vitality_record: Roma

Roma Termini Train Station

3 nights in Rome was intense... with so much to see and so little time we walked till our legs felt like rigatoni. We stayed in a place close to the Roma Termini train station and within a 10 minute walking distance to the colloseum. It was clean and Nicola our host was helpful and friendly. The elevator to our room was the old school weight and pully system with an exposed cage. We got in late in the evening so our adventures didn't begin until the following morning.

Interior of Pantheon (coffered dome + oculus)

Interior

I got up early in the morning before Emily, and walked the city. The Pantheon was calling my name. This was a place I had always wanted to see, a place my teachers always raved about in school, and after seeing it, I understood why. In ancient times it was built as a temple for the gods and to this day is probably the best preserved ancient piece of Roman architecture. I am not sure, but I think it was the largest free spanning dome in the world until 1996, which is quite a statement seeing how it was constructed nearly 2000 years ago. From the outside it doesn't look like much, but when you get inside the beauty emerges. The oculus at the top of the dome is open to the elements so when it rains the water falls through.

The oculus and the sun

Obviously the Colloseum was a main attraction, the history and construction of the place makes it one of fantasy, horror, and astonishment. The monument held up to 55,000 people in its day and under just one emperor it saw 10,000 gladiators and 11,000 wild animals fight. The amount of blood shed that took place is overwhelming.

The Colloseum in the distance

The sophistacation of this structure was most impressive with advanced tunneling and pully systems which allowed for elaborate scenery and staging to take place underneath. At one event a giant mechanical whale was constructed and pulled on stage where its mouth opened and 600 wild bears poured out of it.

The tunneling below the arena floor

Interior ruins

Gladiators would fight to the death in the arena, or at some points their lives would be spared if the emperor and the crowd believed the gladiator to have put up a good fight. If you won you were a hero, praised and flowered with gifts and money. Most gladiators were men, but there were a few women. I can't imagine what they looked like. This structure was the heart of ancient Rome... it survived fire, earthquakes, thieves and time. Many of the travertine blocks from the original structure can be found throughout Rome where they were used on other monuments.

Em + J + Colloseum

Colloseum exterior

The Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica was our next stop. Other than it being the home of the Pope and the heart of Catholocism I don't know a whole lot about the place. I do know that the Church itself is Renaissance in style and has the largest floor plan of any church in the world. It was beautiful and probably gave both Emily and I the most Awwww moments. The beauty in the art and structures was nothing like we had ever seen.

St. Peter's Basilica at Sunset

St. Peter's Interior

The Vatican Museum next to the Basilica is a rare collection of amazing works of Roman sculputure and famous frescoes including Michaelangelos famous Sistine Chapel. It took him over 7 years to paint just one wall (The Last Judgement) which portrays life after death and how we will face the wrath of God. I was unable to take pictures in the Sistine Chapel as it is considered a sacred place; However, I doubt the pictures would have ever done it justice. I did however sneak a few seconds of film, which I will share with some of you at some point. Here are a few shots of the Museum and surrounding areas.

Ancient Roman Tub

Bronze Statue

Interior frescoes

Piazza St. Peter's rotunda

There are so many more pictures to share and so many stories to be told, but I feel it will be better in person. We visited many piazzas and fountains, basilicas and restraunts. We found them all to be amazing in origin and taste. Rome is a special place, with such great history that has shaped our world in the past and even today. I like to believe I walk away a better architect, and overall a more well rounded person. These next pictures are just a few shots of its richness. We love you all and hope you enjoy.