Renaissance Rome
After checking in I started my sightseeing with
one of the first places a tourist visits - the Spanish Steps.
136 beautiful marble steps leading up to the church Trinita dei Monti.
The steps were covered with people. At the bottom of the steps lies
a small fountain with a boat-shaped sculpture in it, Fontana della
Barcaccia, and past that Rome's poshest shopping street,
Via Condotti. The street was decked out with flags, some of which
looked like the new South African flag - I never found out why.
I then saw the Fountain of Trevi, which is incredible.
A very large stone sculpture in quite a small place, with water pouring
over the fantasy of stone.
I wonder how much the water must erode the stone away - even if it is
very hard, they must have to replace parts of the fountain one day;
water has been flowing over the stone since 1762!
Legend has it tossing one coin into the fountain means you will return
to Rome; two means you will get married soon; and three calls for a
quick divorce!
Near where the bus tours start is the Fountain of Moses,
with some gorgeous statues overlooking their rather small fountains.
The many fountains which dot the city must be a blessing in summer,
as they nicely cool the air around them.
In the evening I saw the Piazza Navaro.
This is one of the main plazas in the city to be seen in -
a pedestrianised former circus, with three sculpture-filled fountains.
Near the ancient centre of the city is the Piazza Venezia,
with a huge monument to Italy's first King, Victor Emannuel,
finished in 1911.
His nine foot moustache gives you some idea of the scale of the thing,
and it was lit advantageously at night by several mobile lighting
vans.
The gates were locked and soldiers were guarding the eternal flame
that is Italy's memorial to the unknown soldier.
Another huge square with an obelisk in it is the Piazza del Popolo,
near Rome's main park the Villa Borghese. Unlike the Place de la Concorde
in Paris, or Trafalgar Square in London, traffic is not allowed there,
so it is easy to walk around it.
Just walking around the side-streets you will come across bas-reliefed
columns, sculptured fountains at the corners of buildings and
beautiful pastel coloured frescos. No sign, no guard rails to stop
people from touching them, just random art strewn around the city centre.
Even the Metro's demonstration of why Graffiti is an Italian word
doesn't seem too jar too badly.
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