Rome

The Ara Pacis Augustae (Latin, "Altar of Majestic Peace"; commonly shortened to Ara Pacis) is an altar to Peace, envisioned as a Roman goddess. It was commissioned by (or for) the Roman emperor Augustus, consecrated on 4 July 13 BC by the Senate to celebrate the peace established in the Empire after Augustus's victories in Gaul and Hispania. It was dedicated on 30 January 9 BC. The altar was meant to be a vision of the Roman civil religion. It sought to portray the peace and prosperity enjoyed as a result of the Pax Romana (Latin, "Roman peace") brought about by the military supremacy of the Roman empire. The Ara Pacis was elaborately and finely sculpted entirely in gleaming white marble, depicting scenes of traditional Roman piety, in which the Emperor and his family were portrayed in the act of offering sacrifices to the gods. Various figures bring forth cattle to be sacrificed. Some have their togas drawn over their heads, like a hood; this signifies that they are acting in their official capacity as priests. Others wear laurel crowns, traditional symbols of victory. Men, women, and children all approach the gods. The Altar is considered a masterpiece of Roman sculpture; the figures in the procession are not idealised types, as are typically found in Greek sculpture, but rather recognizable portraits of individuals. As it stands today, the Ara is a combination of original fragments found on the original site and kept in Rome, and of plaster casts of original fragments now in foreign museums, including the Louvre in Paris. Text from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ara_Pacis

The Ara Pacis Augustae (Latin, "Altar of Majestic Peace"; commonly shortened to Ara Pacis) is an altar to Peace, envisioned as a Roman goddess. It was commissioned by (or for) the Roman emperor Augustus, consecrated on 4 July 13 BC by the Senate to celebrate the peace established in the Empire after Augustus's victories in Gaul and Hispania. It was dedicated on 30 January 9 BC. The altar was meant to be a vision of the Roman civil religion. It sought to portray the peace and prosperity enjoyed as a result of the Pax Romana (Latin, "Roman peace") brought about by the military supremacy of the Roman empire. The Ara Pacis was elaborately and finely sculpted entirely in gleaming white marble, depicting scenes of traditional Roman piety, in which the Emperor and his family were portrayed in the act of offering sacrifices to the gods. Various figures bring forth cattle to be sacrificed. Some have their togas drawn over their heads, like a hood; this signifies that they are acting in their official capacity as priests. Others wear laurel crowns, traditional symbols of victory. Men, women, and children all approach the gods. The Altar is considered a masterpiece of Roman sculpture; the figures in the procession are not idealised types, as are typically found in Greek sculpture, but rather recognizable portraits of individuals. As it stands today, the Ara is a combination of original fragments found on the original site and kept in Rome, and of plaster casts of original fragments now in foreign museums, including the Louvre in Paris. Text from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ara_Pacis

To the north of the Piazza [del Popolo in Rome] stand the Porta del Popolo and the ancient church of Santa Maria del Popolo. The Porta del Popolo was reconstructed to the current appearance by Pope Alexander VII in 1655, to welcome Queen Christina of Sweden to Rome after her conversion to Roman Catholicism and abdication. It was designed by Bernini: whereas such festive structures elsewhere were built of weather-resistant plaster, in Rome the structure was more permanently executed in stone. Text from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_del_Popolo

The layout of the piazza today was designed in neoclassical style between 1811 and 1822 by the architect Giuseppe Valadier, who demolished some buildings to form two semicircles, reminiscent of Bernini's plan for St. Peter's Square, replacing the original cramped trapezoidal square centred on the Via Flaminia. An Egyptian obelisk of Ramesses II from Heliopolis stands in the centre of the Piazza.An Egyptian obelisk of Rameses II from Heliopolis stands in the centre of the Piazza. The obelisk, known as the obelisco Flaminio, is the second oldest and one of the tallest in Rome (some 24 m high, or 36 m including its plinth). The obelisk was brought to Rome in 10 BC by order of Augustus and originally set up in the Circus Maximus. It was re-erected here in the Piazza by the architect-engineer Domenico Fontana in 1589 as part of the urban plan of Sixtus V. The Piazza also formerly contained a central fountain, which was moved to the Piazza Nicosia in 1818, when fountains in the form of Egyptian-style lions were added around the base of the obelisk. Text from Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porta_del_Popolo

