Rome: Baroque City Center

Explore some of the sites in Rome’s Baroque city center.

Victtorio Emanuele II Monument RomePiazza Venezia

This busy piazza in the center of Rome is lined with several palaces, the most important being the Palazzo Venezia.  It was constructed by Pope Paul II (1464-71) and is one of the first buildings in Rome constructed in the Renaissance style.  The huge white building to the south is the Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king to unite Italy.  It dates only from 1885 and houses the Tomb of the Unknown Solider as well as a fantastic view for those who climb the steps.  

The Trevi Fountain

This famous fountain was commissioned from Nicola Salvi in 1762 by Pope Clement XIII.  It is a colossal masterpiece dating from the Baroque era.  The central figure, the Ocean, rides a chariot drawn by two seahorses and two tritons.  It is a famous gathering spot for tourists since the 1954 film “Three Coins in the Fountain” which was filmed in Italy and ran in the United States.  However, local Roman legend has it that throwing one coin in the fountain will bring good luck and assure a return trip to Rome.  It seems that the “three coin” theme arises from the movie’s title. The movie details the romantic adventures of three different young women falling in love with three different men while on holiday in Italy.  It is said that over €3,000 a day is collected from the fountain and used to supply the local food bank.

2017-04-Pantheon_webPantheon

A perfectly preserved ancient building founded by Agrippa in 27 BC.  It was later rebuilt by Hadrian (117-25) as a temple to all gods.  The 7th century saw it change from a pagan temple of worship to a Christian church.  The portico is supported by 16 solid granite columns (all original except for the three on the left).  The humongous doors are the originals and still open and close on their original hinges.  Most important is the DOME, equal in width and height.  This was a grand architectural achievement for its time… in fact it wasn’t until the age of the Renaissance that another such dome was constructed for the cathedral in Florence.  The interior contains the tombs of some kings and, most notably, that of the artist Raphael, on the left from the entrance.

Piazza Navona

A lively square filled with artists, musicians, cafés and street performers.  It sits on the site of the former Roman-period Domitian stadium, a chariot and horse racing track.  In the center of the oval-shaped square sits Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers, a Baroque masterpiece completed in 1851.  Newly cleaned, its statues represent four rivers symbolizing the four corners of the earth… the Danube, the Ganges, Rio de la Plata and the Nile.

To read about sites in Ancient Rome, click here

To read about sites in Vatican City, click here.

 

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