Day Four: Friday within the Octave of Easter, Rome

Plans for the day:
- take out cash (forgot yesterday)
- arrange taxi/transportation for Sat AM flight (leave 6AM?)

- Colosseum (9AM?)

- Trastevere (Churches x 2, lunch)

- Vatican Museums (12:30?)

- St. Peter's Basilica (3:30 - 4:30)

- Dinner near Vatican? (sketch and write?)

If yesterday went horribly wrong, though still entertaining if you like being lost and slightly panicked, today went exceedingly well. Actually beyond what I expected. It all started with having a plan and deciding to use a map. If you want to know what not to do when exploring Rome, take off on foot without bothering to diligently follow a map. I had one with me the day before but didn't use it very effectively. Actually, I had several maps, but neglected to refer to them for all the small alleys that are not listed in the travel books. For some reason the previous day I also had trouble finding street signs, though I think I gave up looking for them a little too easily, relying instead on what I thought was my innate sense of direction and being too easily swayed by a naive idea of adventure.

What does work well however, is to refer to a good detailed (emphasis) map to navigate areas that are the least familiar and refer to it frequently. Check the road you are on. It can be hard to find and there is no mention in the travel guides on how to look for road signs in Rome. Most streets ("Via") are posted at intersections on plaques, mounted on buildings. Check the crossroads at each intersection to make sure you are a) on the correct road, b) heading in the right direction, c) that you haven't gone too far and missed your turnoff. Also, when turning onto a different street, make sure you know whether to go left or right, as it is easy to have the map the wrong way around. In these cases simply switch it so that it reads in the correct orientation. I realize that this all seems highly simplistic and a bit overly obvious, but it sounds much easier until you go to put it into practice.

Yesterday's confusion was due to being completely disoriented once I had walked several blocks down the alleys and made a couple of turns. I didn't realize how disoriented until it was late and I was trying to navigate my way back to the convent. But today starts with the firm resolution to be much more organized about the whole thing.

The day started with rain. I had learned my lesson from the day before, and decided not to spend my day soaking wet. I bought an umbrella at a tourist convenience store for 4 Euros. I also bought a postcard, which ended up being 2 Euros. Not sure how a postcard could cost half the price of an umbrella. But the card had a picture of Padre Pio on it, with some gold glitter, so I couldn't pass it up. (I found some other postcards later in the day for about 0.20 Euros, which was a more appropriate price.) Of course it stopped raining around 9:30 am and it was warm and sunny all day and into the evening, but I packed the umbrella around with me all day.

I walked down Via delle Fornaci, and crossed over the Ponte Principe to the other side of the Tiber River, following the arrows that I had placed on my map. On the way I passed several churches and streets that I had visited yesterday. I made my way to the waterfront, walking along Lungotever dei Cenci toward the Jewish Quarter.

The Jewish community in Rome developed through migration around the second century b.c. Roman Jews started to experience persecutions around the first century a.d., after Judea was invaded by the Romans. The community experienced varying degrees of freedom and protection under the Church in the Middle Ages. In 1555 however, a Papal bull forced the Jewish community to live under strict regulations in a very small enclosed area. The walls of the ghetto were eventually torn down in 1848 and the inhabitants were granted full rights and citizenship. The Fascist and Nazi regimes of 1930's - 1940's would bring further persecution, with many being sent to concentration camps. On April 13th, 1986, John Paul the Second paid a historical visit to the Jewish Synagogue in the ghetto, deploring in his speech acts of anti-semitism throughout history. This was the first time a Pope had visited a synagogue. (1-5)

The Synagogue of Rome was built on what was then some of the most squalid land of the ghetto, and completed in 1904. As I approached from the west, it was catching pale morning sun, as it faces out toward the river, across from Tiber Island. The building stands out from the surrounding architecture and has been described as Neo-Babylonian and Art Noveau, with a square metal roof that distinguishes it from the domes of churches. Palm trees planted near its entrance further distinguish it from its surroundings. (6), (7) From the synagogue I turned down one of the alleys that ran vaguely in the direction of the Forum. The alley eventually came to an end, where a section of ancient Rome was being preserved by walkways that run past and over ruins. I turned back onto one of the busier roads that runs through the ghetto, passing small kosher shops, bakeries and eateries. People were just starting their day, and chatting to each other as they passed by. Many of the places looked tempting to stop for something to eat, but it was still too early for lunch.

