The Moses' Statue at Largo Santa Susanna - a Failed Imitation

On Largo Santa Susanna, a small square connecting the area of Piazza della Repubblica (known to old Romans with the former name of Piazza Esedra) and the area around Via Veneto, there is a fountain, built at the end of the 16th Century by architect Giovanni Fontana, brother of the more famous Domenico. This fountain was built upon an order of the great Pope Sixtus V as one of the fountains of the aqueduct built by him on the old pattern of the one built but the Emperor Alexander Severus, and which took the name of the Pope: Felice. 


What makes this otherwise ordinary fountain (for Rome's standards) special, even if in a somewhat negative way, is the statue standing in the middle niche, depicting Moses, holding the Tables of the Law, and pointing at the water, in the act of ordering it to spring out of the rock. This is a mistake by the sculptor (Leonardo Sormani, nicknamed "Il Bresciano" since he came from the northen Italian city of Brescia) who did not take into consideration the fact that the episode of Tables of the Law came after the one of the water springing it from the rock. 

This mistake, and the non-elegant, non-graceful appearance of the statue, summed to the alleged claims of the sculptor to produce and artwork superior to Michelangelo's masterpiece Moses, that can be found in the church of S. Pietro in Vincoli, made him the target of the mocking of Roman people, who renamed this artwork "The Ridiculous Moses"; this, according to the legend, pushed the uncautious sculptor to suicide. 


If the sight of this artwork has disturbed and amused you, I suggest to walk just 30 meters more, on the corner to Via XX Settembre where, inside the church of S. Maria della Vittoria, where the sight of the Ecstasy of St. Theresa by G. L. Bernini will delight you. 


Related topic link: http://viewsofrome.blogspot.com/2011/11/michelangelos-moses-romes-non-talking.html

Caesar’s Murder – An Unexpected Crime Scene

The story of the murder of Julius Caesar is one of the most famous moments of the Roman history; everybody knows he was assassinated by fellow Senators on the Ides of March (March 15^th) of the year 44 B.C.  who ambushed him in the Senate Hall, thus putting an end to the life of one of the greatest Romans, and, in turn, to the Roman Republic, and paving the way to the foundation of the Empire.

What is less known is that this crime, considered by some the halting of a rising tyrant, by others just another cruel political murder, did not happen in the Senate building that stands nearly untouched in the middle of the Forum (better known as the “Curia Ostilia”), but in a rather neglected archaeological area in Largo di Torre Argentina, called “Curia Pompeii”,  just a few hundreds of meters away from Piazza Venezia, and less of 1 km from the Forum. In that area, now the territory where many street cats live, there are the ruins of several buildings, where it’s identifying four temples, one of which (the “Aedes Fortunae Huiusce Diei” – Temple of the Present Day’s Luck) has a round shape, and it’s easily found because of the remainders of columns which are still standing. Behind that building, is the place where the infamous, history-changing murder took place. 

La Bocca della Verità – Test your Honesty in the Heart of Rome

In the Velabrum Area, under the portico of the Romanic Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, on the left wall, stays the famous “Bocca della Verità”, a round of marble, with a diameter of about 1.80m and an estimated weight over 1 ton, sustained by a Corinthian Capital. 

The face depicted on this artwork is said to be the one of Jove, even if other sources hypotize that it could be the face of a Faunus. 

The stone was actually a manhole cover, probably from the Cloaca Maxima, Rome’s biggest sewer system, designed by the Etruscan Kings back in 6th Century B.C. but was so beautiful that they decided to save if from loss or destruction, relocating it in the church’s outer part. Originally it was kept outside the Basilica’s perimeter, but then in 1631 the Pope Urbanus VIII Barberini, taking advantage of some restoration works that were carried out in the Basilica, decided to move this object inside the church’s portico, in order to protect it from weather aggression and from vandalism in night time. 

Many are the stories and legends related to this object which has, over centuries, become one of Rome’s landmarks: in the Ancient times it was believed to have the power to be an oracle, while in the Middle Age people believed this was the creation of a Mage in order to test people’s honesty, especially in matters of matrimonial fidelity. Whoever put his/her hand in the “mouth” and could safely pull it out, would prove his/her honesty.This belief remained till today, and this is why nowadays we can see long queues of tourists waiting in the line to take a souvenir picture with their hand in the mask’s “mouth”. 

Rome's Talking Statues - 1 - Pasquino

On a small square just south of Piazza Navona, in a corner stands the most famous among Rome's "talking statues": Pasquino. A heavily damaged statue, probably depicting a Greek hero (its conditions make the identification difficult, even if many hypothesis have been made) found in 1501 during the excavation works of the nearby Circus of Domitian (which is right beneath Piazza Navona). 

