Rome - Trevi Fountain, Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Piazza Navona

April 17, 2014

I'm finally getting around to our Italy trip after going through just a few pictures - all 1,000 of them! 

We got up very early...let me say that again VERY early! The taxi was waiting for us outside around 4.30am to take us to the airport. I packed lots of snacks and sandwiches for everyone since we were taking Ryanair airlines to Rome which is a no-frills airline. The flight to Rome was about 2 hrs and 45 minutes. Joe was a nice husband and he sat with the children and I sat a few rows back by myself...just me and myself! I wish I could have enjoyed it more with a good book but I just slept...I don't do early mornings very well! Joe took care of the children on the plane with a big smile and I'm sure L asked for food every 15 minutes!

When we arrived in Rome it was sunny and warm! We took a bus from the airport into the city centre. Then we took a taxi to our apartment that we rented - this time we decided NOT to walk like we did in Paris. The taxi had a bit of trouble finding the place but eventually we did. The agency that we rented the apartment from sent a lady with a key to show us to our place...and did NOT know english very well at all. This ended up being a HUGE problem because the apartment they gave was not the one in the description. There was no washing machine, no wifi, no breakfast, not even a trash can! Ohhh I was so upset! It did not help that the lady did not understand English! I emailed the lady who I rented it from back and forth a few times and she apologized. I think what happened is that they had two bookings for the same place - since owners cross list things on 30 websites and they never double checked the calendars. In the end the lady ended up giving us 150 euros cash at checkout. But it also caused a huge problem because I needed the watching machine to wash all of our clothes before we left on the second part of our trip. I was so frustrated and Joe was upset too but I just tried to put it behind since we were just starting our trip. Ughhh. So we quickly packed our backpack for the day and headed out on foot. We were in ROME!!

We first went to the Spanish Steps in the Piazza di Spagna. This is named for the Spanish Embassy to the Vatican, which has been here for 300 years. Its a very popular hangout for the Romans. At the bottom of the steps is a fountain which really completes the look but it was all boarded up and under contraction. 

Spanish Steps

The Spanish Steps are close to the Trevi fountain so we walked over there to show the children. This is my favorite fountain...especially at night. The Trevi fountain shows how Rome took advantage of the abundance of water brought into the city by its great aqueducts. The fountain celebrated the reopening of several of ancient Rome's aqueducts, after a thousand years of surviving on poor quality well water. The fountain was completed in 1762. This little square is always so lively. People toss a coin over the shoulder, thinking it will give them a wish and assure their return to Rome. It may sound silly, but I've done it every time and this is my third time in Rome. 

Trevi Fountain

We walked by the Victor Emmanuel monument. This is an oversized monument to Italy's first king, built to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the country's unification in 1861. The nickname for this monument is, "the wedding cake". The 43 foot long statue of the king on the horse is one of the biggest equestrian statues in the world. The king's mustache forms an arc five feet long! 

Victor Emmanuel Monument

A typical street in Rome seeing Roman ruins - Piazza Venezia

We finally arrived at the Colosseum and it was packed with people! I knew it was going to be crowded in Rome since it was Holy Week but it was also Easter break for all the schools in Europe.  We wanted to do the dungeon tour since they had just opened it up to the public but that was all sold out. Bummer! So we just did the tour with the guide and then walked around ourselves. 

The Colosseum

There is just so much fascinating history in the Colosseum. The building is over 2,000 years old and a classic example of Roman engineering. It was used as an arena for gladiator contests and public spectacles. When killing became a spectator sport, the Romans wanted to share the fun with as many people as possible. The Colosseum could accommodate 50,000 people to watch gladiators, criminals, and wild animals fight to their death. 

The holes in the colosseum is from the metal beams being stolen to make weapons, vandalism, etc 

These are bones that were found of animals that
they would fight. Check out those teeth?

View of the arena area looking down at the underground tunnels where animals were kept

In the ancient days, male visitors were allowed to sit close to the arena to watch the deadly games, but the women had to stand and watch from the balconies at the top of the building. It was emperor who decided whether the loser should be spared or killed by a simple thumbs up or down. It was just as brutal for the animals. Elephants might fight bulls or a pair of lions might attack each other. Children would stand in the alcoves around the arena often whipping the animals, making them more aggressive. 

View from the top of the Colosseum towards the Roman Forum

We had a good tour of the Colosseum. There were laying out a lot of electrical wiring when we were there. I'm assuming that is because the Pope always does the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday at the Colosseum. The Colosseum is also a sacred place where many early Christian martyrs died. 

Walking up the Via Sacra through the Arch of Titus

We walked up the Via Sacra (Sacred Road) from the Colosseum. This was the main street of ancient Rome which led from the top of Capitoline Hill through the Roman Forum and then to the Colosseum. 

Roman Forum

Our ticket from the Colosseum got us into the Roman Forum. I don't ever remember needing a ticket to walk through the Roman Forum. The Euro has just changed everything! The Roman Forum is ancient Rome's birthplace and center, and the common ground between Rome's famous seven hills. Anything important that happened in ancient Rome happened here. Even though most of the buildings are gone there is plenty to use your imagination amid the half-broken columns and arches. There are plaques located at everything to give you an idea what it used to look like during ancient Roman times. 

Julius Caesar's tomb

Mamertine Prison - This is where Saints Peter and Paul were
imprisoned. It is a 2500 yr old cistern-like prison. 

This is the Piazza del Campidoglio and it was created by Michalangelo

We were absolutely all starving now and we had been walking all.day.long and don't forget we got up at 4am! We decided to eat dinner in Piazza Navona...one of my favorite piazzas in Rome! This piazza was built in 80AD by the Emperor Domitian. Since ancient times this square has been center of Roman life. Today it has a great night scene with street music, artists, and outdoor cafes. 

We noticed that the Church of St. Agnes had its doors open so we decided to go in there first. This church was all boarded up last time I was in Rome. It is built on the site where St. Agnes was martyred. Its a 17th century Baroque style church that was built over an old existing church. It appears from the outside that the inside would be huge but its actually a tiny church. There are a few of St. Agnes's relics inside the church. We prayed for one of our goddaughters who's middle name is Agnes! CVW we love you!

Interior of St. Agnes looking at the Main Alter

Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona with the Church of St. Agnes in the background. The
fountain is called Four Rivers and is the most famous by Bernini. 

This is where we had our dinner on the Piazza Navona

The children finished off the day with gelato! They had
been asking for it all day long. 

When we got back to the apartment we all literally fell into our beds. It was a long day but of course a great day! We were in ROME!