The Piazza del Popolo is one of the most famous places, especially for foreigners, in Rome. The name in Italian means "piazza of the people", but historically it derives from the poplars (pioppo) after which the church of Santa Maria del Popolo, to the north of the square, takes its name. The Piazza lies inside the northern gate of the Aurelian Walls, once the Porta Flaminia of Ancient Rome. This was the starting point of the Via Flaminia, the road to Ariminum (modern Rimini) and the most important route to the north. The layout of the piazza today was designed in neoclassical style between 1811 and 1822 by the architect Giuseppe Valadier, who demolished some buildings to form two semicircles, reminiscent of Bernini's plan for St. Peter's Square, replacing the original cramped trapezoidal square centred on the Via Flaminia. An Egyptian obelisk of Ramesses II from Heliopolis stands in the centre of the Piazza.An Egyptian obelisk of Rameses II from Heliopolis stands in the centre of the Piazza. The obelisk, known as the obelisco Flaminio, is the second oldest and one of the tallest in Rome (some 24 m high, or 36 m including its plinth). The obelisk was brought to Rome in 10 BC by order of Augustus and originally set up in the Circus Maximus. It was re-erected here in the Piazza by the architect-engineer Domenico Fontana in 1589 as part of the urban plan of Sixtus V. The Piazza also formerly contained a central fountain, which was moved to the Piazza Nicosia in 1818, when fountains in the form of Egyptian-style lions were added around the base of the obelisk. Looking from the north, three streets branch out from the Piazza, forming the so-called "trident" (il Tridente): the Via del Corso in the centre, the Via del Babuino on the left (opened in 1525 as the Via Paolina) and the Via di Ripetta (opened by Leo X in 1518 as the Via Leonina) on the right. Twin churches (the chiese gemelle) of Santa Maria dei Miracoli (1681) and Santa Maria in Montesanto (1679), begun by Carlo Rainaldi and completed by Bernini and Carlo Fontana, define the junctions of the roads. Close scrutiny of the twin churches reveals that they are not mere copies of one another, as they would have been in a Neoclassical project, but varying their details, offering variety within their symmetrical balance in Baroque fashion. To the south, the central Via del Corso follows the course of the ancient Roman Via Flaminia, coming from the Capitol and the forum. The Via Flaminia became known as the Via Lata in the Middle Ages, before becoming today's Via del Corso and leads to the Piazza Venezia. The Via di Ripetta leads past the Mausoleum of Augustus to the Tiber, where the Porto di Ripetta was located until the late 19th century. The Via del Babuino ("Baboon"), linking to Piazza di Spagna, takes its name from a grotesque sculpture of Silenus, that gained the popular name of "the Baboon". To the north of the Piazza stand the Porta del Popolo and the ancient church of Santa Maria del Popolo. The Porta del Popolo was reconstructed to the current appearance by Pope Alexander VII in 1655, to welcome Queen Christina of Sweden to Rome after her conversion to Roman Catholicism and abdication. It was designed by Bernini: whereas such festive structures elsewhere were built of weather-resistant plaster, in Rome the structure was more permanently executed in stone. Opposite Santa Maria del Popolo stands a Carabinieri station, with a dome reflecting that of the church. Fountains stands on the each side of the Piazza to the east and west. Steps from the Piazza to the east lead up beside a waterfall to the Pincio park, near the Villa Borghese. For centuries, the Piazza del Popolo was a place for public executions, the last of which took place in 1826. Until quite recently, the Piazza del Popolo was choked with traffic in a sea of car parking; today, these have been swept away. Text from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_del_Popolo