I eventually made my way over to the Colosseum, taking some time to figure out when I got there, which line was moving the fastest. I was happy to discover that my Forum ticket from yesterday was accepted for free entrance, and walked in to the dark and cool interior, looking for the stairs leading up into the Colosseum. It seemed as if I was the only person traveling alone, as everyone else was either with families, school groups, or large tourist groups (as identified by the placards the leaders would hold or the coloured kerchiefs the groups wore.) The view is quite impressive as you emerge from the tunnel into the Colosseum. I spent about 30 minutes walking around the perimeter and viewing it from different levels. A partial reconstruction of the floor allowed viewers a sense of what Romans would have been looking at almost two thousand years before. Most of what you look down onto however, is the maze of tunnels that were created below the surface of the Colosseum, for the transportation of animals and gladiators.

Though the Colosseum was interesting, I quickly moved on as there were a number of other places I wanted to visit. I walked down Via di S. Gregorio and past the Arch of Constantine again, turning onto Via dei Cerchi. The street ran along a long wide grassy promenade, which was banked on either side and had a raised middle section that ran the length. Unlike probably every other tourist who knew this to be the site of the Circus Maximus, I assumed that this used to be a major road in Rome, and was trying to picture what structures and buildings would have surrounded it. I descended sunken marble steps onto the grassy area, walking up the raised partition, and back down the other side to the other bank. Once on the other side I had a look back toward the crumbling walls of Palatine Hill.

The Circus Maximus was built between the Aventine and Palatine Hills in the 7th century for the Etruscan Queens. The marshy valley was drained to make way for the arena, that by Julius Caesar's time would hold up to 270,000 spectators. The Circus is oval shaped, with a median running down the centre. The main sport was chariot racing which was fairly dangerous and often could result in death. It is believed that the majority of the Christian martyrdoms also occurred at the Circus Maximus.(8), (9) There is very little of the original structure left, out of which you can imagine what it would have been like during the height of Rome.

Turning from the Circus Maximus, I walked up winding roads that led to the top of Aventine Hill, which on the other side overlooks the Tiber. Descending the hill and negotiating traffic, I joined Lungotevere Aventino which runs along the river. From there it was a short walk north-east to Ponte Palatino which is the bridge that crosses into Trastevere.

I had read in the travel guide that Trastevere was well worth visiting, and the taxi driver from the airport had given it glowing remarks as well. But it was mostly for two significant churches in the area, Santa Maria in Trastevere and Santa Cecelia that I had intended to go there. Both were listed in the guide book's "The Best of Rome in Two Days" section (which coincidentally was all the time I had,) in addition to being mentioned later in the book when describing significant areas. Trastevere was described in my guide as a "not to be missed" older neighborhood, "insular" in feel and retaining much of its ancient charm. I found that it lived up to its reputation and more. (10)

Once in the tightly compact neighborhood, I discovered beautiful alley-ways with historical and well preserved architecture, often housing high-end retail shops and many expensive and mid-range restaurants and coffee shops. The alleys were even smaller than those I had experienced so far in Rome, and I found that I needed to constantly refer to my map to avoid getting lost. It was tricky to navigate, even with a map listing road names, but after several wrong turns and re-starts, I found the most difficult to find church in the world, Santa Cecilia.

The guide book doesn't give you the full details of her life, but St. Cecilia was a second or third century martyr. The details of her history are somewhat clouded, but tradition holds that she was the daughter of a senatorial family in Rome. She was married to a young man though was able to maintain her vow of virginity. She soon converted her husband, along with his brother to Christianity. Her husband and his brother were condemned to death for their faith, as was Cecilia soon after. Roman officials tried to have her suffocated and when that failed, had an executioner attempt to behead her. After three blows with the sword, she was left still alive, and remained in that state for another three days, distributing alms to the poor and requesting that her house be converted to a church. Pope Urban buried her in the Catacomb of Callistus. She is considered the patron saint of musicians and often appears in art with an instrument. (11), (12)

The present 18th century church is built on the site of two original churches and that of her house. Cecilia's body, which was found in an uncorrupted state, was moved to the present site in the ninth century, along with that of her husband's and his brother's. Her body was exhumed again in 1599 during restoration to the church, and was still found to be uncorrupted (there are over a hundred recorded incorruptible saints, Cecilia being one of the first.) (13) A sculptor created a statue that replicated the position of the body as they found it, including the cut along her neck, which makes for a emotionally moving piece of art and a strong testament to the story or her martyrdom.

The church itself, a basilica, which is rectangular in shape, is slightly unassuming from the outside, but beautiful and calm once you step in. I found the interior to be decorative but sparse, with no fixed pews. Natural light comes in high near the ceiling which is just enough to subtly light the white, gold and grey colour scheme. Her statue lays encased at the foot of the altar, just in front of the choir. Below the altar is a crypt, remnants of two Roman houses, and early Christian sarcophagi. A small museum fee lets you down a short flight of stairs to see the excavations and for a close view through the iron fence of the crypt where the bodies of the three martyrs lie, along with the martyr Maximus and Popes Urban and Lucius. The crypt is richly decorated with marble columns and a highly ornamented vaulted ceiling. (14)

After a short but peaceful visit to Santa Cecilia, I navigated rather slowly toward Santa Maria in Trastevere. It was rather hot, and I made a short stop at a chic coffee shop, ordering an egg sandwich and a bottle of water. The sandwich was on marbled bread and the crusts were removed. I also took the time to put on more sunscreen as it must have been well over 30 degrees Celsius. After some more wrong turns and retracing of my steps I found Santa Maria Basilica in a shady piazza.

