Month: December 2017

Friday, December 8

Friday was the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.  It is a National holiday and most businesses were closed.  The Pope was scheduled to be in Piazza Spagna (near the Spanish Steps) at 4:00 pm to lay a wreath at the Colonna dell’Immacolata (Column of the Immaculate Conception).  So, off to Spagna we went.

It’s been our experience that nothing happens on time in this country so we arrived around 3:30 pm.  Security had the Piazza roped off but we were able to find a place with a reasonably good view of the column.  We anticipated a ceremony, some speeches, music and a procession.  The crowd was very excited and eagerly waited the Pope’s arrival.

Of course 4:00 pm came and went and nothing happened.  Around 4:20, without any ceremony, fanfare or notice the Pope walked down the street in front of us on his way out of the square.  The  entire thing must have taken mere seconds.  We missed the entire ‘ceremony’ and only Deborah managed to see the side of the Pope’s head.  We didn’t even manage to get a picture.  We’ve got a few more opportunities to see him while we’re here; he has public audiences on Wednesdays and we’re still hoping for tickets to St Peter’s for Christmas.

It took about 30 minutes to get out of the square.  It was like squeezing toothpaste from a tube.  By then the sun had set and we decided to walk about town and enjoy the Christmas lights.

(St Peter’s Square with life-sized Nativity Scene and Christmas Tree)

Distance Walked: 7.9 miles

So far we’ve visited 50 churches and one synagogue.  We’ve only scratched the surface.

Thursday, December 7

We only did six churches on this day.  But to be fair we also spent some time in Piazza Navona and also enjoyed some of the Christmas decorations around the city.

Our goal for that day was ‎⁨The Basilica of Sant’Agostino⁩, ⁨which contains a Caravaggio painting we wanted to see.

First up was Parrocchia Santissima Trinita Dei Pellegrini.  This is one of the first churches we came upon when crossing the Tiber River using the Ponte Sisto.  It is near the Piazza Farnese, which houses the Palazzo Farnese featured prominently in the Opera, “Tosca”.  We have tickets to see Palazzo Farnese in a few weeks.

The current version of the church dates from 1587.  The design is fairly standard for the time.  The layout is in a latin cross with chapels along the sides.  Most of the works are from the Renaissance period.

Along the way, in the middle of an outdoor market, we can across a plaque embedded in the street.  There was an inscription in both Italian and Hebrew stating (our best translation)…

The sheets burn but the letters fly. I remember the talmud burning in this square. Invoke peace for those who cry on your fire.

On September 9, 1553 a Talmud (A Jewish book of commentary on the Old Testament) was burned at this location.  The plaque was installed in 2011.

(Plaque embedded in the street)

Next we stopped at the Basilica Parrocchiale Di San Lorenzo In Damaso.  The original version of this church was build in the 380s but was ordered demolished and rebuilt by Cardinal Raffaele Riario, a nephew of Pope Sixtus IV.  The new church was built with material scavenged from many other ancient sites in Rome including the Colosseum.  It is a typical Renaissance style church, richly decorated with frescos and paintings.

(The Apse of the church)

We happened on Chiesa di San Tommaso in Parione next.  We found it to be a small church in need to restoration and maintenance.  It was a little sad to see a once proud church in a state of disrepair.

Chiesa Santa Maria della Pace is another beautifully decorated church from the Renaissance era.  It was one of our favorites.  When you enter the church, through the original 15th century doors, you see a small nave with chapels on either side.  Further down the space widens into a large dome that is decorated with paintings and frescos.  The alter is at the far end of the dome.  The frescos in the Chigi chapel were painted by Raphel.

(Marble sculpture from one of the chapels)

We found Santa Maria Dell’Anima near Piazza Navona.  It was beautifully decorated in typical Renaissance style.  The church was founded in the 14th century by Dutch merchants.  It became the national church of the Holy Roman Empire.  Today it is the National Church in Rome of Germany.

(Typical ‘over the top’ Renaissance decorations.  The dark object on the right is the Advent Wreath.)

Finally we got to our destination: Basilica of Sant’Agostino⁩.  We walked straight over to the chapel containing the Caravaggio and looked at each other in disbelief.  It was very disappointing; not up to his usual standards.  After a few minutes we saw a nearby sign indicating that the original was on loan to the exhibition in Milan.  Not again!  I think we’re going to make a pilgrimage to Milan in the next few weeks.

The church contains other beautiful works including a fresco by Raphel. Pictured here is the ceiling from the dome of one of the chapels.

