MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE - ROME - October 9-19-2009

ROME

For my 60th Birthday, Doug surprised me with a Mediterranean cruise that included a stop at Naples, Italy, to see the ruins of Pompeii!  This is someplace I've wanted to visit ever since I was in the 5th Grade and read about Mt. Vesuvius erupting and covering the City of Pompeii in ashes!  That book made me want to become an archeologist.  Even though I ended up graduating in Business Education,  my love for history and traveling has been my passion every since!  So, along with my pictures, I'm going to share a little history with you!

We arrived in Rome three days early (before our cruise began but really only enough time to get our toes wet) to explore!  Here's what we saw in Rome, and then I'll post our other stops on other days--hopefully not too far apart!

This was our hotel near Rome's Leonardo da Vinci Airport.

We would take our airport shuttle back to the airport/train station and ride the train into Rome for two days.

Since we never had been to Rome before, we bought a 2-day pass on a Hop-on, Hop-off bus to get an overview!

The first ruin we saw was the Baths of Diocletian, largest and grandest public bath (3,000 bathers at one time) in ancient Rome (298 AD) once covering 32 acres.  This luxurious bath included changing rooms, gyms, libraries, mtg. rooms, theaters, concert halls, sculptures and gardens.

Rome had many fountains--Fountain of the Naiads (Sculptured Nymphs of the Lake on each corner)

Basilica of St. Maria Maggiore--largest church in Rome dedicated to Blessed Virgin Mary---

Same church but other side!

Castel Sant Angelo--Masoleum of Emperor Hadrian--Built in 2nd Century A.D., was to serve as Hadrian's tomb but Emperor Aurelian had it made into a fortress and connected it to the walls built by him for the city's defense.  The tomb served as a place of refuge for Popes and rulers throughout the ages, and now contains a museum, prison and Papal apartments.

Bridge of Hadrian--built by Hadrian for quick access to his tomb.  The entrance to the bridge is closed to traffic.  The bridges three middle arches are original.  On the right--

A statue of Peter guards the bridge

The Romans pioneered the use of concrete and the rounded arch, which enabled them to build on a tremendous scale.  Even today, almost every modern building incorporates arches.  Here are a few examples:

(Notice the doorway arch)

(Arched windows)

(Arched doorways), and I had to throw in this narrow alleyway.

Everywhere you look, there are ruins--cities built on top of cities!

Fountain of Neptune--Public fountains were a highly needed source of water for neighborhoods plus monuments to Papal patrons.   Every great person in Rome had to build something bigger and better than the next to feed their egos (greatness)!

Rome has 13 obelisks, more than any other city in the world.  The ancient Romans brought Egyptian obelisks here and set them up in key public places as evidence and celebration of their occupation of Egypt.  This obelisk is the tallest (105 feet) and the most ancient (16th Century B.C.), which now marks the center of Piazza del Popolo.

We had heard how wonderful Gelato (Italian ice cream) was with its intense flavor, and we certainly found out for ourselves many times!!

Talk about huge....this oversize monument built in 1870 to Italy's first king--Victor Emmanuel Monument

The 43-foot-long statue of the king on the horse is the biggest equestrian statue in the world.  The king's moustache is over five feet wide, and a person could fit into the horse's hoof.

At the monument, soldier's guard Italy's Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers as the eternal flame flickers.

Joyce with Trajan's Column, Market and Forum in background.  Rome peaked under Emperor Trajan (rules A.D. 98-117).  A triumphant Trajan returned to Rome with his booty and shook it all over the city.

Trajan extended the Forum by building his own commercial, political, and religious center nearby, complete with temples, law courts, squares lined with shops, and a monumental column covered with detailed carvings that tell the story of one of his most famous conquests.

Trajan's Column--erected to immortalize the emperor's achievements.  If the column was unwound, it would stretch over two football fields.

Trajan's Forum--the broad expanse of really ruined ruins

Church of Santa Maria di Loreto next to Trajan's Column

We walked into this beautiful church before we went to St. Peter's Basilica and would have been awestruck enough!

Very common European city site--where newspapers, postcards and magazines are sold!

Another famous fountain--Fountain of Triton (with base of four dolphins) by Bernini--merman kneeling on open conch shell.

The Colosseum was completed in 80 AD and seated more than 50,000 spectators.  Its opening was celebrated with 100 days of games in which 9,000 animals and 2,000 men were killed.  It was used regularly for almost 400 years, and has suffered through earthquakes, neglect, and the pillaging of popes who took its marble for their own buildings.  Only one-third of the original Colosseum remains.

Our excellent Italian guide!

