The Coliseum

The Anfiteatro Flavio, most famous as Colosseo, it's always been a symbol of Rome. Construction began in 72 AD under the emperor Vespasian, but was inaugurated 8 years later . Stately and Majestic , with a 573 yard-circumference was projected to accommodate more than 50.000 spectators that they would have participated to the program of shows and games for 100 days at year . The missing part of the wall was not destroyed by the time, indeed during the Renaissance people took material that they needed for the construction of other buildings from the monument, until the Church proclaim it holy, being theatre of the majority martyrdom in olden times . In fact there the early Christians were killed (above all under Nero). To visit the monument is possible from Monday until Saturday from 9 am until 2 pm, and on Sunday from 9 am until 1 pm.

The Roman Forum

Visiting the Roman Forum today , we might mistake it as simply a heap of ruins .You find a few arches here and a few columns there . However, the Roman Forum is something more. What was once a marshy valley between Palatine and Capitoline hills , was then transformed by the romans into the central place of their civic life . In fact, in that period, for those that visited Rome the Forum demonstrated the magnificence of this ancient metropolis. The Forum was Rome's heart. There they found the great buildings, temples, hot spring, little shops most of which, today, we find as ruins .But ,simply, in the forum the people met to share time together . But most interesting is that what you see today are the ruins of more that an historic period, indeed of 900 years of roman history, from 500 b . C .to 400 AD . This is the place where Caesar, Cicero, and Mark Anthony spoke to the people and where was celebrated Caesar's funeral . To visit the Roman Forum the enter is in Via Sacra:Via dei Fori Imperiali, Piazza del Colosseo, Via San Teodoro from Monday to Saturday, from 9 am to 2 pm and on Sunday from 9 am to 1 pm, with free entrance and possible open in the afternoon on summer.

The Pantheon

Paradoxically this is one of the better preserved monument and at the same time less appreciated of all Rome . Adrian around 120 AD redrew this building and rebuilt it completely on the ruins of a preceding Pantheon built in 27 b . C by the general Augusto Agrippa and destroyed by a fire . The most amazing thing about this building is not the greatness, but rather the harmony of the construction by itself . The diameter of the dome is perfectly equal at the height of the wall . In 609 this building (that was a pagan temple) was consecrated as a Christian church by Pope Bonifacio the fourth. He dedicated it to Mary and the Saints martyrs .The Pantheon has a circular plan, its entrance is constituted by the classic pediment of Greek style supported by a series of 16 columns on granite crowned by Corinthian capitals . The entrance of the temple goes through an imposing door of bronze of the roman period .Especially interesting about this door is that is survived for 1800 years, centuries more than the riches ornaments that were inside the building and that have been steal from popes and emperors a long time ago.

Piazza Navona

This famous square of the 17th century is one of the major attractions of the capital . It, that was used as scene for the roman circus, for the medieval games and for the carnival in the following centuries, is today particularly fight as commercial and photographic set , and as stage for fashion, and of course is the destination for the usual walk of the roman citizens. The fountain that is the center of the square is La fontana dei quattro fiumi that means The fountain of the four rivers . It was built by Bernini and is formed by 4 enormous statues that represent the most important rivers in the world , and for consequence the 4 corners of the earth: Ganges for Asia, Danube for Europe, Nile for Africa and Plate for America. Right behind this fountain is sited the Church of Sant'Agnese in Agone perfect model of the baroque art. It was commissioned by Pope Innocent x .The façade was built by Carlo Rainaldi and by the contemporaneous and rival of Bernini Francesco Borromini. Note is the story of the fight between the two for the construction of the church that at the end was given by the Pope to Borromini. Bernini felt offended , because he was only in charge for the fountain ,built the statue closer to the church in the position to cover it's eyes with the hands to don't see the "horrible" façade of the Borromini. Curious is that the façade was bult only after the installation of the fountain.

Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps)

Piazza di Spagna is one of the most famous square of the Italian capital and also the most visited and frequented by Romans and non . Elegant and majesty, probably its secret is to combine modern art with art of the past . What surely this cosmopolitan square doesn't miss are the colors ,brought by all kind of stuff that you can find in and around, and above all by the flowers that adorn the stairway . From this square is easy to reach the famous streets as Via Margutta , famous for the painters that lived and sold there their works . Via del Babbuino for its antiquarian shops, Via condotti for its famous Caffe Greco,Via Borgognona and Via Frattina . At the center of Piazza di Spagna there's a fountain , La fontana della Barcaccia drew by Bernini . The square was projected by Francesco De Sanctis around the firsts years of 18th century, and is preceded by a stairway divided in three flights that are interrupted by terraces . The highest terrace is also the most note: Trinita` dei Monti . Talking about how this square melt modern and past ,we mean that you can find old building of the 16th century but it is used as passerella for the important Italian fashion designer and non . Going Rome even if just for a few days you can't ignore Piazza di Spagna.

The Sistine Chapel (or Ceiling Chapel)

The Sistine Chapel (or Ceiling Chapel ) is literally one of the most important architectural and pictorial complex for religion, art, and history . It's main subject are the biblical events like the Creation or the Fall, etc. It's a large rectangular hall and its dome was decorated with grandiose frescos dated 1481-83. The authors are different and between the most illustrious of that period, like: Michelangelo, Pinturicchio, Botticelli, Signorelli, Ghirlandaio, and Cosimo Rosselli . Instead of analyze all the frescos of all the artists we will limit to point our attention on the most known, Michelangelo's fresco .The frescos talk about the biblical stories of the Genesis and all the events before Christ was born . There are 9 panels that we must read chronologically when we go through the chapel . Michelangelo's work was defined Great, in the past, but only today we can understand how is extraordinary . Looking at this fresco, the first thing that we see is the brightness that send forth and how shiny are the colors (also because of the recent restructuring ) . About the Judgement one of the most famous Michelangelo's work , we Know that it was commissioned in 1541 , more than 30 years after the chapel was done . He painted it above the altar of the chapel . To tell the truth if in general in that period the people had an optimistic view of life this work express the opposite, because here the judgement is seen like a dramatic moment and that the man should be afraid of .



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