First ruins to see in Rome
So this is the first day in Rome and of course the ancient sites are going to be first port of call.
I'll add some notes below purely because I hate seeing things and getting no answers from those who are supposed to know about these archaic sites!
Colosseum
From Wikipedia "
The Colosseum, or the Coliseum, originally the Flavian Amphitheatre (Latin: Amphitheatrum Flavium, Italian Anfiteatro Flavio or Colosseo), is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire, built of concrete and stone. It is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering.
Occupying a site just east of the
Roman Forum, its construction started in 72 AD
[2] under the emperor
Vespasian and was completed in 80 AD under
Titus,
[3] with further modifications being made during
Domitian's reign (81–96).
[4] The name "
Amphitheatrum Flavium" derives from both Vespasian's and Titus's family name (
Flavius, from the
gens Flavia).
Capable of seating 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum was used for
gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on
Classical mythology. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the
early medieval era. It was later reused for such purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a
fortress, a
quarry, and a Christian shrine.
Although in the 21st century it stays partially ruined because of damage caused by devastating earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum is an
iconic symbol of
Imperial Rome. It is one of Rome's most popular
tourist attractions and still has close connections with the Roman Catholic Church, as each
Good Friday the Pope leads a torchlit
"Way of the Cross" procession that starts in the area around the Colosseum.
[7]
That's OLD! Hard to imagine, coming from a country that has such a short history.
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| Outside Pantheon |
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Interior of the Pantheon
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Again from our friends at Wikipedia "
The Pantheon Latin: Pantheon, from Greek: Πάνθειον (ἱερόν), an adjective meaning "(temple consecrated) to all gods") is a building in Rome, Italy, commissioned by Marcus Agrippa as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome, and rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian in about 126 AD.[2]
The building is circular with a
portico of large granite
Corinthian columns (eight in the first rank and two groups of four behind) under a
pediment. A rectangular
vestibule links the porch to the
rotunda, which is under a
coffered,
concretedome, with a central opening (
oculus) to the sky. Almost two thousand years after it was built, the Pantheon's dome is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome.
[3] The height to the
oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, 43.3 metres (142 ft).
[4]
It is one of the best-preserved of all Roman buildings. It has been in continuous use throughout its history, and since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a
Roman Catholic church dedicated to "St. Mary and the Martyrs" but informally known as "Santa Maria della Rotonda."
[5] The square in front of the Pantheon is called
Piazza della Rotonda.' Quite a long and varied history. You can find more on it
here
So much ancient building in Rome and still more modern building too.
It's good too. And a duomo of a church most everywhere you look.
