SPQR Fellowship

Wow! That expression alone is basically all that is needed to sum up my day in Tivoli! I had been waiting so long to see Hadrian’s Villa, and I was very excited to make the day trip from Rome to see it’s splendor. Each of my guidebooks recommended going to Villa d’Este as well, and though I didn’t know much about it, I went there as after Hadrian’s Villa. It was a wonderful surprise!

To get to Tivoli I had to ride one of the metro lines until one stop from the end, then take an hour bus ride. Once in Tivoli, it was another bus ride and walk to get to Hadrian’s Villa. After almost three hours total, I finally arrived in Villa Adriana (Hadrian’s Villa)!

I rented an audio guide and had a map to guide me through the space, but the experience was one of discovery through the ruins. Floor remnants, broken columns, entire walls, and much more enveloped me as I wound my way through the expansive villa.

Learning about something in a textbook and seeing it in real life are so different. It was almost magical as I walked the ruins and thought about Hadrian walking the same paths and entering the same buildings that I was. It didn’t quite seem real.

Toward the end of the tour there was one ruin that was a little farther out. I was trying to go quickly so that I would have enough time to explore Villa d’Este, so I thought about skipping it, but I’m sure glad I didn’t. This was a lookout (scholars still debate is exact use, perhaps a place for Hadrian to view Rome, possibly an observatory, etc.), and when I got to the top, all I could do was say “Wow!” It was an incredible view. Poppies and other wildflowers painted the fields to my left, Rome was in front of me, and Tivoli sat in the mountains to the right. It was incredible. What was also so unique about it was that it was a large, open space, and I had it all to myself. The other panoramic views I have experienced from bell towers, cupolas, etc. are all small spaces, only about a meter wide, and they are crowded to the max with people. This was the total opposite, and the experience was stunning!

Villa d’Este was the palace of Pope Alexander VI’s grandson, and its splendor comes from the hundreds of fountains in the gardens. There is incredible as well, with each of the walls in almost every room covered with beautiful paintings and frescos. The pictures I had seen of the fountains were intriguing, so I went to the gardens first. The fountains were astonishing! They were all powered from the Aniene River, which is interrupted to power the fountains, and then forms again after the villa. As I strolled through the gardens and fountains, the sound of rushing water was interspersed with quiet breezes and birds chirping. Beautifully manicured lawns, shrubs, and flowers framed ramps and stairs leading to other parts of the gardens and palace. Views of the mountains and town of Tivoli provided the perfect backdrop. It was an extraordinarily beautiful visit and entire day!

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The Borghese Gallery contains an art collection that rivals all of the top museums. It is a wonderful treasure of Rome showcasing Caravaggio, Bernini, and the Baroque Rome. I would definitely recommend it to anyone visiting Rome!

In order to ensure your entrance, you have to collect your ticket 30 minutes before your scheduled entrance time. There are two parts to the gallery – an upstairs painting gallery, and the main, ground floor gallery with paintings and sculpture. You are only allowed 30 minutes upstairs, and two hours maximum in the gallery. Everyone was lined up well before the entry time, and it was like we were kids in line at the candy store. It was quite exciting!

I was amazed when I entered. The specifics about timing and trying to allot yourself the correct amount of time in each room without missing anything was somewhat nerve-racking at first. Rick Steves recommended starting in the painting gallery, and I did just that. I saw an incredible Raphael painting, Deposition, as well as several Caravaggios. I was enthralled by the way that Carvaggio used light in his paintings to really create a dramatic effect. The audio guide that I used also mentioned one painting in which Caravaggio was said to have painted by moonlight. Apparently, it was an old thought that painters did their best work this way. Again, the way that light was used as a tool and method were quite inspiring.

The upstairs was wonderful, and the ground floor was icing on the cake. There were several Bernini sculptures, and they were magical. My favorite was Apollo and Daphne, where Daphne begins to turn into a tree as Appollo chases her. I marveled at the way the thin leaves were sculpted – it was hard to believe that they were made of stone. The entire sculpture was an entrancing, 3D experience. It begged the viewer to move completely around the sculpture to truly appreciate everything that Bernini was trying to communicate.

My other favorite sculpture was Bernini’s David. You could feel the expression on his face, and I remember being amazed at the rope detail from the sling which David is carrying.

I was quite moved by everything I saw. Two hours is definitely not enough to see everything. Everywhere you look, on every wall, floor, ceiling, there is something incredible to see! Two hours covers only the highlights, and the highlights were sculpture that I will never forget!

(I have no images for this post – cameras were not allowed inside and since we were only allowed 2 hours, I used the entire time to try to observe as much of the artwork as possible)

Yet again, I was truly amazed by all that Rome has to offer. I left my day (Tuesday) slightly unplanned, except for the last activity – the Borghese Gallery. Reservations are mandatory for entry, and each entrance is only for two hours. I had an evening reservation and a wonderful day leading up to that exciting culmination for the day!

