Entrances into P. Navona at Palazzo Braschi, V. Agonale, V. di Sant’Agnese di Agone, and Corsia Agonale.
CHIESA DI SAN LUIGI DEI FRANCESI
P. San Luigi dei Francesi 5
CHURCH
06 68 82 71
From the exterior, this 16th-century church could easily be overlooked by pedestrians: its French facade is pretty umimpressive by Roman standards. Consequently, the surprise inside is even sweeter than it might have been. Three of Caravaggio’s most impressive works, The Calling of St. Matthew, St. Matthew and the Angel, and The Crucifixion, grace the Contarelli Chapels in back. (If you’re having difficulty finding them, it might be because they are not illuminated. Deposit €1 to light them up, or wait for someone else to step up.) Because they occupy the inner wall, it is slightly hard to get enough distance to view the paintings properly. However, these three works rival the private collection of Caravaggio’s work held by the Galleria Borghese, so make sure to take them in as best you can. Their intense chiaroscuro, characterized by high contrast between light and dark, is characteristic of the religious and emotional meaning Caravaggio is famed for bringing out in his subjects.
From P. Navona, exit onto Corsia Agonale, turn left onto C. del Rinascimento and right onto V. Santa Giovanna d’Arco. Free. Open M-W 10am-12:30pm and 4-7pm, Th 10am-12:30pm, F-Su 10am-12:30pm and 4-7pm.
VITTORIO EMANUELE II MONUMENT
In P. Venezia
MONUMENT, MUSEUM
06 67 80 664; museum 06 67 93 526 www.risorgimento.it
The stunning Vittorio Emanuele II Monument towers—grandiose, theatrical, and triumphant—above P. Venezia. In fact, this flamboyant building remains a captivating presence. Even in far-away P. del Popolo, it towers in the distance down V. del Corso. The monument is affectionately (and a bit mockingly) referred to as “The Wedding Cake”—and justly so: its multiple tiers and pristine white facade look good enough to eat and garish enough to flaunt. Out front, huge Italian flags wave majestically as gladiators—or rather plump men in metal garb—pose alongside confused tourists. Designed in 1884 and finally finished in 1927 by Mussolini, the huge building is as close as you can get to a giant megaphone that constantly yells out, “We are Italy! We are great!” The monument is best seen from P. Venezia or even from a few blocks away, but if you venture up its mighty steps, you’ll find the Museo del Risorgimento, a slightly dull (and extremely dark) collection of artifacts tracing the course of Italian unification, inside. Though the museum is free, the view from outside is lighter, brighter, and more worth your time.
In P. Venezia. Free. Monument open M-Th 9:30am-6:30pm, F-Su 9:30am-7:30pm. Museum open daily 9:30am-6:30pm.
PALAZZO VEN EZIA
V. del Plebiscito 118
PALAZZO
06 69 99 41; info and booking 06 32 810 www.galleriaborghese.it
In the northwest corner of P. Venezia, the Palazzo stands out as a result of its simple, brick facade rather than any particularly beautiful or ornate characteristic. As one of Rome’s first Renaissance buildings, it certainly reflects an air of stateliness and grace, though it seems like a shy, quiet wallflower in comparison to the Vittorio Emmanuele Monumento across the way. Though today it is not a site of governmental power, Mussolini once used it as his headquarters. The museum inside the Palazzo holds an impressive collection of documents, tapestries, paintings from the early Renaissance, and sculptures.
Across the way from Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II, in P. Venezia. €4, EU citizens 18-25 €2, EU citizens under 18 and over 65 free. Open Tu-Su 8:30am-7:30pm. Ticket office closes at 6:30pm.
PIAZZA DELLA ROTUNDA
P. della Rotunda, right outside the Pantheon
PIAZZA
The P. della Rotunda is either the antipasto or the dolce to your exploratory entree (which is the Pantheon, in case you haven’t guessed). Before or after strolling under the beautiful dome of Rome’s stately temple, crowds throng around the Egyptian obelisk crowning the center of this piazza. An 18th-century monument was created out of this obelisk when Clement XI “de-paganized” it by sticking a cross on top. The somewhat whimsical fountain in the square sports serpents and sharp-toothed heads that spew water out of their mouths. The piazze surrounding this central spot are noticeably less crowded but contain some monuments of their own worth checking out. Piazza della Minerva features yet another obelisk sitting atop Bernini’s elephant statues, whose figures supposedly represent the powerful “mind” needed to support the obelisks’ wisdom. P. di Sant’Eustachio is full of small cafes and bars, including the famous Sant’Eustachio Il Caffè coffee den.
