So our second day in Roma began with a most delicious breakfast at the cafe on the corner of our street. The place was nice and quiet and the owner was very sweet. Sabrina got an espresso and we both enjoyed some of the best flaky pastries we've ever eaten! Mine was a croissant with an orange/lemon glaze that was absolutely wonderful! And each item was only 1 euro - which is even better!!
After breakfast, we met up with some of the other girls in our group who live really close to us. Then together we all walked to the huge Piazza Navona to meet up with the rest of our crew as well as our tour guide for the day! She was very sweet and told us alot of history behind what we saw, though I admit that having to follow a green flower throughout the city made me feel even more like a tourist...lol.
But the square itself was very cool - it actually isn't a 'square' at all, but is in fact an oblong shape which is a left-over from the ancient circus that used to occupy the space! It was built by the Roman emperor, Domitian, and chariot races as well as violent tournaments would take place here regularly. Of course, over time it has been transformed by popes and the people into the piazza it is today - with a Baroque church dedicated to Saint Agnes who was martyrd in the stadium, as well as three fountains - the main one being right in front (with the Egyptian obelisk...evidently there's like 14 or so throughout the city) and dedicated to four rivers of the then four corners: the Nile, the Ganges, the Danube, and even the Platte in 'The New World'!
The SPQR means 'Senatus Populusque Romanus' which essentially translates to 'The Senate and People of Rome' (and it's all over the city - even on storm drains!). Underneath references Domitian's Stadium...
...and these are some old remains of the Stadium's entrance!
...so cool!!!
Next, we moved on to visit the Archivio di Stato di Roma - basically the National Archives - where evidently there is also a university...I was at the back of the group and didn't really catch that part. But it was a very cool building!
Then we took a few turns and boom! there was the Pantheon! It was very crowded, but totally awesome...
...and look! another 2,000 year-old obelisk from Egypt!
...and then there was this hottie.
Unfortunately we couldn't go into the Pantheon because it actually still acts as a church and mass was being performed (since it's Sunday), but Sabrina and I came back later and snapped some of these shots:
...the open oculus is literally open to the elements - there's no glass or screen at all! But our tourguide said that when it rains, the water turns to mist because it hits all the hot air inside, thus the damage to the floor is essentially non-existant!
...and one fact I had no knowledge of - Raphael is buried here!
...and there is his bust! He only died at the age of 37, but his contribution to the Renaissance and his charm at court made him overwhelmingly popular with the people and the pope, earning him his glorious resting place.
After the Pantheon, our group went on to see several churches - many of which, again, we couldn't go into because of masses going on. But they were cool to see from the outside anyways!
The Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva - basically the church was built sopra or over an ancient temple to the goddess Minerva.
...and look! another obelisk!
these plaques on the church wall shows the different flood levels that have occured over time in Rome. The oldest is the bottom left one - it's written in old gothic script and it's probably six feet high...gives you some perspective...
This building is supposedly where Galileo was tried for his 'heretical' idea of heliocentrism and sentenced with house arrest for the remainder of his life. Now it is a public school! haha.
The Church of Sant'Ignazio - one we actually could go into!
...this oculus was meant to imitate the one in the Pantheon, but it's totally not real - it's all a painted illusion!
See!! This is the view from straight up....so crafty.
We also came to a square where on the side of this building there were all these ancient pillars still intact! Crazy!!
Here's what the pillars were originally a part of - an ancient Roman temple!
Then, continuing on our walking tour, we also stumbled across this beauty! No, it's not Trajan's Column - though I did freak out a bit before I realized it wasn't - but it's actually the Column of Marcus Aurelius! It was completed by 193 AD and is based very closely on Trajan's Column's design - only it commemorates the reign of the later emperor.
This is a statue of St. Paul that probably was originally a bronze figure of Marcus Aurelius but was melted down and transformed in the 16th century.
As we continued on our tour, we were shown some of the nice shops next to this column (which we came and visited a bit later! I even bought a dress and a top at the H&M...couldn't resist!) and I just wanted to show you guys how lovely one of their little indoor malls is...
...look at that ceiling! So pretty!!
And you know what else was pretty? The Trevi Fountain!!
...and here I am with a classmate about to toss that coin over our shoulder into the fountain! Then I am guaranteed to come back to Rome!
...yeah I don't know if I made it...
So, who knows if I'll come back...maybe I'll try again when Tibby gets here!...but some of the other girls were hitting people in the face with their coins so at least I have a bit more hope than they do! haha!
Anyways, after the fountain, we made our way over to our last stop - the Spanish Steps!
And with that, our walking tour of Rome was complete! Even though we didn't see the Colisseum or the Forum like I had thought we would, it was really a good, comprehensive tour. We were all totally turned around - it's much bigger than Florence - but it was good to get a general idea of where everything was!
Afterwards, we all kind of dispersed - like I said before, Sabrina and I did some shopping - clothes and groceries too! - and then decided that our feet hurt and we were hot. lol. We got some sandwiches from a little place near the Pantheon for lunch but eventually headed back home to sit down and rest for the evening...
...this symbol of the She-Wolf is also really popular - like SPQR - since she represents the twins Romulus and Remus...like in Siena!
...and you'd think this fountain would be one to stay away from - but they're all over the place! And they bring in water like the ancient aqueducts that is fresh and cold from the surrounding hills...
...it's so cold and yummy! We need these in Colorado!
So, with full water bottles in hand, we finally made it back to our awesome little apartment where we whipped up our first meal! It was spaghetti and red sauce with freshly-grated parmesan cheese, and a side of fried zucchini!
...it was the perfect end to an even more perfect day...
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