The dirt and grime of Rome on stones on the left and cleaned stones on the right!

Notice the Roman Number LIII (53) above one of the entrances.  The Romans invented tickets and assigned seating.  Before a game, a spectator would pick up a ticket which had a number that corresponded to one of the 79 entrance arches which all had numbers above them (the 80th arch was for the emperor).

This picture shows the three layers of the colosseum--the colosseum core is constructed of brick and a relatively soft porous rock called tafa.  The exterior is clothed in travertine marble.  The reason for the pock marks--looters took the valuable bronze clamps that held the stone together.  

There is always some graffiti artist around, even at the Colosseum and even with the name of ANDREA!?!

The whole place was topped with an enormous canvas awning that could be hoisted across by armies of sailors to provide shade for the spectators--the first domed stadium.  Notice the cross to the left where supposedly the emperor sat.

The arena was originally all covered with a wooden floor, and then sprinkled with sand.

Looking down at the underground passages beneath the playing surface where animals and prisoners were held.

Cage for a wild exotic animal!   The animals came from all over the world:  lions, tigers, bears, crocodiles, elephants and hippos.  Released at floor level, the animals would pop out from behind blinds into the arena and surprise gladiators (just like in the movie The Gladiator).  

Top part of Corinthian columns used on the third level.

Looking out from the Colosseum, you can view the Arch of Constantine on the right and Palatine Hill in the background.  In 312 A.D. Constantine, whose mother and sister were Christians, became sole emperor and legalized Christianity.  In A.D. 300, you could be killed for being a Christian; a century later, you could be killed for not being one.

Constantine put himself in a league of great rulers by covering the arch with exquisite carvings of high Roman art--works that glorified previous emperors--

Marcus Aurelius in the square reliefs higher up--

and Hadrian is featured in the round reliefs....Fourth Century Rome may have been in decline, but Constantine clung to its glorious past.

Palantine Hill is jam-packed with history--the "huts of Romulus and Remus," the huge Imperial Palace, a view of the Circus Maximus--but there's only the barest skeleton of rubble left to tell the story.

The cigar-shaped, sunken stadium was the palace's rec room.

The palace was the residence of emperors for three centuries.

The back of the 150,000-square-foot palace on Palatine Hill looking up from Circus Maximus, which was built by Emperor Domitian in about 81 A.D.

If the gladiator show at the Colosseum was sold out, you could always get a seat at the Circus Maximus.  The stadium seated 250,000 people!!!  In an early version of today's demolition derby, Ben-Hur and his fellow charioteers once raced recklessly around this oblong course.   There were 12 races per day, 240 days a year.  Horses raced here for more than a thousand years, with the track dating from 300 B.C.

An archeological dig on Palatine Hill

Looking down from the Colosseum and to the right of Constantine's Arch you see the ROMAN FORUM--The Forum was the political, religious, and commercial center of the city.  Rome's most important temples and halls of justice were here.  This was the place for religious processions, political demonstrations, elections, important speeches, and parades by conquering generals.  As Rome's empire expanded, these few acres of land because the center of the civilized world.

The Forum's Main Square--Rome was built right here!  The square was the busiest and most crowded section of town.   If things look like just a pile of rocks, at least know that Julius Caesar once leaned against these rocks.  

Basilica of Constantine--These big arches represent only 1/3 of the original--a mammoth hall of justice. At the far end was an enormous marble statue of Emperor Constantine on a throne.

Interesting modern sculpture at the Forum

The Arch of Titus commemorated the Roman victory over Israel in 70 A.D.

Looking at the top of the ceiling (constructed after Titus' death), the relief shows him riding an eagle to heaven where he'll become one of the gods.

Walking from The Forum back to the Colosseum.

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HISTORY OF VATICAN CITY/ ST. PETERS BASILICA/SQUARE

Modern Italy was created in 1870, but Vatican City wasn't recognized as a country until 1929.  This tiny independent country of little more than 100 acres, contained entirely within Rome, has its own postal system, armed guards, helipad, mini-train station, and radio station.  Politically powerful, the Vatican is the religious capital of 1.1 billion Roman Catholics (there are over 1,000 RC churches in Rome).  

Nearly 2,000 years ago, St. Peter's Square was the site of Nero's Circus--a huge cigar-shaped Roman chariot racecourse.  The Romans had no marching bands, so for halftime entertainment they killed Christians.  One of those killed here, in about 65 A.D. was Peter, who had come to Rome to spread the Gospel.  At his own request, Peter was crucified upside-down, because he felt unworthy to die as his master had.  His remains were buried in a nearby cemetery located where the main altar in St. Peter's is today.