Outside the Pantheon. Free.
Piazza Di Spagna
PIAZZA DEL POPOLO
At the end of V. del Corso
PIAZZA
From the center of P. del Popolo, you can see the magnificent Vittorio Emanuele Monument glowing (yes, it’s so white, it glows) in the distance. Likewise, from the monument, a straight shot up V. del Corso has you gazing at this gigantic piazza, the “people’s square,” no Communist connotation intended. Despite the Corso’s noise and crowds, this street is probably the best way to arrive at and appreciate the openness of the piazza which, for being so famous, is surprisingly uncongested. Perhaps it merely appears so thanks to its size and an oblong shape which makes its edges feel wider. At the center, the Obelisk of Pharaoh Ramses II stands triumphantly, attracting a few tourists to sit at its base. The Santa Maria del Popolo church is worth a visit, as it contains two Caravaggio masterpieces in the Capella Cerasi: The Conversion of St. Paul and Crucifixion of St. Peter, both of which are stunning examples of the artist’s attention to chiaroscuro and the religious import this stylistic technique carried.
A: Flaminio. Church is free. Church open M-Sa 7am-noon and 4-7pm, Su 8am-1:30pm and 4:30-7:30pm.
MUSEO DELL’ARA PACIS
At intersection of Lungotevere in Augusta and P. Porto di Ripetta
MUSEUM
06 06 08 www.arapacis.it
This truly serene museum is a befitting space for its central monument, the Ara Pacis. The bare white walls and huge windows of the space reflect the peace of the monument, a frieze-covered enclosure constructed in 13 BCE to commemorate Augustus’ victories throughout Spain and Gaul. Visitors can walk inside the structure to get a closer look at the 40m string of acanthus plant carved in the marble to represent renewal and unity under Augustus’ Golden Age. On the outside, a mostly intact frieze of the ruler and his family reflects the tranquility of the period—the figures seem at ease, carved with an eye towards realism. Ironically, Augustus’ body is chipped off in the procession and only his head remains. In the front of the museum, a row of busts including the head of Ottavia lie across from a reconstructed family tree. Check out the small model and accompanying map which shows the monument’s original location in the context of Rome’s current street layout.
A: Spagna. Take V. del Carrozze towards V. del Corso and proceed into P. Augusto Imperiale. Audio tour available in English €3.50. €6.50, EU students 18-25 €4.50, EU citizens under 18 and over 65 free. Open Tu-Su 9am-7pm. Last entry 1hr. before close.
FONTANA DI TREVI
Right beyond P. Acc. S. Luca
FOUNTAIN
The best time to see the fountain is at 4:30 in the morning, because it’s probably the only hour where you’ll be able to sit on one of the stone ledges without hearing the sounds of vendors selling overpriced trinkets and tourists snapping picture-perfect shots in the background. That’s certainly the hour that Anita Ekberg, actress of Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, came by when she took a dip in the fountain’s gushing waters. (While you can make a late-night visit, don’t follow her lead or you risk a steep fine.) Even if you don’t make it during this empty hour, Nicolo Salvi’s mix of masterfully cut rock and stone in the raw is phenomenal. Neptune, surrounded by the goddesses of abundance and good health as well as two brawny horsemen, is carved with exacting detail, while the environment in which he sits is realistic merely be
cause it has been left untouched. As good as gelato might be, save your coins for the fountain: one will ensure a prompt return to Rome, two will bring you love in the Eternal City, and three will bring about your wedding.
A: Barberini. Proceed down V. del Tritone and turn left onto V. Stamperia.