I began by walking along Via del Corso, one of the main thoroughfares of Rome. Along the way, I found a couple treasures, such as the beautifully detailed second-century column in Piazza Colonna, and across from it, the 19th century mall. I browsed a couple of stores along the way as I headed for my first destination – the Spanish Steps. It was a wonderful area for enjoying the afternoon and people watching.

The Spanish Steps are a place where you can see just about everything. There are people young and old, shops, dining, and activity abounds. Just sitting on the steps and observing everyone was a wonderful way to pass the time. The means transportation are also interesting. People filled the streets and sidewalks, moving only when a car was right on their heels. Taxis and horse-drawn carriages shared the streets, awaiting their next customers, as mopeds whizzed by. The fountain at the bottom of the stairs drew people to its water to cool off in the sweltering hot mid-afternoon sun.

It was interesting to observe how people used the steps. It was about mid-day, and there was not a cloud in the sky, so it was hot! The few areas of shade were a hot commodity. Planters divide the steps into three parts horizontally, and given the sun and time of day, people organized themselves into convenient areas for leisure and passage. (See diagram below) Where there was shade, people filled the areas entirely. The middle area was moderately populated, and the side opposite the shade was very sparse with people sitting – it mostly consisted of people moving up and down the stairs.

After leaving the Spanish Steps I made my way toward Piazza del Popolo. I was slightly disappointed with my experience in that Piazza because it was filled with temporary scaffolding and structures that were in the process of being taken down. It was noisy and there were not many people. However, I climbed the stairs to get a view of the piazza from a higher vantage point, and that was beautiful, despite the clutter. I climbed further and entered into the Villa Borghese. I had read and seen on the map that it was a large, beautiful park, but I was not prepared for how wonderful it was – a place of refuge among the bustling city. The park provided panoramic views of Rome and countless tree-lined paths throughout gardens, lawns, and monuments. Being there emphasized how important it is to have areas of respite in cities, and how wonderful the parks can be. My map was not very specific, so I spent the next several hours wandering the gardens and heading towards the Borghese Gallery. It was a wonderful stroll. As it started to sprinkle, the time for my reservation was near, and I got ready to enter one of the very best art collections in the world. To read more about my thoughts on this visit, please visit the next blog post, Borghese Gallery.

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Monday was a spectacular day. I was so inspired by what I saw and experienced.

Since it was a Monday, and most of the museums are closed, I had planned to tour several churches throughout the day. The first thing I wanted to do, however, was to go to the Vatican to get a ticket to attend a papal audience on Wednesday. I went there right away in the morning to ensure that there would still be tickets available, but it was sure crowded! I had to stand in the line for people wanting to enter St. Peter’s Basilica in order to reach the bronze doors from which you request tickets. The line was wrapped quite far along the edge of the colonnade, but surprisingly, the wait was only about half an hour. To get tickets, one has to walk up the stairs and ask the Swiss guards. I was somewhat unsure if this was the right place, because there was only a small opening in the gates, and everyone was standing behind the gates taking pictures of the guards. I asked two different people, who assured me that you just walk up. I’m sure I has in several photos at that point. Luckily, I was able to get a ticket!

I hadn’t been planning on visiting St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday, however, since I had already stood in line, I decided to go in again. I spent several hours admiring the glory and grandeur of the architecture. Bernini’s glowing dove in the apse is magnificent. Every little detail, etc. of the entire Basilica is incredible.

After touring the inside, I decided to climb to the top of the cupola. What a climb! There were 551 stairs to the top! On the way up, you are let into the inside of the cupola, where you get to see the mosaics up close. Then, the further you climb, the walls actually slant and you certainly feel the curve of the dome! I was a bit tired at when I reached the top, but the view was completely worth it! You could see all of Rome, and get a bird’s-eye view of St. Peter’s Square. It was amazing!

The next highlight of the day was the  Gesu Church. I had read that there was a tomb of St. Ignatius of Loyola receiving his call, but that you can only see the statue if you are there at 17:30, because there is a painting in front of it that lowers only at that time. The timing was right, so I decided to go inside the church. It was incredible. Not only does the church have a beautiful ceiling and several small chapels, but the revelation of the statue was quite a spectacle.

At 17:30, music began playing (it was a recording, but still beautiful), and then there was a lot of speaking (in Italian, so I’m not sure exactly what it was) but then different areas of the alterpiece were lit. The last area to be lit was the painting covering the statue. What a difference the correct lighting makes for the paintings. The entire painting came alive! The vivid colors made it much more beautiful. Finally, the painting lowered, and the statue was revealed. A few minutes later the entire church came alive with lighting throughout the area. All of the paintings and frescos were seen in their true glory and it was an experience that I will never forget! The entire process took about 15 minutes, and then after an hour, the painting quietly and subtly rose once again.