Hardly the best photo, but the lighting was poor... The Crucifixion of St. Peter (Crocefissione di san Pietro) (1600) is a masterpiece by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, painted for the Cerasi Chapel of Santa Maria del Popolo in Rome. Across the chapel is a second Caravaggio painting depicting the stunning The Conversion of Saint Paul on the Road to Damascus (1601) . On the altar, between the two, is a luminous and crowded Assumption of the Virgin Mary by Annibale Carracci. The painting depicts the martyrdom of St. Peter, which legend has it, was by crucifixion, although Peter asked that his cross be inverted so as not to not try to imitate his mentor, Christ. The large canvas shows straining Romans with mostly shielded faces struggle to erect the cross of the elderly but muscular St. Peter. Peter is heavier than his aged body would suggest and requires the struggles of three men, as if the crime they perpetrate already weighs on them. This crucifixion is bloodless but not painless. It is a zig-zag of diagonals, tipping towards the inevitable martyrdom. The two Caravaggios, as well as the alterpiece by Carraci, were commissioned by Monsignor Tiberio Cerasi in September 1600. Caravaggio's original versions of both paintings were rejected, and the works in the chapel now were painted as second versions in 1601. The first Conversion of Paul has been identified with the The Conversion of Saint Paul (1600) in the Odescalchi Balbi Collection, Rome, but the first version of the Crucifixion of Peter has disappeared. Some scholars have identified the lost Crucifixion with a painting now in the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, but this is not generally accepted. The first versions passed into the private collection of Cardinal Sannessio, and several modern scholars (including John Gash, Helen Lagdon and Peter Robb - see References section below) have speculated that Sennassio may simply have taken advantage of Cerasi's sudden death to simply seize some pictures by Rome's most famous new painter. In all events, the second versions, which seem to have been more unconventional than the first, were accepted without comment by the executors of Cerasi's estate. The two saints, Peter and Paul, together represent the foundations of the Catholic church, Peter the 'rock' upon which Christ declared his Church to be built (Gospel of Matthew 16:18), Paul who founded the seat of the church in Rome. Caravaggio's paintings were thus intended to symbolise Rome's (and Cerasi's) devotion to the Princes of the Apostles in this church which dominated the great piazza welcoming pilgrims as they entered the city from the north, representing the great Counter-Reformation themes of conversion and martyrdom and serving as potent propaganda against the twin threats of backsliding and Protestantism. Caravaggio, or his patron, must have had in mind the Michelangelo frescoes in the Vatican's Capella Paolina when choosing the subjects for these paintings. However, the Caravaggio scene is far more stark than the confusing melee miracle of the mannerist Michelangelo fresco (1546-1550) [1] in the Vatican. Text from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crucifixion_of_St._Peter_(Caravaggio)

Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto are two churches in Rome. They are located on the Piazza del Popolo, facing the northern gate of the Aurelian Walls, at the entrance of Via del Corso on the square. The churches are often cited as "twin", due to their similar external appearance: they have indeed some differences, in both plan and exterior details. Looking from the square, the two churches define the so-called "trident" of streets departing from Piazza del Popolo: starting from the left, Via del Babuino, Via del Corso and Via di Ripetta. The first two are separated by Santa Maria in Montesanto, the latter by Santa Maria dei Miracoli. The origin of the two churches traces back to the 17th century restoration of what was the main entrance to the Middle Ages and Renaissance Rome, from the Via Flaminia (known as Via Lata and Via del Corso in its urban trait). Pope Alexander VII commissioned the monumental design of the entrance of Via del Corso to architect Carlo Rainaldi. This included two churches with central plant, but the different shapes of the two areas available forced deep modifications to the projects. Both were financed by cardinal Girolamo Gastaldi, whose crest is present in the two churches. Santa Maria in Montesanto Santa Maria in Montesanto, erected over a church with the same name that lied at the beginning of Via del Babuino, was began in 1662 and finished in 1675 with a revised project by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. A belfry was added in the 18th century. The interior has an elliptical plant, with a dodecagonal cupola. The third chapel on the left houses an altarpiece by Carlo Maratta, The Virgin with Child and Saints (1687). The main altar is characterized by the miraculous image of the Virgin of Montesanto, painted in the 16th century. The statues of saints on the exterior have been attributed to Bernini's design. Text from Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Maria_in_Montesanto