(Mosaic decorated dome from one of the chapels)

On the way home we tried to visit Chiesa di San Salvatore in Lauro but didn’t go in as they were celebrating the evening Mass.

Distance walked: 5.5 miles

Wednesday, December 6

A few weeks ago we went to ‎⁨the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls⁩.  During that visit we learned that the Necropolis of Saint Paul was nearby.  We enquired at the church about seeing it but we were told that it was permanently closed and that visitation was not possible.  Frankly we were shocked to think that St Paul was not buried in the church.  Normally churches are built directly on top of their named saint.

Undaunted we did some googling and found a private company that did tours of the site.  We had to book pretty far in advance but today we were going to see the tomb of St Paul.  We were very excited.

The guide met us in front of the basilica and we walked over to the nearby park, which was the site of the necropolis.  Roman custom was to build funerary monuments, tombs and mausoleums on busy streets.  They wanted to be remembered.  They wanted people to think of them as they passed by on a day-to-day basis.  Also, it was customary for families to visit the gravesites frequently; often they would have picnics and spend the entire day there.

Our guide, Flavia, explained that the road, the Via Ostiense, was a major road in ancient times.  Since it was close to the Tiber River it was a place busy with shipping and merchants.  The road follows the Tiber River all the way from Ostiense to Ostia, which is where the Tiber River meets the Mediterranean Sea.  It’s still a major thoroughfare today.

She explained that the necropolis had been discovered in the 1920s while constructing a new sewer system.  All along that road, for at least 1/2 a mile,  they found remains of an ancient cemetery.  Even today you can plainly see the remains of other cemetery plots on the hillside across the street.  Apparently a restaurant on that hill contains some of the best preserved funeral monuments.  Flavia recommended eating lunch there if we wanted to see them.  Unfortunately, the restaurant was closed for renovations.

She showed us an area about 30 yards long and 10 yards wide that had been excavated.  We walked around the perimeter and she talked about all the things that we could see.  It became apparent that we weren’t permitted to enter.  Weren’t we going to see the tomb of St Paul?  After all, that’s why we booked this thing to begin with.

After about 45 minutes the tour of the necropolis had ended.  She said that we would now head into the basilica.  We asked her about the tomb of St Paul.  She said something vague about just being able to see his sarcophagus.  I have to admit we were a little dejected.  This was not turning out the way we planned.

Upon entering the basilica Flavia started explaining about the decorations.  Some had survived the fire of 1823 and some hadn’t.  The mosaics above the alter and apse had survived.  They’ve obviously been restored but they are in excellent condition and are rare examples of that art form from around the 10th century.  Eventually we moved over to the main alter.  There was a small staircase leading down to a display.  When we were there last time it was closed because they were doing some electrical repairs.

I was excited to see that it was open now and Flavia headed directly for that staircase.  We descended and she explained that what we were seeing was the sarcophagus of St Paul!  Deborah and I looked at each other with utter disbelief.  After all the googling to see if we could tour the necropolis, after emailing the tour company back and forth many times, after waiting weeks for the right date and after paying all that money, the Tomb of St Paul was on display for anyone to see right in the church where we originally thought it should have been.  We had to laugh.

The tour continued through the church and into the church’s own excavations. After that Flavia left us.  After a quick tour of the cloister it was about 1:30 pm and the only thing on our minds was lunch.

All in all it had been a good day.  The tour of the necropolis was fun and Flavia was an excellent guide.  We had been to the church and the excavations before but she filled in a lot of information that we hadn’t previously known.  She definitely enriched the experience for us.

(A replica of the lid of the sarcophagus.  It reads The Martyred Apostle Paul.)

The original sarcophagus lid is under the main alter and can no longer be seen.  Holes like these are often found in ancient burials.  The small round hole was used for pouring offerings such as herbs, incense and oils into the box; this was a common practice when friends and family visited a grave.  The square hole is normally used for extracting relics; this was also a common practice until recent times.   The bones of many Christian saints can be found in churches scattered around the globe.  In the case of St Paul no bones were extracted.  Items, such as cloth, were lowered through the square hole.  Once they touched the saint they were designated as relics.

Monday, December 4

This was another “many church day”.  Yes, there are still churches we haven’t yet seen.

Our first stop was Chiesa Rettoria Santa Maria in Trivio.  This is a small church near the Trevi Fountain that dates from 537.  This is the first church we saw that displayed a Nativity Scene.  The manger was empty.  Traditionally the baby Jesus is added Christmas Eve.

