Rome Sightseeing

On Sunday (May 31) we faced the prospect of another day without our luggage. We bought some clothes from roadside vendors, washed our traveling clothes, and hung them out the courtyard window.

When exited the Colosseum Metro station, we found that the whole area had been prepared for a bicycle race. At first it was just a curiosity, but later in the day it became a major obstacle to sightseeing!

The bleachers for the bike race were put up right in front of historic, ancient Roman statues, which are about as common as light poles.

Our tour guide provided a lot of useful information that we wouldn't have learned otherwise.

We also enjoyed her classic-a Italian-a accent-a.

A seagull was sporting around inside, for some reason.

The Colosseum is very impressive, not least because it was designed for heavy tourist traffic and has stood up to it for millennia! The upper level is still structurally sound and in active use, currently for a special exhibit about the Flavian dynasty, which was very interesting.

When we got to the Pantheon, a choir was performing inside. The Pantheon is astounding for a number of reasons:

  1. It was built in 27 BC and has been in continuous use since then. We just don't build 'em like that anymore.
  2. It has a big hole in the roof that lets the rain in, and no drain in the floor, yet there's no sign of water damage. We think we know better than to build 'em like that anymore, yet this building has lasted for millennia while millions of buildings without holes in the roof have crumbled away.
  3. Its name was officially changed some 1300 years ago, but everybody still calls it the Pantheon. Let that be a caution to anyone who wants to change a name.

Trevi Fountain is a popular place for tourists. It was very crowded.

We happened to pass a woodworker's shop that had an entire wall of pendulum clocks made to look like various cartoon animals. The pendula were purely decorative -- the clocks were all quartz movement -- but kind of creepy.

There's lots more to the story, in the photos below. That evening the luggage arrived!

Colosseum in profile

Colosseum in profile
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Jessie and Ben with the Colosseum

Jessie and Ben with the Colosseum

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Colosseum wall, with sun

Colosseum wall, with sun
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Ben outside the Colosseum

Ben outside the Colosseum
Date: 
May 31, 2009

cutaway view of the concentric walls

The Colosseum was hit by an earthquake and then mined for building materials.

cutaway view of the concentric walls
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Entrance to the Colosseum

Entrance to the Colosseum
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Plaque dedicating the Colosseum as a Christian site

Plaque dedicating the Colosseum as a Christian site
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Our tour guide outside the Colosseum

Our tour guide outside the Colosseum
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Our tour guide leads the pack with a distinctive rag on a stick

Our tour guide leads the pack with a distinctive rag on a stick
Date: 
May 31, 2009

interior corridor of the Colosseum

interior corridor of the Colosseum
Date: 
May 31, 2009

The structure of the Colosseum is brick and mortar

The structure of the Colosseum is brick and mortar
Date: 
May 31, 2009

looking into the Colosseum from an outer corridor

looking into the Colosseum from an outer corridor
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Our tour guide explains how scaffolding helped build the walls

Our tour guide explains how scaffolding helped build the walls
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Historical inscription (in Latin)

Historical inscription (in Latin)
Date: 
May 31, 2009

translation of Latin inscription

translation of Latin inscription
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Plaque granting a year's indulgence to all pilgrims who enter

Plaque granting a year's indulgence to all pilgrims who enter
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Interior of the Colosseum

Interior of the Colosseum
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Cross in the Colosseum, silhouetted

The Colosseum's dedication as a site of Christian martyrdom saved it from being totally deconstructed for building materials. It is now known that Christians were not martyred at the Colosseum after all, but at the Circus Maximus, which was deconstructed. Oh well!

Cross in the Colosseum, silhouetted
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Part of the floor has been restored

It's hard to believe that a wooden floor could hold several feet of water, but apparently it did, long enough to stage naval battles.

Part of the floor has been restored
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Stairs inside the Colosseum

Stairs inside the Colosseum
Date: 
May 31, 2009

upstairs view of the Colosseum

upstairs view of the Colosseum
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Ben on the second floor of the Colosseum

Ben on the second floor of the Colosseum
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Concentric Curves

Concentric Curves
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Many levels and corridors

Many levels and corridors
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Tourists posing for photos in the Colosseum

Tourists posing for photos in the Colosseum
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Decorations from the Colosseum's old facade

Decorations from the Colosseum's old facade
Date: 
May 31, 2009

top of a column from the old facade

top of a column from the old facade
Date: 
May 31, 2009

top of another column

top of another column
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Heads of emperors influential in the Colosseum's history

Heads of emperors influential in the Colosseum's history
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Mosaic from the Colosseum

Mosaic from the Colosseum
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Description of the mosaic

Description of the mosaic
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Colorful buildings as seen from the Colosseum

Colorful buildings as seen from the Colosseum
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Arch of Constantine

Arch of Constantine

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Arch of Constantine seen from the Colosseum

Arch of Constantine seen from the Colosseum

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Jessie poses with the arch

Jessie poses with the arch
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Constantine's Arch as seen from Nero's Pedestal

The platform in the foreground, which now has trees growing out of it, originally held a colossal statue of Emperor Nero which gave the Colosseum its name.  Although Nero comissioned the Colosseum, he didn't live to see it completed, so the account in I, Claudius of him attending games there is fictitious.