I arrived just as a large crowd was gathering outside the Basilica to conclude the end of a wedding. There was music and singing, while the newly weds said goodbye to everyone and then climbed onto a moped and drove off. How much more classic Italian can you get? It was a bit like a movie, I was waiting for Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn to appear around the corner soon...

Santa Maria was the first church in Rome dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was built under a different name around the second or third century, destroyed in a fire during the sack of Rome in 410, and then repaired and dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the fifth century. Several restorations occurred later, along with the addition of a crypt that holds the bodies of popes Calixtus, Julius 1, and Cornelius. Most of the building dates from the remodeling done in the 13th century. Large Roman columns flank the centre aisle, and rich mosaics and frescoes covered the walls and apse vault. The bright gold ceiling was covered with an intricate ornamented pattern. There was almost too much to look at as every inch was decorated, richly painted, or covered with marble. A Baroque styled side chapel gave even more subject matter for pictures. (15) The church was very popular, filled with visitors and tourists, most who were taking photos and wandering around, with some sitting quietly in the pews.

Upon leaving Santa Maria Basilica, I turned north , heading toward the river. Along the way I stopped shortly at a very dark and old chapel, which gave me some peace and rest until the priest politely asked me to leave as they were closing up. I entered back out into the sun and heat, and found my way to Lungotevere Giancolense, which is the road that follow the river. Giancolense and has about eight different names, depending on where exactly you are on the road. As it nears the Vatican, which is a fair ways to walk from Trastevere, it turns into either Via Penitenzieri or Via di P. ta S. Spirito - not really sure which name is commonly used, as both are listed on the map.

The line for the Vatican Museums, which is located a good walking distance from St. Peter's square on the north side of the Vatican walls, had dwindled down to a respectable size. It didn't take long to get in, pay my entrance and go through the security check. Once inside I was a little too over excited and overwhelmed. It was early evening and they would be closing in a couple hours, so I had limited time to spend with all the art and artifacts. A thorough read of the guide book indicated where I should likely spend most of my time, which was with the paintings in the Pinacoteca (picture gallery.)

The paintings were of course, impressive; from the 12th and 13th century images of martyrs (being boiled alive etc,) to Raphael's Transfiguration, large scale tapestries that looked three-dimensional, Leonardo's St. Jerome, Caravaggio's dramatic lighting in "Deposition of the Cross," an emotionally distressing but beautiful image of the martyrdom of St. Erasmus, and several moving paintings of St. Sebastian - one in particular where an arrow is being pulled gently from his arm - in addition to many other works, but too many to name.

In the Pinacoteca, there are 18 rooms alone. Throughout the rest of the museum, there are five other major sections (actually called museums in themselves), not counting the wings and hallways that are filled with art and artifacts. Conscious of the time, I skipped eating at the cafeteria, but did take a short break to stroll outside onto an open patio that overlooked the Vatican gardens. I then spent the next hour or so wandering somewhat hurriedly throughout the various rooms, spending a bit too much time trying find out how to reach the Egyptian section, which by the time I did, discovered that it was closed. Continuing the tour, I found that the The Etruscan section in particular was intriguing, with a gold breastplate from a 2,500 year old tomb, oxidized and re-assembled bronze armour, and the most delicate gold foil wreaths and crowns. (16) If I had more time I would have stayed longer in this section. As you make your way through the crowds that flow toward the Sistine Chapel, you pass through the Gallery of Maps which is a long hallway. The maps are large scale and fascinating to examine. These beautiful, colorful maps are topographical depictions of 16th century Italy, completed in a period of three years by friar Ignazio Danti as a Papal commission. (17)

Next were the Raphael Rooms, which contain frescoes that cover every square inch of the walls and ceilings. Originally part of the Papal Apartments, these four rooms were painted by Raphael and his school between 1508 and 1524. Each room had a particular use, whether for receptions, official ceremonies, private audiences, private office, library, or court meetings. (18) The rooms were stunning, surrounding you entirely with depictions of historical, political, and religious events.