Our next church was  Chiesa di Santa Maria in Via, which was built around 1491 after an image of the Madonna was seen floating in a well on that spot.  It’s considered a miracle.

Our visit to Chiesa di San Silvestro in Capite was very interesting.  Near the entrance of the church is a chapel containing the head of John the Baptist.  You can see his skull encased in a silver crown.  The church was built in the eighth century and is designated as the National Church of Great Britain.

(The head of John the Baptist)

At this point we were wending our way towards Piazza del Popolo and stopping at every church along the way.  The next stop was Chiesa di San Giacomo in Augusta.  This Baroque era church was founded in the 14th century as a hospital to care for patients with syphilis.  Before we got to the Piazza we also stopped at Chiesa di Gesù e Maria; it was a small church that was tastefully decorated.

Finally we arrived at the Piazza.  We tried to enter Santa Maria in Montesanto but it was closed so we went to Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Miracoli.  There we found a sparsely decorated church that was undergoing restoration.  In one of the chapels we found Saint Candide.  Her entire body was persevered in a glass case for all to see.

Our real aim for the day had been Basilica Parrocchiale Santa Maria del Popolo, and it was our next stop.  We wanted to go there because they have two Caravaggios on display as well as works by Bernini and Raphael.  The paintings are hung on the sides of a chapel that we weren’t permitted to enter.  That made it difficult to see and photograph the paintings.  They are a huge attraction for this church and I can’t imagine why they have not positioned them for better viewing.  After all, works of art are constantly being moved around churches for lesser reasons.  Unlike most churches, however, none of the artwork in this church has ever been moved from its original position.

(The Crucifixion of St Peter by Caravaggio)

(The Conversion of St Paul by Caravaggio)

In the Sale de Bramante, contained in the same church, they were hosting the 36th International Exhibition: 100 Presepi’.  Presepi is the Italian word for ‘manger’ but they actually translate it as ‘crib’.  Artists from all around the world submit Nativity Scenes for display here.  The styles ranged from traditional to modern.  Many were made of wood, some cork, some porcelain and several were paper mâché.  One was even made of twisted Saran Wrap.  We weren’t permitted to take pictures.

On the way home we walked past a church where we heard organ music so we just had to peek inside.  The organist for Chiesa Rettoria San Girolamo Dei Croati a Ripetta was hard at work practicing.  It was a wonderful experience to hear the sound of the organ filling the church.  The church itself was beautifully decorated.  Construction began in the late 16th century and is dedicated to St Jerome.

Distance walked: 9.4 miles.

Sunday, December 3

On the first Sunday of each month most of the state run museums in Rome are open to the public free of charge. Many large cities have similar policies.   We decided to use this opportunity to see Palazzo Venezia and the Forum & Palatine Hill.

We had intended to see Palazzo Venezia for some time.  The problem is that the museum is undergoing restoration and many of the exhibits are closed.  We figured that we would use the free day to see what was there.

The Palazzo, formerly called the Palace of San Marco, was originally built around 336.  In 1469 it became a papal palace and in 1564 Pope Pius IV gave it to the Republic of Venice to be used as a residence for their cardinals.  That’s how it got its present day name.

The Palazzo was used as the home and office of Benito Mussolini.  In old films he can often be seen giving speeches from a balcony.  That balcony is part of the palazzo and it overlooks Piazza Venezia.

Today the palazzo it owned by the State and is the home to an art museum that specializes in pre-renaissance art.  It is true that many exhibits were closed but those that were open were very impressive.  In addition to paintings there is a large collection of bronzes, terra-cottas and porcelains.

(Terracotta bust of Cicero)

After the museum we went over to the Forum.  The last time we were in Rome we went on a tour of the Forum but, of course, we didn’t see the entire thing.  This time we were determined to see everything.

We saw Trajan’s forum including his column, also the forums of Caesar and Augustus, the Arch of Septimius Severus, the Arch of Titus, the house of the Vestal Virgins and the ruins of many temples.  We also saw the Rostra, which is the podium that speakers would stand on to report the news or to debate the issues of the day.

(The base of Trajan’s Column)

We climbed the Palatine Hill in order to go to the museum.  Our previous tour hadn’t included that.  Unfortunately the museum was closed.  According to its website it should have been open.  We were very disappointed.  Maybe the third time’s the charm AGAIN!