The Servian Wall (in Latin: Murus Servii Tullii) was a defensive barrier constructed around the city of Rome in the early 4th century BC. The wall was 3.6 m thick, 11 km long, and had more than a dozen gates. The Servian Wall is named after the sixth Roman King, Servius Tullius. Although its outline may go back to the 6th century BC, the currently extant walls were probably built during the later Roman Republic, as a defensive reaction against the Sack of Rome by the Gauls of Brennus. Due to the ease with which the Gauls entered the city, it is conjectured that at some time previous to this, Rome had been forced by its Etruscan rulers to dismantle any significant prior defences. The wall was built from large blocks of tufa quarried from the Grotta Oscura. In addition to the blocks, some sections of the structure incorporated a deep fossa, or ditch in front of it, as a means to effectively heighten the wall during attack from invaders. Along part of its topographically weaker northern perimeter was an agger, a defensive ramp of earth heaped up to the wall along the inside. This thickened the wall, and also gave defenders a base to stand while repelling any attack. The wall was also outfitted with defensive war engines, including catapults. The Servian Wall was formidable enough to repel Hannibal during the Second Punic War. Hannibal famously invaded Italy across the Alps with elephants, and had crushed several Roman armies in the early stages of the war. However, the walls were never put to the test as Hannibal only once, in 211 BC, brought his Carthaginian army to Rome as part of a feint to draw the Roman army from Capua. When it was clear that this had failed he turned away. The wall was still maintained in the end of the Republic and the early Empire. By this time, Rome had already begun to grow outside the original Servian walls. The organization of Rome into regions under Augustus placed regions II, III, IV, VI, VIII, X, XI within the Servian Wall, with the other sections outside of it. The walls became unnecessary as Rome became well protected by the ever expanding military strength of the Republic and of the later Empire. As the city continued to grow and prosper, it was essentially unwalled for the first three centuries of the Empire. However, when the city came under attack from barbarian tribes in the 3rd century, Emperor Aurelian was forced to build the larger Aurelian Walls to protect Rome. Sections of the Servian Wall are still visible in various locations around Rome. The largest section is preserved just outside Termini Station, the main railway station in Rome (including a small piece in a McDonald's dining area at the station). Another notable section on the Aventine incorporates an arch for a defensive catapult from the late Republic. Text from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servian_Wall

The Servian Wall (in Latin: Murus Servii Tullii) was a defensive barrier constructed around the city of Rome in the early 4th century BC. The wall was 3.6 m thick, 11 km long, and had more than a dozen gates. The Servian Wall is named after the sixth Roman King, Servius Tullius. Although its outline may go back to the 6th century BC, the currently extant walls were probably built during the later Roman Republic, as a defensive reaction against the Sack of Rome by the Gauls of Brennus. Due to the ease with which the Gauls entered the city, it is conjectured that at some time previous to this, Rome had been forced by its Etruscan rulers to dismantle any significant prior defences. The wall was built from large blocks of tufa quarried from the Grotta Oscura. In addition to the blocks, some sections of the structure incorporated a deep fossa, or ditch in front of it, as a means to effectively heighten the wall during attack from invaders. Along part of its topographically weaker northern perimeter was an agger, a defensive ramp of earth heaped up to the wall along the inside. This thickened the wall, and also gave defenders a base to stand while repelling any attack. The wall was also outfitted with defensive war engines, including catapults. The Servian Wall was formidable enough to repel Hannibal during the Second Punic War. Hannibal famously invaded Italy across the Alps with elephants, and had crushed several Roman armies in the early stages of the war. However, the walls were never put to the test as Hannibal only once, in 211 BC, brought his Carthaginian army to Rome as part of a feint to draw the Roman army from Capua. When it was clear that this had failed he turned away. The wall was still maintained in the end of the Republic and the early Empire. By this time, Rome had already begun to grow outside the original Servian walls. The organization of Rome into regions under Augustus placed regions II, III, IV, VI, VIII, X, XI within the Servian Wall, with the other sections outside of it. The walls became unnecessary as Rome became well protected by the ever expanding military strength of the Republic and of the later Empire. As the city continued to grow and prosper, it was essentially unwalled for the first three centuries of the Empire. However, when the city came under attack from barbarian tribes in the 3rd century, Emperor Aurelian was forced to build the larger Aurelian Walls to protect Rome. Sections of the Servian Wall are still visible in various locations around Rome. The largest section is preserved just outside Termini Station, the main railway station in Rome (including a small piece in a McDonald's dining area at the station). Another notable section on the Aventine incorporates an arch for a defensive catapult from the late Republic. Text from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servian_Wall

