ROMAN HOLIDAY PART 2

ROMAN HOLIDAY PART 2

Rome wasn't built in a day is an adage meant to mean that it takes time to create great things and here I was soon going to see the great city soon.

Our tactics of using the metro and Hop on hop off bus continued. 

The guide on the tour whose voice was taped, spoke in English, in the way Englishmen spoke. So we could understand what was said.

 Rome is an old lady with some wrinkles on her face but still charming and attractive. We realized at the end that this old lady will forever remain attractive in spite of being a witness to turbulent as well as great times.

The history of the Roman Empire covers 500 years of the history of Ancient Rome ,  from the beginning of 27 BC or so.

Names like Julius Caesar , Pompey , Mark Antony , Augustus and Nero all come to mind as you travel towards Italy. One recalls Caesar  who was murdered ,  Antony and his lady love Cleopatra of Egypt, which was later annexed to Italy.

Rome is littered with monuments. The architecture is monumental, grand and endearing. Each with a history of its own. A story reaped in bravery, high philosophy, violence, conquest and romance.

The city of Rome came into being and established itself as a great city of its time through awesome   monuments palaces and off course  an arena .

 The Romans. over a period of time, used newer technologies such as the arch and the dome to make a new architectural style. Its use of new materials, particularly concrete, was a very important feature.

Roman Architecture covers the period from the establishment of the Roman Republic towards 500 BC to about the 4th century AD.

Later this style was called Byzantine architecture, if am right. Most of the many surviving examples are from the later period. Roman architectural style continued to influence building in the former empire for many centuries, and the style often used in Western Europe. The Ancient Romans were responsible for significant developments in housing and public hygiene.

Getting around in Rome will need   a map and frequent help from local people. Its not easy to identify Italians in general from all the people who descend in the city and then the ones who know English.  You also have to practice how to speak English in Italian! Otherwise they will not understand. I attempted and was successful.  That is how we located restauranto’s , Statione , Pantheone etc.

The Coliseum built between three hills as an amphitheatre   is surely one of the great wonders of the Roman civilisation. It was completed in 80 AD. In spite of extensive damage during earthquakes and wars , the structure manages to stun you with its size, design and equally important , by the usage it was put to.  It created a war like spirit that made Romans conquerors of the world. There were three levels. The lower ones , mostly consisting of small cage like structures and pathways which was meant to keep the prisoners  and animals who were later to engage in a fight to death on the top level. The place could seat 72000 spectators.

One can stand on the now broken seating facility and visualise a scene where men filling up the entire gallery around the huge structure , yelling , encouraging and calling for blood while one gladiator takes on a lion or another one as intense as him. All engaged in a fight unto death!  The royal seating area and the area for those who belonged to the higher echelons were demarcated. There is ample evidence from archaeological findings displayed there that there was large amount of betting going on, money and fame won and lost.

We got down one fine morning at the Capitol once sacred to the Romans and  place of culmination of various triumphant campaigns. Today it is where the Mayor resides and the headquarters of the Municipality with the Capitoline tower.  The walk around several structures like statues of Constantine, Basilica of Santa Maria on top of the hill   etc.  each  with a story is indeed inspiring.

Then there is the Piazza Venecia , built by the then Pope in 1455 AD with its  renaissance  style architecture that moved away from medieval  fortification styles  .

The circus Maximus is at the foot of the hill and is a place which saw games and religious rites. It could seat about 150000 which alter was increased to 250000. It is only partly excavated due to lack of funds.

We saw a 1^st century temple to the Fortune Virile, the St Mary Cosmedian, all starkly different styles. We tested at the mouth of Truth, a head made of marble with its mouth open. The story goes that upon inserting your fingers into its mouth you will get it bitten off if you were a liar. Our fingers are still intact!

The Pantheon, the glory of Rome, is the only monument that is intact. Originally built in 27 BC , destroyed by fire and redesigned and rebuilt, it was a Pagan place of worship. Later in the 6^th century it was rebuilt as a Christian church. It has 16 monolithic granite pillars and had Bronze ceiling.  The bronze was taken away in the 17^th century. The bronze door is still seen. It is circular structure at the bottom and then is like a cup with its top dome open at the apex. There are several niches. The main one is of someone who punished Caesars murderers. 

Many such and more. It took quite some walking and tracking but did give us a vivid feeling of the times and people. Lunch was at a Italian resturanto, one among the numerous ones, and was of pasta, spaghetti and lots of salads.  It was crowded but still served pretty fast by one or two stewards.

Now for the finale! The Vatican. We went there towards the late afternoon. The Papal audience was thus out of question as that alone would take half a day, if possible.

The St Peter’s square emerged as we walked quite suddenly from the street and looked beautiful  apart from the  excited feeling of seeing one of the most famous and pious places in this planet.. Its beauty is, perhaps, in entering it and then feeling the majesty.

The Vatican has been the residence of the Pope since 1377 AD only. Since then uninterrupted succession of 266 men have sat on St Peters throne. Inside you will see their names and period.

After various structures   designed by many men, the present one is the work of Michelangelo. He started work on it when he was 70 years old and the basilica was completed after he died.  One of the few changes was the original Greek cross design  was changed to the Latin one. The St Peter’s   Basilica rises on the St Peters square. Michelangelo’s silver blue   dome dominates the view and its   touches the soul as you gaze at it. It’s the greatest Church of Christendom.

Paying a decent fee after you stand in Q and walk up the stair , you are screened properly. Watchful guards keep a close eye on everything and that surely is daunting.

The colonnade, two large wings , work of Bernini, forms the entrance. Inside you walk in a trance as you absorb the beauty of several Chapels, tombs, arches , monuments designed and sculpted by the two great artists. We sat through a small service in one of the chapels. The main altar is breath taking. The whole place is done in golden bronze, mosaic, stain glass all used in abundance and in a manner that denotes the genius of those who designed it.

You are given an instrument , a kid of speaker device , where you can key in the number that each point of importance has in display and you can hear ,in the language you choose, a full description. That highly facilitates as otherwise there are far too many for you to take in and all plates describing it is in Latin. One came out with a feeling of awe but , surely, you will need few days to fully comprehend the history and the architecture , not to say the holy practises and symbols.

The Sistine chapel can be seen from the square above the Basilica. This is where the Cardinals are closeted and locked in till they select a Pope from amongst them.

Coffee and ice cream   next  to the square is a nice idea to soak in the situation.

It was  indeed a Roman holiday, albeit without Audrey Hepburn!

Our journey comes to an end as we head home. All the more knowledgeable, relaxed and impressed by the world culture, of history and a chance to be able to experience it close hand.

It took a whole night and a day to reach Mumbai. Scorching heat greeted us and so did the stink and dust, so much in contrast to what we had. Nevertheless, it’s our home the only one we have.

Lastly I must thank my son for help and for enduring me. I must also thank all those who took time off to read this a rather lengthy series. I decided to write it more as a record of my experiences as well as to give some interesting material to you all.   Garcia. Au- revoir. Ciao.