Day 115
Another busy day of adventuring. Today we went to the Roman Forum, right across from the Colosseum. It took us a while to find the entrance to the Roman Forum. After walking around a little we finally found the entrance. Once inside we turned on our trusty Rick Steves audio guides.
The Roman Forum (Latin: Forum Romanum, Italian: Foro Romano) is a rectangular forum (plaza) surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient city referred to this space, originally a marketplace, as the Forum Magnum, or simply the Forum.
It was for centuries the center of Roman public life: the site of triumphal processions and elections; the venue for public speeches, criminal trials, and gladiatorial matches; and the nucleus of commercial affairs. Here statues and monuments commemorated the city's great men. The teeming heart of ancient Rome, it has been called the most celebrated meeting place in the world, and in all history. Located in the small valley between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills, the Forum today is a sprawling ruin of architectural fragments and intermittent archaeological excavations attracting 4.5 million sightseers yearly.
Many of the oldest and most important structures of the ancient city were located on or near the Forum. The Roman kingdom's earliest shrines and temples were located on the southeastern edge. These included the ancient former royal residence, the Regia (8th century BC), and the Temple of Vesta (7th century BC), as well as the surrounding complex of the Vestal Virgins, all of which were rebuilt after the rise of imperial Rome.
As we walked the sky grew dark and it rained hard, then it cleared and the sun came back out and it was warm. Most of the builds that used to be in the Forum are now a crumble of stone piles. But many of the tall columns still stand. One building still in good repair is still closed with its original bronze door dating from the Imperial Era! Quite amazing to see a door still in use for over 1,700 years. While exploring some fountains we found stairs going up to the second level. We walked up and found a nice place to look out over the city of Rome. We then had to leave, because the museum that Mom, Jack and I wanted to get to was closing soon.
We again left Dad, Bria, and Landon who went back home and the rest of us went on our own little adventure. First we stopped at a little shop and got a lunch of sandwiches. Then we headed on our way to The National Roman Museum or Palazzo Massimo alle Terme stopping at some nondescript church on the way of which we can’t even remember the name. To say it was nondescript is only in comparison to all the grand ones we were visiting. Compared to churches or cathedrals here in the states, it was quite fine. Anyway, this National Roman Museum contains, sculptures, tile art (mosaics), and an area underground full of mostly ancient copper, gold, and silver, coins.
First we started looking at the sculptures and tile art. Many of the marble sculptures were just heads, or half of a body; only pieces of once grand works of art. The tile art was many different colors, some using small pieces of colored marble and some using incredibly small tidbits of stone! One room that we walked into all the walls were a mural of one big fruit orchard. Two benches were in the room I sat on one and Jack sat on the other and Mom took a pano of the entire room with us in it. After looking through room after room, we headed to the basement. There is where the coins were displayed in a big vault. The doors were 10-12 inches thick! When I walked into the room I did now know where to start. There were just rows and rows of displays of coins of all shapes and sizes. In a case near the end I found big copper coins all dated 2002(the year I was born). There were also gold blocks underneath saying that all that gold was the same weight as those 8 copper coins.
Mom was just suggesting we go when over the loud speaker a voice said closing in 10 mins. We then walked upstairs and left. We needed to ride the subway back to our home. After getting off the subway Mom wanted to go to St. Paolo’s (Paul’s) Basilica. Walking up to the door we were checked by the police and then allowed to enter. Inside it was dark, with only a few lights on. Above the alter was a picture of Jesus with 2 men on each side. If you are standing at the alter and looking towards the back of the church there is a long hall. On the right side of the hall of a line of confession booths to talk with a priest. On the left side the wall was lined with statues. Frescoed around the ceiling there is a picture of every Pope dating the whole way back to Peter. The current pope is highlighted with a light. They don’t have too many spaces left for succeeding popes! This church is huge and right in the center of it is the apostle Paul’s supposed burial place. There are some ancient fragments of chains under glass that are revered as the ones Paul spoke of in his writings. When we were finished looking around we exited and went home.