La Bocca della Verità (English, The Mouth of Truth) is a famous sculpted image of a human face in Rome, Italy. The sculpture is thought to be part of an ancient Roman fountain or perhaps a "manhole" cover, portraying a river god. The most famous characteristic of the Mouth, however, is its capability of act as lie detector. Starting from the Middle Ages, it was believed that if one told a lie with his hand in the mouth of the sculpture then it would be bitten off. Bocca was placed in the portico of the Santa Maria in Cosmedin church in the 17th century. The Mouth of Truth is most popularly known for its appearance in the 1953 Audrey Hepburn-Gregory Peck film Roman Holiday. In the film, Hepburn (playing a princess) and Peck (playing a reporter) visit The Mouth of Truth and Peck relates the legend. He challenges Hepburn to place her hand inside the mouth, which she does with no ill effects. She then asks Peck to do the same and when he does he yells and pulls his arm out to reveal his hand is missing! Hepburn's shriek on seeing this is not acting as Peck had pulled a practical joke on her on camera by pulling his arm inside his sleeve. Peck ends the joke by popping his hand out into a handshake position and going "Hello!" Hepburn, relieved, breaks into laughter. The joke was incorporated into the film. The film also uses The Mouth of Truth as a storytelling device since both Hepburn's and Peck's characters are not initially truthful with each other. The Mouth of Truth is also featured in the popular Gamecube game Animal Crossing. In the game, the player is capable of obtaining The Mouth of Truth as a gift through Gulliver the Seagull. Electronic coin-operated reproductions of the Mouth are found in fairgrounds of Spain. Text from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bocca_della_Verità

The Octagonal Room of the Emperor Nero's "Golden House," thought to have been a dining room, lit by an oculus in the ceiling. A possible reconstruction can be found here: www.the-colosseum.net/images/domus_ ottagono.jpg

The Octagonal Room of the Emperor Nero's "Golden House," thought to have been a dining room, lit by an oculus in the ceiling. A possible reconstruction can be found here: www.the-colosseum.net/images/domus_ ottagono.jpg

The Octagonal Room of the Emperor Nero's "Golden House," thought to have been a dining room, lit by an oculus in the ceiling. This shot shows the sloping of the celing toward the oculus in the center of the dome. A possible reconstruction can be found here: www.the-colosseum.net/images/domus_ ottagono.jpg

The Octagonal Room of the Emperor Nero's "Golden House," thought to have been a dining room, lit by an oculus in the ceiling. A possible reconstruction can be found here: www.the-colosseum.net/images/domus_ ottagono.jpg

The Octagonal Room of the Emperor Nero's "Golden House," thought to have been a dining room, lit by an oculus in the ceiling. A possible reconstruction can be found here: www.the-colosseum.net/images/domus_ ottagono.jpg