WHO DOESN’T LOVE ROME? The gelato, the Borghese, the pasta, the Vatican, the cappuccino , the Trevi, the parmigiana, the piazzas, the pizzas and the shopping? Sitting at an outside table and people watching…not the taxi drivers though! Rome is one of our favorite cities.
The three and a half hour train ride was relaxing from Milan to Rome and we are loving our small hotel, Hotel Mozart near the Spanish Steps.
We started our Roman holiday with a climb to the top of St. Peter’s dome in the Vatican. Whew…. 350 steps after the elevator! It is a little scary and close quarters but we made it. Then we toured St. Peter’s and attended mass at St. Joseph’s Altar which is to the left of the Baldacchino built by Bernini from bronze taken from the Pantheon. Since we were seeing the highs and the lows we descended into the crypt where the popes including St. Peter are buried.
After a noon breakfast we walked to the Pantheon to see a glimpse of pagan Rome. It’s easy to remember when this great Roman temple was begun because it was started by Cesar Augustus when all the empire would be taxed before Jesus’ birth and finished by Hadrian. The Pantheon was the largest unsupported cement dome in the world at the time and perhaps still is. It was the inspiration for Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. It is made of a mixture of volcanic ash and limestone with more ash as you ascend the dome. Inside it is hollowed out to decrease the weight and the thickness of the wall goes from six feet at the bottom to two feet at the top. There is a twenty seven foot opening at the top called the oculus which lets the elements in but the floor was built as a concave with holes so the rain could drain! It also shows the movement of the sun through the opening and thus is a sundial. Fascinating!
The Borghese Gallery in Rome is one of my favorite museums. It is located in an old palace of the XVII century. The original collection was built by Cardinal Borghese. Inside you will find masterpieces by important Italian artists such as Bernini, Raffaello, Caravaggio and Canova. The ticket reservation for this museum is mandatory and can be done online. After a two hour visit, you can stroll out the beautiful gardens.
