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Are You Planning A Sightseeing Tour Of Rome? Here Are 10 Musts!

Date, 07.29.2009
by Cristiano Rubbi


Are You Planning A Sightseeing Tour Of Rome? Here Are 10 Musts!

Colosseum - Who hasn't heard of the Colosseum? It is not only the symbol of Rome, but also, more generally, of man's ambition, power and achievements. Its construction began in 72 A.D. under Emperor Vespasian and was completed in the year 80 A.D. under his son, Emperor Titus. As a matter of interest in the minds of many the figure of Julius Caesar is often associated with the Colosseum. However this is absolutely wrong since Julius Caesar actually died over 100 years before the building of the Colosseum. Tour Operators can provide you with pre-paid admission tickets in order to skip lengthy lines.

Pantheon - An ancient Roman Temple dating to the first and second century A.D., the Pantheon is loved by the people of Rome as much as by visitors from all over the world. Its shape and structure has widely influenced Western architecture, especially from the 16th century onwards. An example? The Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C. 

Spanish Steps - The Spanish Steps, as they are known throughout the world, actually end up in Piazza di Spagna, or Spanish Square, which is what Romans usually refer to when speaking of the area. Whatever your preference, they are both splendid examples of buildings that went up in Rome in the 17th and 18th centuries. The soft colors and perfect proportions of the houses surrounding the square and the stunning view of the Steps blend together to form an impressive sight for anyone arriving there for the first time.

Navona Square - The name - literally it means 'large ship' - is deceiving. Contrary to popular belief, no mock naval battles have ever taken place in this square, where instead there used to be in the 1st century A.D. a stadium built under Emperor Domitian, named 'Agonalis' and subsequently corrupted into 'in Agone' and eventually into 'Navona'. The fountains decorating the square are: the Fountain of the Four Rivers, the Fountain of Neptune and the Moor's Fountain. Ron Howard shot some scenes from Angels and Demons in this square.

Trevi Fountain - It's not just any old fountain, it's THE Fountain in Rome. It dates from the 18th century and is an excellent example of Baroque style. It's hard to find a tourist or a Roman who has seen it and has managed to resist its charm. Not for nothing has this fountain been used by the movie industry to set some memorable scenes, like the one in Fellini's La Dolce Vita, where Anita Ekberg wades through its chilly waters (the scene was shot in wintertime).

Bocca della Verita (Mouth of the truth) - Its peculiar name is due to an ancient practice of testing the words of crime suspects by asking them to put their hands in the Mouth. If they had told the truth, nothing would happen; otherwise they would lose their hands (the trick was to have judges hiding behind a wall and deciding whether the man was innocent or ...!). As a matter of interest, the Mouth was originally the cover of a sewer manhole in the Roman Forum!

Janiculum Hill - Do you wish to have a splendid view of Rome without moving away from Rome? All you have to do is go up Janiculum Hill, which is located not far from the River Tiber. Tourists walking up the hill are also rewarded at noon when a cannon fires a blank shot as part of a tradition going back to the 19th century.

Vatican Museums - What is Rome's best museum? We have no hesitation in replying, the Vatican Museums. Contrary to what one might think, these museums do not deal only, or even mainly, with the history of the Church. In fact, they have huge sections that are dedicated to Ancient Egyptian material, Greek and Roman sculptures, Etruscan archaeological findings,  Renaissance paintings and other works of art. If you wish to skip the mile-long visitor lines, we suggest you ask your tour operator to purchase your ticket in advance. For your information, on the last Sunday every month admission to the Museums is free.

Sistine Chapel - You have just visited the Vatican Museums and another, even more incredible sight awaits you. Michelangelo's Last Judgement decorates splendidly the ceiling and walls of the Chapel offer a breathtaking view to visitors. Equally magnificent are the frescoes by other Italian artists such as Perugino, Ghirlandaio and Pinturicchio. 

St. Peter's Basilica - This wonderful church, widely regarded as the heart of Christianity, took 120 years to build, but the finished work is absolutely astonishing. All the more so, if you consider that its structural data fed into the AutoCad software (this was created to build the Space Shuttle), came up with an incredible result: St. Peter's Dome should have come down when it was built because it goes against all principles of statics; but incredibly it is still standing there after 4 centuries!



To read another article by Cristiano Rubbi, please click on the specific link below.


Learn Your 8 Musts In A Must-See Tour Of Italy! by Cristiano Rubbi

Learn 10 Ways To Impress Your Friends Just Back From Rome! by Cristiano Rubbi

Learn In 5 Minutes 10 Easy Ways To Tour Rome Without A Hitch! by Cristiano Rubbi

8 Ways To Find Out If Your Italian Travel Service Is Reputable! by Cristiano Rubbi

Have You Seen These Movies On Rome? Do You Wish You Were There? by Cristiano Rubbi

Rome Workshops, Handcraft Stores Spelt Out To You In 10 Minutes! by Cristiano Rubbi

Planning To Visit Rome? Learn 5 Ways How You Can Afford It!  by Cristiano Rubbi


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