When Christianity was finally legalized in 313, the Christian emperor Constantine built a church on the site of Peter's martyrdom.  "Old St. Peter's" lasted 1,200 years, was falling apart by the Renaissance and so the new, larger church was begun in 1506.  The new church was actually built around the old one.

First sighting of ST. PETER'S SQUARE containing the largest church in the world, St. Peter's Basilica!  The reason for the name--According to Catholics, Peter was selected by Jesus to head the church.  Peter was the first bishop of Rome and his authority has supposedly passed in an unbroken chain to each succeeding bishop of Rome--250-odd popes that followed!

Except for St. Peter's Square, almost the entire city-state is surrounded by high stone walls, including parts of the famous Leonine Walls, which were put up by Pope Leo IV in the ninth century.

The Catholic Radion Station KPOP, the Mormon version of KSL!

This is the historic entrance to the Vatican Museum, which we just barely missed getting in to because of the Pope's schedule that day!  This and the Sistine Chapel are enough reasons to visit Rome again!!!

Gate to Vatican City

Guarding the Vatican City entrance!

One half of the ring of columns welcoming everyone (believers and non-believers) with its motherly embrace.  Topping the columns are Bernini's 140 favorite saints, each 10 feet tall!

Doug is pointing to the last window on the right of the top floor, which is the Pope's bedroom.  To the left of that window is his study window, where he normally on every Sunday delivers a brief message, recites a prayer and gives his blessing to the crowd below.

The water in Rome's fountains was really good to drink--and safe!

St. Peter's Basilica in background with 90-foot solid granite obelisk to Joyce's right---

--originally erected in Egypt over 2000 years ago, moved to Rome after the fall of Pharoah's to Greeks and then to Romans.  The obelisk stood at NERO'S CIRCUS where it stood impassively watching the slaughter of Christians at the racecourse.

Doug with the facade of St. Peters and 13 travertine statues lining the top balustrade--Christ, John the Baptist and 11 apostles, in addition to two clocks.

Guarding this small but powerful country's border crossing are the mercenary guards from Switzerland.  Their colorful uniforms are said to have been designed by Michelangelo.

Walking up to the entrance of the basilica.

St. Paul's statue with 2-edged sword!  St. Peter's statue is on the other side of the entrance.

Elaborate decoration above entrance to the Basilica--going into the outside Atrium

The outside Atrium is itself bigger than most churches.  The huge white columns on the portico date from the first church (fourth century).

This BRONZE CENTRAL DOOR was a survivor of the first church, which is now only opened on special occasions.  The panels (from top down) feature Jesus and Mary, Paul and Peter, and how Paul (decapitated) and Peter (crucified upside-down) were martyred!

Famous Michelangelo's famous PIETA (completed when he was only 24 years of age AND his only signed work)--depicts Virgin Mary cradling the dead Jesus in her lap after the crucifixion.  After it was vandalized by a madman with an axe in 1972, the sculpture has been placed behind protective glass!

Central nave (central part of a church) looking to the altar

This altar contains the Chair of St. Peter (according to tradition, the wooden chair belonged to Peter), which was embellished by Bernini.

BALACCHINO, a monumental canopy that covers the shrine of St. Peter, sculpted by Bernini--begun in 1624.   The seven-foot-tall lettering in the gold band along the top of the pillars contains every quote from Jesus to Peter found in the Bible and continues around the entire church)!

MICHELANGELO'S DOME (higher than a football field on end) above the canopy.  Under the dome, under the bronze canopy, under the altar, some 23 feet under the marble floor, rest the bones of St. Peter!

This church went on and on forever!  We thought Notre Dame in Paris was impressive!?!

Something kind of eery--these next two pictures are of dead popes' bodies.  There are over 100 TOMBS in St. Peter's including 91 popes (mostly in the crypt).

When you first enter the church--round porphyry (igneous rock with crystals) slab set into floor where in 800 A.D. Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor!

Statue of one of the various saints (the statue, not Doug!)

Is this a baptismal font with a lid?!?

Looking out across the square from the Basilica, there are thousands of chairs set up for the weekly Pope blessings.  Over 300,000 people have been in the Square at one time!

This is the little cafe we had an Italian lunch at before going to the Basilica.

When we got out of the Basilica, the open end of St. Peter's Square with its broad boulevard was petitioned off from traffic and people were lining the street.   Well, you can't see him clearly at all in this picture, but the Pope was in this black, very well-guarded car going down the street to a theatre.  So, I guess we can now say we saw the Pope in person!

This is the theatre where the Pope got out of his car!