Since 16th Century, the statue was the place where, during the night, hiding from the policemen's sight, the people posted their criticism against the power and the government, often in the form of short sarcastic poems or short sentences, in the typical Roman humor style, which, since the most ancient times, is known to express itself in short but effective sentences. Such sentences have grown to acquire the dignity of a literary form, the so-called "pasquinate". 


Far from being a simple literary exercise, the "pasquinate" deeply irritated many Popes, who several times attempted to have the overly loquacious statue removed, but always wisely abandoned the project, in order to avoid irritating the people by depriving them of a way to vent their anger and dissatisfaction in a form which, after all, was absolutely harmless for the power itself. 


Even today, Pasquino's statue is still "talking" and it can be an interesting and funny experience to stop by the statue and read the sheets of paper pasted to the statue (often written in Italian, more often in Roman slang) and enjoy some of the traditional Roman humor :)

Monte Testaccio - An Unusual 8th Hill in the Heart of Rome

The borough stretching from the the Pyramid site to the river, which is one of the most popular venues for nightlife and traditional Roman cuisine, has the odd sounding name of "Testaccio". The name comes from a very unique place in the oldest part of this borough: a huge stack of broken Roman jars, wihch, over the centuries, became a real hill, over 50 m tall. And these jars, which in Latin were called "Testae" gave the name to the unusual hill and to the whole borough. 


Such a place was nothing but a "specialized dump": at the nearby river harbor of the "Emporium," docked the "Naves Oleariae" (Oil carrying ships) carrying thousands of jars made of terra-cotta, mainly from the North African coast, off-loaded the jars. In the past it was believed that the broken jars forming the hill were just the one which accidentally broke during the off-loading process, but more recent discoveries showed that the harbor workers intentionally broke them, since oil jars, unlikely others, were not refillable for hygiene and convenience reasons, and stacked them tidily.



In more recent times this artificial hill has been used as venue for celebrations and for religious rites, in particular the Via Crucis taking place every Friday before Easter. The site now is surrounded by restaurants and clubs, some of which are directly under the hill itself. 


At present, the hill is normally closed to visitors because of some instability problems of the structure, but guided visits can be arranged. 

The Pyramid - 3 - A Cat Sanctuary

On the northern side of the Pyramid, attached to the Acatholic  there is an area where, amid ancient columns and other ruins lives one of Rome's oldest colony of street cats, with its foundation dating back to 1850. Street cats are a common sight in Rome, especially in the center's archaelogical areas (such as around the Coliseum, Largo di Torre Agentina, and so on...) where they can live without the risks of traffic. The are usually fed by another typical Roman character: the so-called "Gattara": usually a woman, often an elderly one, who loves cats and takes charge of feeding the ones of the area where she lives. 


In the Feline Colony a group of volunteers formed an association to take care of the cats, and it can be visited daily from 2 till 4 PM. A nice bonus for cat lovers visiting the Pyramid and the neighbouring Acatholic Cemetery.

The Pyramid - 2 - Acatholic Cemetery - A Small Enclave in the Capital of Catholicism

Right behind the Pyramid, on the side where the ancient monument doesn't suffer the siege of everyday traffic, on the side towards the famous and traditional borough of Testaccio, there is a garden, protected by walls. Those walls, separate the rest of Rome from a very unique part of the city. Once entered the gate, the atmosphere changes:  the mind flies to gardens and cemeteries typical of the Anglo-Saxon world, and for a few minutes we can enjoy a change of style in our walk through Rome. 


This is the Acatholic Cemetery, originally built in the 18th century for all those who were non-Catholic. The majority of those buried there are British, Germans, Dutch Protestants, but there are also Russian Orthodox, a few from the Far East (China and Japan) and also a few Atheists, the most famous of whom is the historical Communist leader Antonio Gramsci. 


Among Roman People this place is simply called "The Englishmen's Cemetery" because of the large number of Anglo-Saxon citizen, and especially for the most famous of them: the British poets and writers John Keats and Percy B. Shelley, both buried here. 


A visit to this place, beside offering an unusual view of the Pyramid, without the disturbance of traffic, would be a trip in a small oasis in the Capital of Catholicism.

The Pyramid - 1 - The Spur of Richness

Rome is the only European city to boast a real ancient pyramid. The monument itself is not comparable at all with the marvelous Egyptian pyramids, much larger and way older, still it has its own special technical aspects and interesting story.

The pyramid was built at the beginning of the 1st Century AD by the heirs of Caius Caestius, a rich and powerful Roman man who was part of the syndicate of the "Septemviri Epulones" (A group of people who were in charge of organizing the main celebrations and banquets that had to take place in Rome.

