 Via Aureliana in the Veneto area. We stayed at the Empire Palace Hotel, seen on the right with the flags. |
 The Empire Palace Hotel on Via Aureliana. We stayed here. |
 The terrace on the Spanish Steps. Via Condotti, with upscale shops, is in background. |
 Closer view of Via Condotti from the terrace on the Spanish Steps |
 The Spanish Steps - upper part. The Spanish Steps were built in the 1720's. |
 The Spanish Steps - lower part. Saturday night crowd. The Church of the Triniti dei Monti is at the top of the steps. |
 The Spanish Steps - lower part. Saturday night crowd. View from the Piazza di Spagna. 1 |
 Trevi Fountain. Rome's largest fountain. Completed in the 1760's. Designed by Salvi. Neptune flanked by 2 Tritons. |
 Judy at Trevi Fountain. The two Tritons are with two "sea horses" - one docile and the other unruly - moods of the sea. |
 Richard at Trevi Fountain |
 Judy next to the tiny "Smart" car. We saw lots of these cars throughout Italy. |
 Judy, Seiko and Bill after dinner at an outdoor cafe on Via Veneto, near the Piazza Barberini |
 Victor Emmanuel Monument. Inaugurated in the 1920's in honor of Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of a unified Italy in 1861. |
 Piazza del Camidoglio on Capital Hill (Capitoline). Michelangelo designed the piazza and facades of the buildings in the 1500's. |
 Bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius on Pizza del Campidoglio. It is a copy. Original is in the adjacent Capitoline Museum. |
 Roman Forum - the square. Mostly from the Republic period (509 - 27 b.c.e.). Political, religious and commercial center. |
 Richard at the Roman Forum. The Colosseum is in the background. |
 Forum: Left columns-Temple of Vespasian 81c.e., Right columns-Temple of Saturn 498b.c.e., Arch of Septimius Severus 203c.e. |
 Forum: Arch of Septimius Severus, 203 c.e. |
 Forum: Santi Luca e Martina Church - early medieval church - rebuilt in mid 1600's. Also Arch of Septimius Severus. |
 Forum: Foreground columns - Temple of Saturn 498 b.c.e. Background columns - Temple of Castor & Pollux 484 b.c.e. |
 Forum: Basilica Julia 54b.c.e.-open area on right and low brown structure behind it. J. Caeser's body burned & consecrated here. |
 Forum: The building is the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina, 141 c.e. Best preserved building in the Forum. |
 Forum: Jewish prisoners on Arch of Titus (81c.e.) carrying menorah, horns and altar. Celebrates Titus' victory over Jerusalem. |
 Forum: Arch of Titus in background; Columns - Temple of Castor & Pollux; Right - The Palatine Hill |
 Forum: Building next to Palatine Hill. Palatine Hill - home to emperors and patricians, e.g., the orator Cicero. |
 Forum: Buildings and shops next to Palatine Hill. |
 The Colosseum: Built by Emperor Vespasian. Opened in 80 c.e. Seated 55,000. 80 arched entrances. Rome's greatest amphitheater. |
 The Colosseum: Site of gladiatorial combats and wild animal fights. Roman structure but Greek facade. 1 |
 Colosseum: Inside |
 Colosseum: Inside 1 |
 Colosseum: Level below arena. Wild animals lifted to arena from this lower level to battle gladiators. |
 Colosseum: Judy on the upper level |
 Colosseum: Richard on the upper level |
 Colosseum: Judy on the upper level 1 |
 Piazza Navona: Baroque style-buildings from the 1600's-oblong racetrack in 1st c.-building foundations were for the grandstands |
 Piazza Navona 1: Oblong shape. Church of St. Agnes in Agone (1600's), designed by Borromini. Striking concave facade of church. |
 Four Rivers Fountain by Bernini on Piazza Navona - Baroque style - unveiled in 1650's. |
 A mime on the Piazza Navona |
 Judy and a mime on the Piazza Navona |
 Judy (in rear) at Tre Scalini on Piazza Navona. We had their world famous "tartufo" chocolate gelato. Judy gave it a thumbs up! |
 Judy at Tre Scalini on Piazza Navona after having a very satisfying "tartufo" chocolate gelato. |
 Vatican: Judy and our local Vatican guide Salome, in the Courtyard of the Pine Cone (Cortile della Pigna). |
 Vatican: Courtyard of the Pine Cone - entrance to the Vatican museums. Scultpure: Sphere Within A Sphere by A. Pomodoro, 1990. |
 Cortile della Pigna: Bronze pine cone - from ancient Roman fountain - symbolizes a welcome. Niche by Ligorio in mid 1500's. |
 Sculpture of Artemis: Goddess of fertility (for obvious reasons). It is in the Vatican Museum. |
 St. Peter's Basilica - Vatican: High Renaissance & Baroque styles. Took more than a century to build, starting in early 1500's. |
 The Dome of St. Peter's Basilica. Designed by Michelangelo though not finished in his lifetime. Dome is 448 feet high. |
 Judy on St. Peter's Square in the Vatican. |
 Richard on St. Peter's Square in the Vatican. Columns designed by Bernini (in Baroque style) in 1600's. |
 Pantheon: Roman temple of "all the gods." Built in 120 a.d. Only ancient Roman building remaining intact. |
 Pantheon: Perfect sphere on perfect cylinder. Church in middle ages. Before 20th c., largest concrete building ever constructed. |
 Pantheon: Served as model for Michelangelo's dome of St. Peter's at the Vatican and for Brunelleschi's dome in Florence |
 Musicians on the Piazza della Rotunda in front of the Pantheon |
 Campo de' Fiori (Field of Flowers): Cultural and geographic center of secular Rome in the 1500's. Relatively few tourists. |
 Campo de' Fiori: We ate dinner outdoors at the restaurant with the awning, in the background. |
 Campo de' Fiori: Statue of Giordano Bruno - burned at the stake here as heretic (1600) - he believed earth moved around the sun. |
 Campo de' Fiori: Judy and Richard having dinner |
 Campo de' Fiori: Judy having dinner |
 Small street-plaza next to Campo de' Fiori showing a fresco on an old residence |
 Close-up of a fresco on an old residence in a small street-plaza next to Campo de' Fiori |
 Dwellings built into an ancient Roman wall - near Campo de' Fiori |
 Great Synagogue: Built in 1874-1904 after emancipation of Italy's Jews following unification of Italy in 1861. |
 Great Synagogue: Babylonian & Persian features to distinguish it from Christian churches. |
 Crossing the Tiber River on the Ponte Fabricio. Left - Jewish Ghetto area. Right - Isola Tiberina (Tiber Island) |
 Judy crossing the Tiber River on the Ponte Fabricio going from the Jewish Ghetto area to Isola Tiberina |
 Judy crossing the Tiber River on the Ponte Fabricio. Right - Jewish Ghetto area. Left - the Isola Tiberina |
 From Ponte Fabricio: Left - Isola Tiberina (Tiber Island) in Tiber River. Island strategically important since ancient times. |
 Crossing the Ponte Cestio from Isola Tibernia (Tiber Island) to Trastevere. Ponte Pallatino seen in background. |
 Narrow street in Trastevere near the Tiber River |
 Piazza di Santa Maria and Santa Maria church in Trastevere. One of Rome's oldest churches (4 c.). Current building from 12th c. |
 Outdoor cafe on Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere. We ate dinner at this cafe. |