Constantine's Arch as seen from Nero's Pedestal

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Ben with Roman ruins

Ben with Roman ruins

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Ruins at the Basilica di Santa Francesca Romana

Ruins at the Basilica di Santa Francesca Romana

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

A Roman statue peeks out from behind bleachers

A Roman statue peeks out from behind bleachers

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Ancient ruins eclipsed by bike race paraphernalia

Ancient ruins eclipsed by bike race paraphernalia

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

a pedicab doing business as Ecotour looking for customers at the bike race

a pedicab doing business as Ecotour looking for customers at the bike race

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

we loved the logo of this porta-potty company!

we loved the logo of this porta-potty company!

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

it just gets better

it just gets better

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Diet Coke in Europe is called Coca-Cola Light.

Diet Coke in Europe is called Coca-Cola Light.

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

The Vittoriano, or tomb of the unknown soldier

The Vittoriano, or tomb of the unknown soldier

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Campidoglio as seen from stairs

Campidoglio as seen from stairs

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Another shot of the Campidoglio

Another shot of the Campidoglio

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Jessie rests on the Campidoglio

Jessie rests on the Campidoglio

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Ben endorses iced tea on the Campidoglio

Ben endorses iced tea on the Campidoglio

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

A statue appears to endorse a bouquet of flowers

A statue appears to endorse a bouquet of flowers

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

The famous she-wolf statue is actually quite small

The famous she-wolf statue is actually quite small

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Front of the Pantheon

Front of the Pantheon

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Back side of the Pantheon (minus facade)

Back side of the Pantheon (minus facade)

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Road sign (on the building) for Piazza della Rotonda

Road sign (on the building) for Piazza della Rotonda

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Facade of the Pantheon

Facade of the Pantheon

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Wooden rafters above the Pantheon entryway

Just how old are these rafters? Inquiring minds want to know!

Wooden rafters above the Pantheon entryway

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Interior of the Pantheon (aka Santa Maria ad Martyres)

Interior of the Pantheon (aka Santa Maria ad Martyres)

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Interior of the Pantheon dome

What amazes me about this building is not just that it's been in continuous use for 2000 years, but that it has a big freaking hole in the roof that lets rain in. I mean, common sense tells you that if you want a building to last, you don't put a hole in the roof, but in this case common sense is apparently wrong.

Interior of the Pantheon dome

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Sign declaring the Pantheon to be named Santa Maria ad Martyres

It seems to me that if the new name hasn't stuck for 1300 years, it's probably not going to stick.

Sign declaring the Pantheon to be named Santa Maria ad Martyres

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Trevi Fountain

Trevi Fountain

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Trevi Fountain, with facade

Trevi Fountain, with facade

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Trevi Fountain, full frontal view

Trevi Fountain, full frontal view

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Jessie with Trevi Fountain

Jessie with Trevi Fountain

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Trevi Fountain from the Left

Trevi Fountain from the Left

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Trevi Fountain from the right

Trevi Fountain from the right

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Ben in the woodshop with the wall of clocks

Ben in the woodshop with the wall of clocks

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Jessie with a life-size Pinocchio outside the woodshop

Rome has embraced the Disney version of Pinocchio, with the long nose.

Jessie with a life-size Pinocchio outside the woodshop

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Bougainvillea blooming on a storefront

Bougainvillea blooming on a storefront

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Ben with the wall of Bougainvillea

Ben with the wall of Bougainvillea

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Manic'uns on their way to rabobank

Manic'uns on their way to rabobank

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

an ad for Yoko Ono's Dream -- less graphic than the signs we saw in Florence

The signs in Florence showed a close-up of a woman's breast.

an ad for Yoko Ono's Dream -- less graphic than the signs we saw in Florence

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

an actor impersonating a bronze statue

an actor impersonating a bronze statue

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Door buzzer for our hostel, One Step from St. Peter's

Door buzzer for our hostel, One Step from St. Peter's

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Ben at One Step from St. Peter's

Ben at One Step from St. Peter's

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Ben at the hostel, as seen through the Pop Cam

Ben at the hostel, as seen through the Pop Cam

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Courtyard out our hostel window

Courtyard out our hostel window

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

another view of the courtyard

another view of the courtyard

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Graffiti outside our hostel

Graffiti outside our hostel

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

repetitive positive affirmations in graffiti form

repetitive positive affirmations in graffiti form

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
May 31, 2009

Ben in the rain, as seen by Pop Cam

Ben in the rain, as seen by Pop Cam

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
June 1, 2009

Bike lane near our hostel in Rome

Bike lane near our hostel in Rome

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
June 1, 2009

Surreal advertisement for surf clothing

Yes, the giant chili dog is wielding a circular saw.

Surreal advertisement for surf clothing

Location

Rome
Italy
Date: 
June 1, 2009