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Back in Rome

Sunday March 3, 2024

Returning to the States on the 6th, only 1,000 pics to go...

A story follows, then the 1,000 pics.

250-feet in front of the Rome train station, a bunch of locals, were hanging out, enjoying the day, chillin, drinking beer, visiting, and living life, drinking beer, Heineken by the way, men and women, mixed ages, lots of beer I thought to be out on a sidewalk.

A few dozen feet away from the crowd was this, designed by Michelangelo. A combination of Science, Astronomy (science), Architecture (physics & art & design) and breathtaking construction of stone, marble, and frescoes. Some call it a Basilica, you know... those people.

This is the Astronomy part of the Basilica, ordered by a Pope and built into the marble floor, was from the design above. It is called a Meridian, described in the statement below and the length is from one corner to another diagonal corner, maybe 75-feet.

I keep thinking back to Mesoamerica and the Mayans, 700-years before already having this Astronomy technology.

This is the entrance to the Basilica on the left.

The right door of the Basilica entrance has a bronze cover.

Look up to the V shape on top.

There is a hole on top to the outside where the sun and polar star light comes through, the V shape is cut through the moulding and strikes the floor, lighting up the Meridian line in different places throughout the year. So in Mesoamerica, the Mayans did this kind of thing 1,000 years ago and the Aztecs did some later too. Finally A Pope in Rome did this in 1702 (ordered it done). Interesting that similar "advanced" technologies were applied in different continents over time... and some people still think the planet is flat.

There it is, that is not an LED light.

And now, the inside of the Basilica that Michelangelo designed.

Looking forward to the Alter.

Looking left over the 0.25€ donation table for a Votive candle.

Looking right toward the solar Meridian line on the marble floor and the hole in the wall.

The art work was nothing short of Amazing, the marble work, even more so. And here, visible on the lower left corner is the Meridian line. And all a couple of hundred of feet from the main train station in Rome.

For me, the disappointing part is this. Michelangelo designed a well engineered building with lots of doors and open spaces and spectacular ribbed vaulted ceilings that seemed to float in the air. Later, one pope decided he wanted a chapel, so he closed off the door and that section became a chapel named after him. And it happened again, and again, and... What was once a living breathing sculpted building with a stone ceiling floating in the light and air was over time appropriated by the next guy in power. It happens.

Need to blow your horn? Knock yourself out, in the left transept. The base was maybe 20-feet across and maybe 25-feet tall, and the ribbed vaulted ceiling still above that.

Meanwhile, Next Door...

Several Sarcophagi, most with covers. Definitely not bird baths.

Building parts, sculptures without heads, headstones (no pun intended), urns, columns. I can't imagine what this place looked like in 1500AD. Slaves, chips of marble, craftsmen, horses and carts, manure scoopers, more slaves, and many huge buildings.

A fountain/urn in the courtyard of the museum which is also in front of the Train Station and Bus Depot.

Headstones.

Leftover miscellaneous marble building parts.

Headstones and sarcophagi laying on the ground.

Meanwhile, across the street, more modern buildings with marble birds on each corner and a fountain spewing water.

Another Sarcophagus.

This is part of the original wall that surrounded Rome's Centro Historico, city wall. Over 12-miles long, first 13-feet tall then raised to 24-feet then to 35-feet. For reinforcement (structural rigidity) of the walls there were 380 towers built about every 30-meters (100-feet). This is completely different than the Roman Hadrian's Wall.

A hidden part of the Basilica, adjacent to the Diocesan Baths.

Monday March 4, 2024

Found another "Basilica" 10-minutes west of the Roma Termini Train Station. We tried for the Vatican and Vatican Museums but the crowds were overwhelming.

Heading for Trevi Fountain but found this, still nice.

This is Trevi Fountain.

Side view of Trevi Fountain.

A close-up of sculptures of Trevi Fountain.

Roasting Chestnuts.

View of the back side of beautiful apartments and hotels.

Finally, St Peter's Basilica, and 1,000 people. Lines, if you have tickets were 2-hours long, for the Basilica and for the Museums around back. As bad as Disney World.

And the next day many more people.

And an hour later, even more people...

A sublime view of the Basilica San Pietro, The Vatican.

In the far left edge of the bridge is the "Basilica", behind the tree branches. On the water is the reflection of the bridge and its arches. On the right is a Castle, still in great condition.

This is part of the Aurelian Wall that encircles the Old Rome, what was it... 12.5-miles? Built circa 271 AD, so about 1,753 years old.

At first I thought this was JC. (Julius Caesar [Caesar is a title]). But upon closer inspection, the Latin label says Caesar Hadrian (Caesar Traianus Hadrianus Augustus). This Caesar was a great uncle or great-nephew of (adopted) Marcus Aurelius a Roman Senator (also a Caesar) who was adopted by a Caesar family. This statue of Caesar Hadrian was the Emperor who designed "Hadrian's Wall".