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Eternal City Arches, columns, and fountains - and a few thoughts.

Lucky me spent a few days in Rome recently. My mission was to visit art galleries and to prepare for my own upcoming exhibition in Rome. In-between, there was time to revisit some of the famous sites. I am sure many of you have been to Rome and are familiar with its landmarks and history. Would you like a little refresher?

My tour through Rome is in chronological order of the sites - to put a little perspective on what otherwise could be overwhelming. I also opted to keep all the images in black and white since most of them were taken at night and didn't have much color to speak of. Why photograph at night? Rome was so overrun with visitors, it was impossible to photograph during the day.

Andiamo!

Forum Magnum

I am sure there are plenty of older sites in Rome, but for my purposes, let's start with the Forum Magnum. Historians estimate that major public events took place here around 500 BC, around the time the Roman Republic started. The forum became more functional over time as more and more public affairs were held in the area. Eventually, it became overcrowded and Julius Cesar is credited with its first major expansion in 51 BC. Ceasar's assassination in 44 BC marked the end of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire began.

The Forum Magnum, or what is left of it, is to the side of the later built Colosseum. In its heydays, it was a rectangular plaza surrounded by important government buildings. It became the center of all social activities, the navel of Rome. The sheer size of the remnants is impressive even today.

Pantheon

Of all the buildings in Rome, the Pantheon was the one I wanted to photograph. For one, it is considered Rome’s best preserved antique building – the only ancient Roman building that has remained intact through centuries. It also has been the symbol of Rome for centuries and has represented its glory like none other.

I had booked my hotel across the street from the Pantheon, and it was an excellent choice. Being nearby allowed me to observe the building under various lighting conditions, and under a variety of visitor pressure – the crowds never seemed to cease. The only opportunity to take exterior images was late in the evening or at sunrise, before the onslaught of the masses. Interior images were reduced to snapshots since tripods were not allowed and the attendants forced everyone to keep moving. It is a shame since the cupola truly is fascinating.

I did manage to come home with a shot of the Pantheon to my liking (see below).

Temple of All Gods

Built by Agrippa between 25 and 27 BC, the Pantheon was dedicated to the twelve gods - in that time it meant to all gods. Hadrian radically remodeled between 118 and 125 AD, and since that, the building practically remained the same. In 608, Pope Boniface IV filled it with remains of Christian martyrs and the temple was officially converted to Christianity.

Cupola with Oculus

The Pantheon has been deservedly receiving a steady stream of admirers from all over the world ever since its construction almost 2,000 years ago. Its dome, Corinthian columns, and portico have heavily influenced Western architecture for many centuries. As with many of the artifacts, it is mind-boggling what they were able to create without our modern tools.

Fontana del Pantheon

The Fontana del Pantheon, the white marble fountain in front of the building, was commissioned by Pope Gregory XIII in 1575. The obelisk was originally erected in Heliopolis (now Cairo) by Ramses II around 1200 BC and later brought to Rome. The obelisk is over 3,000 years old.

Colosseum

We are now coming to the time in history now where christianity was born, sometime between the construction of the Pantheon and the Colosseum.

The Colosseum, I am sure you know, is the other iconic building that you immediately see and recognize when Rome is pictured somewhere. Also known as the Flavian Amphitheater, its construction started around 70 to 72 AD during the reign of the Flavian emperors, and its first rendition was completed a decade later. It could hold 50,000 spectators - the size of a large soccer stadium of today.

Its first opening was celebrated with 100 days of gladiatorial games. Today the Colosseum hosts millions of visitors each year.

Trajan's Market

Another interesting site is Mercati di Trajani (Trajan's Market), often called the world's first shopping center. It was a semi-circular complex with more than 150 shops and a small residential apartment block. The structure was distributed over five floors where horticultural products, spices, oil and wine from all over the empire were traded. The building stems from the time of emperor Trajan, 100-112 AD.

Arch of Constantine

When you stroll through Rome, chances are that you pass underneath some beautiful arches. Take the Arch of Constantine, for example. The largest of the triumphal arches, it is very well preserved and contains four decorative medallions commemorating Constantine’s victory in 313 AD over Maxenxius. The arch was built at the 10-year anniversary of this victory and stands prominently right next to the Colosseum.

Constantine was the first Christian emperor, he accepted christianity in 313, and ten years later, it had become the official religion of the Roman Empire. From then on, power was shared with the Catholic Church. By 476 AD, the Roman Empire had lost its control over its large territories. The eastern half became the Byzantine Empire, the western half fell under the rule of Odacer, a Germanic general. But the church continued strong.

Seat of Power

Besides excavated ruins, the other big visitor draw for Rome is the Vatican. It continues be the center of power for the Catholic Church. From tourist to devotee, approximately 5 millions people visit the Vatican each year.

A government within a government, it is the last absolute monarchy in the world. The Vatican prints its own passports, mints its euros, owns their own media, and maintains their own mail service - all this with a population of no more than 1,000 people.

There is no clear date as to when the Vatican was built. It developed over time. I am using the start of the first St. Peter's Basilica as a reference - mid 4th century AD. The current St. Peter's Basilica was commenced under Pope Julius and only finished 120 years later, in 1675. It was the last fountain that took so long. In charge of the fountain was Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the prolific sculptor of this age.

Trevi Fountain Detail

In Rome you are surrounded by many masterpieces. Everywhere you look, there is a sculpture, a fountain, a head of someone. Fountains are especially popular. Commissioning fountains was a must for papal families trying to show their generosity. Besides beauty and entertainment, they also enabled easy access to drinking water.

Probably the best known fountain in Rome is the Fontana dei Trevi (Trevi Fountain). It stands 85' (26m) tall and 160' (49m) wide - you just can't miss it. The original Trevi Fountain was built in 19 BC, and in 1629 AD a major overhaul was decided based on a design by the famous Gian Lorenzo Bernini. However, the fountain wasn't completed until a century later, then with a slightly modified design. "Taming the Waters" is its theme, and the Trevi Fountain has been popularized in many movies, artworks, and books. The good luck ritual of tossing coins backwards into the water is still popular.

Trevi Fountain Detail
Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi

Two spectacular fountains are found at the Piazza Navona.

The larger of the two fountains is Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers), a 1651 commission work by Bernini for Pope Innocent X.

Fontana del Moro

The smaller fountain, on the southern end of Piazza Navona, is the Fontana del Moro (Fountain of the Moor), and it was originally designed in 1575. In 1653, the statue of the moor was added - designed by Bernini.

The two fountains lifted the once squalid area into a popular neighborhood. This already showed back then what access to clean water can do for poor areas.

Fontana del Tirreno

One more fountain. This one, while seemingly blending in with the many other older artworks, is a lot younger and was build in 1911. It forms part of the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument, celebrating the first king of the unified Italy.

The last image ties it all together chronologically - remnants of the forum in the foreground and the Victor Emanuel Monument in the background - almost 2,000 years of history in one view.

This ends our historical tour of Rome. Hopefully, these snippets of the past inspire you to dig a little deeper for yourself, or maybe even visit Rome. Looking at the statues and buildings, you always try to imagine the life that inspired them, the ups and downs of societies. And what can we learn?

Vatican and Ponte St. Angelo

One more image to mention: the colorful starting image. It shows the Ponte Sant'Angelo over the Tiber River, the Vatican is in the background. Guess who designed the angel sculptures on this bridge? Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

Thank you for reading. If you want to see more of my work, check out my website or follow me on Instagram. Previous issues of my blog can be found here.

Created By
Hilda Champion
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All images by Hilda Champion