Caius Caestius in his will specified that the heirs would not get any of his wealth, unless they built for him a tomb, reminiscent of that of a Pharaoh, within one year from his death. So the heirs started working at this project, and with the help of skilled technicians, and using the technique of the Roman Concrete, which is especially light and strong, managed to build a pyramid which, depite being only a mere 30 meters tall, has one of the steepest angles among the ancient buildings of this kind. Ancient reports tell us, that the project was completed in a mere 330 days from the death of Caius Caestius, so the heirs could enjoy the inherited, and now well deserved, wealth. 

Stay tuned for more information about this area!

Emanuele

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La Barcaccia - Stranded at the Foot of the Spanish Steps

In Piazza di Spagna, right at the foot of the Spanish Steps, lazily lying in the middle of the beautiful square and somewhat separating the flow of people coming from the shopping street Via (dei) Condotti and the ones coming down from the steps, there is an unusual sculpture of a boat: not a special nor especially beautiful boat, just one of those boats used to cruise on the river.


The credit for this artwork, completed in 1610, goes once again to the great sculptor G. L. Bernini, who was hired by the reigning Pope Urbano VIII Barberini (in the picture in the front part of the boat it's visible the Shield of the Barberini family, with the 3 Bees, with the Triregnum (Papal crown) and the crossed keys, symbol of Papal dignity). The Pope wanted to provide the area with a new fountain, after the expansion of the Vergine Aqueduct, and no location could be better than that one, since it was right on the water pipelines. In fact, the nearby street "Via dei Condotti" translates exactly as "Pipeline street".


Bernini once again starts his work wanting to provide the city with another demonstration of his genius and creativity, and, remembering that in the previous disastrous flood of 1598, one of the many that scourged Rome until the construction of the walls along the Tiber in 19th century, a river boat was carried all the way there by the flood, and when the water retreated, the boat remained there. Roman people immediately called the sculpture "La Barcaccia" ("The Bad Boat") and started loving this fountain remembering the times when Rome was often victim of floods.
Bernini (Penguin Art and Architecture)

The Fraschetta - Rise, Fall & Rebirth of a Typical Roman-Style Tavern

The "Fraschetta" (Literally translates from Roman slang as "Little tree branch", and takes its name from the tree branch that shopkeepers used to put outside their shopes and along the roads to signal  the presence of the business), for centuries has been one of the most popular form of tavern, especially for the lower classes. 


Abandoned, and virtually vanished after the end of World War II, because considered part of the "old world," grossly unrefined, provincial, and somewhat recalling the poorer times in the psychology of post-war Italians, it rised once again to great fortune at the end of the 90s, when people rediscovered more traditional ways of eating and being together. 


Situated mainly in the area on the hills south of Rome called "Castelli Romani," (Mainly in Aricca and Frascati) home to famous vineyards producing the finest wines of the region, these businesses, often offering also space to sit outside during the warm season, in the past only served wine and soft drinks, and people could bring their own food. Over time, with improving of the average social conditions, those places turned into small restarants, serving starters consisting of cold cuts (including the wonderful locally-produced "Porchetta", whole roast pork with crispy skin), preserved and fresh vegetables, and a range of the famous Roman first courses. (Carbonara, Amatriciana, Cacio & Pepe and so on).


A visit to a Fraschetta is strongly advised if you are looking for a relaxed and cheerful environment and some traditional dishes at an affordable price.
Ancient Rome: from the earliest times down to 476 A. D.

The Little Elephant in Piazza della Minerva - A Revenge Made of Marble

The great Sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini, master of the Baroque in Rome, was hired to build a pedestal for a small Egyptian obelisk that was found during some excavations in Rome (probably as part of an ancient Circus), because the obelisk itself was not tall enough to stand in the middle of Piazza della Minerva. 


The great artist started his work, but he was annoyed by the crowds, who gathered around him, attracted by the great fame of the Maestro. Bernini, who did not love popularity, shouted at people: "What is so interesting to look at? I am not an elephant!" Because elephants were exotic animals who attracted crowds at the time... 


During his work, a bitter discussion arose between the artist and the Abbot of the Dominican Convent, which is right on the square... 


From these 2 events the great artist got the inspiration for his artwork: a white elephant with an angry face, dressed in Egyptian way to blend with the obelisk style, but looking backwards with hatred and pointing his ass right towards the convent, as a sign of despising against the nagging Abbot.


Here is how Bernini made a revenge out of a block of marble...
Bernini

The Miracle of the Snow - Birth of a Basilica

The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore is one of the "Seven Churches", i.e. one of the Seven Papal Basilicas that pilgrims coming to Rome must visit to complete their pilgrimage. 