I have always been interested in light and architecture, and witnessing this event inspired me greatly. To feel the effects of different lighting in a space, and the way that it makes one fully appreciate everything the art and architecture has to offer was superb!

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I spent Saturday and Sunday exploring the area in which I will be living for the rest of my time in Rome. The room I am renting is about a five minute walk from the Colosseum! It is incredible to be living so close to such a monumental piece of architecture! Every time I go somewhere, I get to pass by the Colosseum and marvel at its grandeur. It doesn’t quite seem real. I have been very fortunate the past few months…living five minutes from Piazza San Marco in Venice, and now a couple of blocks from the Colosseum!

There are several great things about the area. First, it is a central location. I am able to walk to many of the other important sites, and it is also close to a metro stop. I am trying to do as much walking as possible, so that I can experience the city and learn my surroundings by foot. I have been using several different maps (some are better at navigation through the monumental sites, others have more of the streets labeled, etc.) After days of walking, however, my feet are getting tired! I think the plan will be to take the metro to a further distance, start my day there, and then walk my way back to the Colosseum area. The metro system in Rome is fairly simple – there are only two lines, so I already feel pretty comfortable using that means of transportation.

The other great thing about living so close to the Colosseum is that since I pass it so often, I get to see it during many parts of the day. I really enjoy watching the fluctuations of people and activity. For example, it’s always quite crowded, but Sunday morning it was noticeably quieter and more peaceful. And, on Saturday night, there were four sets of brides and grooms getting their wedding photos taken with the historic background. It’s fun to observe different people and how they interact with the building. It’s also great to see how the building changes with the time of day – being able to see how its color varies with the sunlight, and how the day and night sky are framed throughout the arched openings.

It was nice to have a couple of days that were a bit slower paced and helped me get oriented. The next days will be very full. There is so much to see and do, and I can’t wait to start each day in Rome!

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I have arrived in the Eternal City! It is absolutely amazing to be exploring Rome. Every way I turn my head and down every path I walk, there is something incredible. The history, excitement, and energy of Rome are mesmerizing!

I spent my first two days in Rome with my family, and we saw as many of the city’s essentials as we could before they returned to the U.S. It was a busy couple of days as we walked around, learning about and experiencing the glory of Rome.

Our first afternoon we saw the Circus Maximus and the Colosseum. As we walked through the Circus Maximus we could see the Colosseum and Palatine Hill in the distance. My excitement grew with every step as the Colosseum drew closer and closer. It was so exciting to stand outside of such an important piece of architecture! Walking around inside was unbelievable.

Our next stop was to admire Piazza Venezia, where we got to see the Victor Emmanuel Monument. There is a statue of the king on a horse in the center of the monument, and I read in my Rick Steve’s guidebook that the king’s mustache is five feet wide! It is the largest equestrian statue in the world. What was interesting to me was that it is such a grandiose monument, but it is quite new according to Roman standards, being built in 1870.

After dark we made our way to the Trevi Fountain to experience its magic when it is lit at night. It was so beautiful and the area was filled with people. It was great just to spend some time enjoying the fountain, people, and the piazza. We made sure to follow the ritual and tossed coins into the fountain to ensure our return to Rome!

The next day we explored the Roman Forum and the Vatican City. Walking around the ruins of the Forum is such an interesting experience – you are completely enveloped in history! Afterwards we went to the Vatican Museum, St. Peter’s Basilica, and walked around in the Piazza. Words are not enough to describe the magnificence of that afternoon! In the Museum, Raphael’s The School of Athens and Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel were breathtaking! It has been said that St. Peter’s is the closest thing to heaven on earth, and I would have to agree. It is hard to take in everything that the Basilica has to offer in one trip, and I plan to go back over the course of my time in Rome.

We concluded our second day with a walk to Piazza Navona and enjoyed strolling the Piazza like Italians, listening to music and enjoying the surrounding art and architecture. After that we happened upon Campo de’ Fiori and finished the night with an excellent dinner in one of the many restaurants that fill the lively area.

Some of the first things that struck me were the activity and size of the city. To say that it is “bustling” is an understatement. I couldn’t believe the crowds, traffic, and buzz of the city, at all times of the day! We did a lot of walking from the different sights, and I began to realize how the city sprawls across many areas. Having been living in Venice before, which is a smaller city once you get to know your way around, Rome was quite a change. It will be interesting to see how my perception changes throughout my time in Rome and I become more comfortable and knowledgeable about my surroundings. I’m excited!

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