PIAZZA DI SPAGNA AND THE SPANISH STEPS
P. di Spagna
MONUMENT, PIAZZA
In every sense, the P. di Spagna is a conglomeration of international roots—not only does it draw a global tourist crowd to its sandy-colored steps, but its history encompasses the Italians (who designed it), the British (who occupied it), the French (who financed it), and, oh yeah, the Spaniards (you’ve got this one). Built in 1723 as a way to connect the Piazza with the new Trinità dei Monti church above it, the magnificent steps now seem to be more of a hangout spot for tired shoppers, gelato eaters, and youth looking to avoid the expensive bar scene of this commercial neighborhood. The best view of the steps and Piazza is actually from the church’s steps directly above—from there, you can get a better sense of their size while avoiding the cluster of people below. When you do make your way down, check out the Fontana della Barcaccia built by Bernini the Elder before the steps were even constructed. The absurdly pink house and its two palm trees might remind you of leisurely beach life, but they actually commemorate the death of John Keats, who died there in 1821.
A: Spagna.
Jewish Ghetto
The Jewish Ghetto consists of a few blocks just off Isola Tiberina. Come here for great food and a look back at one of the first Jewish communities in Western Europe.
THE GREAT SYNAGOGUE
Corner of Lungotevere dei Cenci and V. Catalana
SYNAGOGUE
06 68 40 06 61 www.museoebraico.roma.it
From afar, the Synagogue occupies a place in the Roman skyline right up there with many of the city’s other, more famous cupolas. The Synagogue’s beautiful, palm-tree-surrounded roof is distinct from the architecture and ruins which surround it, so stroll by to glimpse a different element of Rome’s urban design. Construction of the Synagogue began in 1904 as part of an effort to revitalize and rebuild the Jewish Ghetto, which had for many decades suffered from flooding and unsanitary conditions. By 1904, the Synagogue, designed with a curious mix of Persian and Babylonian influences, had been completed. Its unique design was intended to make it stand apart from the city’s many Catholic churches. Inside, highlights include a stunning mix of painted floral patterns by Annibale Brugnoli and Domenico Bruschi and an upper section of stained glass. Look up top for the small portion of clear glass commemorating a child who was killed in a 1982 plane crash.
At the corner of Lungotevere dei Cenci and V. Catalana. Open for services. Free.
PIAZZA MATTEI
Between V. dei Falegnami and V. dei Funari
PIAZZA
The tiny P. Mattei is the center of the Jewish Ghetto, though today most of the neighborhood’s culinary and social activity occurs on V. del Ottavio. Visit this piazza for a look at the Fontana delle Tartarughe, a 16th-century monument by Taddeo Landini that depicts four figures bearing tortoises and a strange basin atop their heads. The rest of the Piazza is comprised of merchants and residential houses, save the Chiesa di Sant’Angelo in Pescheria, an unimposing eighth-century church named for its proximity to the fish market that once operated near Porta Ottavia. Though technically the center of the ghetto, this square feels more like a quiet respite from the busier streets nearby.
From the Area Sacra, walk down V. Arenula and turn left onto V. dei Falegnami; P. Mattei is on the right. The church cannot be entered due to repairs.
Vatican City
More so than any other region of Rome, Vatican City fuses Roman history, artistic mastery, and Catholic ideology. As the administrative and spiritual headquarters of the Catholic Church, it has historically remained relatively independent from the rest of Rome, minting its own currency (the Italian lire), using colorfully-clad Swiss guards at its entrance, and running its own postal system. Expect some of the longest lines in the city but the greatest art to match, contained most notably in St. Peter’s Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro) and the Vatican Museums.
ST. PETER’S BASILICA
At the end of V. della Concializione
CHURCH
06 69 81 662 www.saintpetersbasilica.org
If the Vatican’s special post boxes aren’t enough to remind you that you’ve entered another jurisdiction, then perhaps the airport-like security required before entering the Basilica will be. Though lines here don’t get nearly as long as those for the Vatican Museums (see below), people are required to pass through scanned security before entering the church during visiting hours. Once you’ve cleared the metal detectors, head through any one of the colossal doors. You won’t be able to use the Porta Sancta (last door on the right of the entrance porch) though: it’s only opened during Holy Years.
Depending on the time of day, the church’s interior appears in incredibly varied degrees of illumination—the ceilings are so high that on dark days the small windows near the Basilica’s top do little to illuminate the nave. Immediately to the right, find Michelangelo’s Pletà, one of the most moving renderings of Mary and Jesus ever created. Since 1972, when a vandal attacked it with an axe, breaking Jesus’s nose and Mary’s hand, it has sat behind the bulletproof glass that slightly obscures the view even while it protects the precious piece of art. As you proceed onward, notice the strip of gold mosaics studded with Latin letters lining the perimeter of the nave and adding to the incredibly dogmatic and somewhat overbearing feel of the church.