From the Raphael Rooms, I turned through a small doorway into the Sistine Chapel. The first thing I noticed, besides that it really was quite small, was that though the museum attendants and posted signs reminded you not to talk or take pictures, people consistently did both. The attendants would systematically "shush" the crowd, who would be silent for a few seconds, until whispers started and then it would built into a low hum of voices, then reaching a noticeable pitch, at which point we would be shushed again, and then it would start all over.

I was fortunate to visit after Michelangelo's ceiling had been painstakingly restored (though there was some controversy over the methods and approach used in the restoration.) (19) It was very impressive, especially if you think about the process that went into creating the work (mental note to rent "The Agony and the Ecstasy.") I spent quite some time looking all round and above me, twisting my head every direction, trying to take it all in. I also thought about the Papal conclaves that met here to elect Popes, imagining what it must be like, how it would be set up, and which end the Cardinals would enter from.

Soon we were being ushered from the Chapel and out through the last few rooms. I managed to stop and take a photograph of one of the highly decorated rooms, waiting for one of the last batch of visitors to pass through before taking the picture.

By now St.Peter's Basilica did not have a lineup, so I was able to quickly make my way in (after mistakenly walking into the bag check area first.) The Basilica is huge. Really huge. The sense of scale is amazing as you walk past the giant columns. According to a website about the Basilica, and if I counted correctly, there are 6 chapels, 25 altars, and 65 monuments or statues. And that is the main floor, not including the necropolis below that contains a large number of chapels and tombs. (20)

Michelangelo's "Pieta" (1499) is found just to the right of the entrance. Probably one of the best known religious works of art, it had suffered some damage from a man whom attacked it with a hammer in 1972. The sculpture was repaired and is now enclosed behind an unbreakable acrylic glass panel.(21) The work is justifiably well know, as it is executed very well, and it was unfortunate that visitors had to view it from a distance. Plus it made photographing somewhat difficult.

Looking directly up the centre aisle (Nave) about two thirds of the way is found Bernini's "Baldacchino" (1633) which is a 95 foot canopy with twisting bronze columns that surrounds the papal altar. Directly below the altar is several other previous altars and the tomb of St. Peter. In front of the monument, stairs which were roped off, lead from the left and right sides down into the necropolis.

I wandered past most of the statues and monuments, and through many of the side chapels. Confessions were being heard in the right transept. I thought about going, but lacked some nerve and also realized that I had not prepared myself and had little time before they would close. There was so much to see and look at that I did not know where to spend my time. Though it was difficult with the lighting, I took as many photos as I could, including the incorruptible body of Blessed Pope Innocent XI whose hands and face were coated with silver. (22), (23) I tried to slowly make my way to the exit, but we were being ushered by the guards who effectively moved everyone out quickly. Upon exiting St. Peter's, most of the crowd moved off to the right to take a few pictures of, or with, two of the Swiss Guards before the sun had completely set.

I found a small coffee shop directly across from St. Peter's square where I bought a sandwich and two scoops of gelato in a cone (hazelnut and pistachio.) It was the best gelato I have had, which I ate before my sandwich, while sitting on the steps of the Vatican. The late evening was very warm, with heat still emitting from the flagstones. The crowds had dwindled down and it was much quieter and peaceful. The basilica, papal palace and fountains in the court yard were well lit, which allowed for some last photographs of Rome.

After a short while I headed back to the convent, paid for my stay, and asked Sr. Mini if she could arrange a taxi to the airport for 6:30am.

Blessed Pope Innocent XI

Vatican fountain at night

Nun and woman talking at the Vatican

Dome of St. Peter's Basilica

Etruscan gold brestplate

(1) http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/destinations/italy/jewish_legacy.htm

(2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Ghetto

(3) http://www.romanhomes.com/your_roman_vacation/quarters/jewish-quarter.htm

(4) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews_in_the_Middle_Ages

(5) http://www.nytimes.com/1986/04/14/international/europe/14POPE.html

(6) http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/destinations/italy/ghetto.htm

(7) Frommer's Rome day by day, pgs. 69-70

(8) http://www.destination360.com/europe/italy/circus-maximus

(9) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circus_Maximus

(10) Frommer's Rome day by day, pgs. 15, 58

(11) http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03471b.htm

(12) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Cecilia

(13) http://www.overcomeproblems.com/incorruptables.htm

(14) http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-convent-of-santa-cecilia-in-trastevere.htm

(15) http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-santa-maria-in-trastevere.htm

(16) Frommer's Rome day by day, p. 50

(17) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatican_Museums

(18) http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/SDR/SDR_00_Main.html

(19) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restoration_of_the_Sistine_Chapel_frescoes

(20) http://www.saintpetersbasilica.org/floorplan.htm

(21) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pietà_(Michelangelo)

(22) http://www.saintpetersbasilica.org/Altars/StSebastian/StSebastian.htm

(23) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incorruptibility