By this time we felt we were entitled to a decent lunch.  We’ve been trying new places in order to find healthier alternatives to our typical pasta/pizza diet.  We stumbled across a place right next to the Circus Maximus that had interesting choices at reasonable prices.  After perusing the menu we decided on a piece of fish – that was until the waiter told us about the buffet.  For €8.00 we could get a large plate full of food.  It was too good to resist.

The restaurant, whose name we don’t remember (nor does it appear on Google), is a Mom and Pop affair.  Pop is the waiter and Mom is the cook.  Mom manned the buffet and explained to us in Italian what each dish was.  We had no idea of what she said.  I had pot roast, chicken saltimbocca, a ziti dish with eggs and meat, peas and spinach.  I have never been a big fan of peas but I have had them in several restaurants here in Rome.  They are fantastic!  They must be a different variety.  Deborah had the same thing (minus the peas) plus an eggplant dish.  Everything was first rate.  The bottles of water were also reasonably priced.  We’re planning to go back and find out the name.  We might even eat another meal while we’re there!

 

Saturday, December 2

So, we went back to the Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo for the third time.  To be fair the first time we saw it we were just passing by and had a quick peek inside.  We were tired and just itching to get back to our apartment after a long day.  The second time we explored the church and tried to see the underground excavations; they were closed on that day.  Again, the third time was the charm.

The church is dedicated to John and Paul who were martyred for being Christians (not the well known evangelists but members of a Christian sect).  They were buried in their own houses, which were right next to one another.  The Basilica was built in the fourth century directly on top of their houses.  Recent excavations under the church have discovered the houses and have found many intact frescos.  The houses were very large and contained dozens of rooms.  We were able to see about 20.  More have yet to be excavated.

(Fresco from the excavated houses)

Our next stop was Basilica di Santa Francesca Romana.  This church was built in the second half of the tenth century utilizing part of the structure of the Temple of Venus.

(Byzantine Mosaic in the Apse of the Church)

Also in the Forum is the The Basilica Santi Cosma e Damiano.  It shares space with what used to be the Temple of Romulus.  Some of the original Temple can still be seen from inside the church.

(The mosaics in the Apse date from the 6th and 7th centuries.  On the left is Pope Felix IV who is holding a model of that very church.)

In earlier times it was not uncommon for Popes to include themselves in the decorations of churches.  Normally they were depicted much smaller than the saints as a sign of reverence and humility.  This mosaic shows the Pope on the same scale as the saints, a practice that became quite common in later times.

Our last stop of the day was Chiesa Santi Luca e Martina al Foro Romano.  This church also abuts the Forum and is adjacent to the “Marble Prison” where St Peter and St Paul were said to have been imprisoned.  The church dates from 625 and has been remodeled many times.  Both St Marina and St Luca are buried there.

(St Luca is buried in the main alter shown here.  St Martina is buried in the chapel underneath the main alter.)

Thursday, November 30

The Borghese Villa, which is now a museum, included extensive grounds.  Today those grounds are a public park complete with walking trails, fountains, ancient trees, dog friendly areas and a zoo called Bioparco di Roma.

The Biopark (zoo) is over 100 years old.  It supports children’s educational programs, conservation efforts and animal habitats.  There are over 1,000 animals representing over 200 species.  The grounds contain several picnic areas – one abuts a large pond which is home to ducks, geese and flamingos.  As in most modern zoos peacocks have the run of the place.  It must be a lovely place to spend the day in the summer.  The day we went there were only a handful of visitors in the entire park.

The Girgentana goats are only found in Agrigento, Sicily.  Once they were extensively bred and used to produce dairy products.  After faster growing goats were found they were no longer used and now they are classified as endangered.  They’re easy to identify by their uniquely shaped horns.

(Girgentana Goats from Agrigento, Sicily)

Our favorites were the big cats and the elephants.  The animals were very cooperative and we managed to get some good pics…

(African Male Lion)

(Asian Male Tiger)

After the zoo we walked through other parts of the Borghese park and discovered The Temple of Asclepius.  It was beautifully situated in the middle of a pond surrounded by fountains.  Rowboats are available for rent.

(Temple of Asclepius in Borghese Park)

We continued through the park until we wound up in Piazza del Popolo where we ate lunch at a very odd restaurant named Ristorante Museo Canova Tadolini.  The building had formerly been the studio of Canova and his disciple Tadolini  and the restaurant is crammed to the gills with many models and original sculptures by the duo.  The food was excellent.

We walked 9.6 miles and climbed 9 flights that day.