Though it’s hard to pinpoint the church’s crowning element, Michelangelo’s dome at least wins in size—at a spectacular 138m in height and 42m in width, it remains the largest in the world. Directly below it, the somewhat ridiculous baldacchino (note the sculpted bumblebees buzzing around its twisting columns) marks the altarplace used by the pope. The supposed tomb of St. Peter sits immediately below the altar.
Despite the hordes of people who frequent the Basilica each day, its size is enough to dwarf even the biggest crowds (60,000 and counting). Though most people come to the church as tourists, and the flash of cameras is nearly constant, consider participating in Mass, which is conducted before Bernini’s bronze Cathedra Petri and lit from behind by glowing alabaster windows. If you’re feeling really ambitious, it’s even possible to hold your wedding in the Basilica, though the wait and price for the most famous church in the world could leave you eternally single. Only Catholics need apply.
Free guided tours in English leave from the Pilgrim Tourist Information Center. No shorts, miniskirts or tank tops. For information on weddings visit www.saintpetersbasilica.org Free. Open daily Apr-Sept 7am-7pm; Oct-Mar 7am-6:30pm. Tours in English Tu at 9:45am, Th-F at 9:45am. Mass M-F 8:30am, 10am, 11am, noon, and 5pm; Su and holidays 9am, 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:15pm, 1pm, 4pm, and 5:45pm. Vespers daily 5pm.
VATICAN MUSEUMS
Entrance at Vle. Vatica no
MUSEUM
06 69 88 38 60 www.museivaticani.va
After waiting in a 4hr. line, we hope you spend at least half as much time in the galleries themselves. Unfortunately, the lure of the Sistine Chapel (and frequent arrows pointing the way) pull people onward, creating a human stream with a very strong current. But you’re not a fish! Jump out and admire some of the more obscure treasures which are not only on display but comprise the building itself. If this is your first time through these museums, forget the itinerary and just wander a bit, stopping at whatever piques your fancy. If you try to read and see everything in a guidebook, you will tire before getting halfway through.
After entering the complex, most people start in the Museo Pio-Clemetino, which contains the world’s greatest collection of antique sculptures, including the famous Laocoon in an octagonal courtyard. Before heading upstairs, make sure to circumnavigate the Sala Rotonda, a small room with unbelievable mosaics on the floor and a domed roof rec
alling the Pantheon’s coffered ceiling and oculus.
Head directly upstairs to find the Etruscan Museum, which contains a daunting 18 rooms’ worth of Etruscan artifacts, sarcophagi, and vases that offer a glimpse into Italy’s earliest civilization. The Candelabra Gallery and dimly lit Tapestry Gallery are often treated as thoroughfares, but the Map Gallery is worth a stop. Huge frescoed maps of Italy line the walls and provide an eye into the country’s diverse geographical regions. You can carry on via a shortcut to the Sistine Chapel from here, but if you can wait, meander through the Stanze di Rafaele. These four rooms, originally Julius II’s apartments, were decorated by the great Raphael, and include the School of Athens fresco on one large wall.
In no other collection would all the aforementioned works possibly be considered a precursor to the main show. But you’re in the Vatican Museum, and it’s time for the main course. The Slstlne Chapel is undoubtedly the most sought out, crowded, and monumental part of the museum. Every few minutes, the guards shush the mass of people, reminding them not to take photos and ushering them onward. Expect an unpleasant experience in the way of people but a remarkable one in the way of art. If craning your neck to see the ceiling hurts after a few minutes, imagine Michelangelo actually making the work—he painted the frescoes on a platform while bending backward and never recovered from the strain. Even those not versed in art history will recognize the famous Creation of Adam, one of nine panels depicting scenes from the story of Genesis. Occupying the entirety of the altar wall, the Last Judgment can be viewed with much less physical contortion. This huge fresco is, in a way, free of composition—it is a massive conglomeration of muscular figures, clouds, and land masses—but this adds to its uncontainable and inconceivable force. Though it can be difficult to focus on one area, look for the flayed human skin that hangs between heaven and hell, a self-portrait included by Michelangelo.
Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide Page 126