Currently a museum dedicated to British Romantic poets, John Keats died here in 1821 at 25 years old. He died of tuberculosis.

Many columns are scattered in the central part of Rome. This one is close to the Spanish Steps and depicts the Virgin Mary.  It was built in the 1800s. The column itself was sculpted in Ancient Rome and discovered in 1777.

Trevi Fountain. It is the largest Baroque fountain in the city.  Coins tossed into the fountain are supposed to ensure you will return to Rome. Ever see “Three Coins in a Fountain”? This is the fountain. Coins are recovered and donated to charities. On the day we returned for a day time view, the fountains were turned off for collection of the coins and cleaning of the fountain.

The waters supplying the fountain come from one of the aqueducts that supplied water to Ancient Rome.