This church is the first one dedicated to the worship of the Virgin Mary, and dates back to the 5th Century A.D.


The legend has it that the site for the construction was chosen by God himself. In the year 431 the Council of Efes decreed the divine maternity of Mary, so the reigning Pope of that time, Liberius, decided to build a Basilica in Her honor, with the financial help of the Roman patrician Johannes, whose daughter, some sources refer, was very ill and healed by a miracle. 


With the Papal Decree, and the financial support, the Basilica was ready to be built, but Pope Liberius still did not know where to start the construction, so God came to his help with a miracle: in the morning of August 5th of the year 432 an absolutely unusual snowfall capped the top of the Exquilinus hill, and this was the signal for Pope Liberius to start the construction of his Basilica, on an area that in the past was a market ("Macellum liviae"). These events gave the Basilica the two other names of "Basilica of St. Mary of the Snow" and "Basilica Liberiana". 


This event is celebrated every August 5th throwing down white flower petals (mainly roses) from the top of the Basilica's façade. In more recent years, the celebration was integrated by laser projections on the Basilica itself, making it a really sparkling and unusual night scenery out of one of Rome's most classic views. 


Related topic link: http://viewsofrome.blogspot.com/2011/12/santa-maria-maggiore-2-worlds-most.html
Santa Maria Maggiore e Roma (Italian Edition)

Foro Boario - The Mistaken Temples - 2 (The Rectangular Temple)

Just a few meters from the Round Temple in the direction of the Campidoglio hill, there is another temple in very good conditions, with a more "classical" rectangular shape, more similar to the standard Greek temple. Just like its Round neighbour, the Rectangular Temple has been mistaken over the centuries for a different temple, namely the Temple of Viril Fortune. The reason that impeded further investigation was that the Temple has been used as a church (Santa Maria Egiziaca, where the Armenian community used to gather) but then it was closed in the 30s, and transformed again into an archaelogical site. 

Further excavations and the removal of many frescoes and other Christian decorations showed that this temple was dedicated to Portunus, a minor God who protected the workers of the local harbour on the river, which was a bustling spot where all the merchandise coming from all over the Mediterranean came ashore to be sold in the markets of the City. Evidence of this incredibly ancient trade are fragments of jars from Asia and Africa, the oldest of which date back to the 10th or 11th century B.C. (!) over 3 centuries before the foundation of Rome. 

Foro Boario - The Mistaken Temples - 1 (The Round Temple)

On the left bank of the Tiber, in the low area between the area occupied by the Circus Maximus and the river itself, designated since the most ancient times as "Velabrum"(I will write a dedicated post about this area) in the part closest to the river bank, there are 2 temples in very good conditions, one of round shape, the other of rectangular shape, forming the so called "Foro Boario" (Translates roughly as "Cattle Market"); from relics found in the area it appeared that such trade was carried out there even before the foundation of Rome. 

What these two buildings have in common, beside the surprising good conditions, is that both of them have been mistaken for centuries, for other buildings, and only in more recent times the researchers found proof of the actual history and purpose of these 2 temples. 

The Round Temple, right opposite of the ancient basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, a structure with columns made of Greek (slightly pinkish) and Italian (white) marble, until 20th Century was thought to be dedicated to the Roman Goddess Vesta, protector of Households, who was always worshipped in round temples, with in its center a sacred fire, taken care of by virgin priestesses (Vestales) who were among the most respected women in Rome and who could not marry before the age of 40, when their service ended, but who risked death by being buried alive if they let the sacred fire go off.  

Only at the end of 20th century, further excavation unveiled documents that showed that the temple was actually dedicated to Hercules, and was called "Great Altar of Hercules the Victor" even if the actual altar is now situated in the basement of the Basilica of S. M. in Cosmedin, right across the street. 

Turtles' Fountain in Piazza Mattei: A penniless Duke is still a Duke

In the area of the City on the left bank of the river Tiber, not far from the Jewish borough, there is one of those unexpected little treasures that make walking in Rome so interesting. 


In a small square called Piazza Mattei there is a small fountain with, among other decorations, four turtles in the upper part (said to be added later by Bernini). This little fountain is  the object of one of Rome's nicest legends: The young Duke Mattei, from one of the noblest Roman families was engaged to the daughter of a rich bourgeois of Rome, but this lad also had the passion of gambling, and, not long before the wedding date, he lost all of his properties on an unlucky night playing cards. When the future bride's father heard this news, he refused to let the guy marry his daughter. The young Duke Mattei, to impress his future father-in-law, and to show that a member of a Roman noble family could enjoy unlimited credit despite being penniless, had that fountain built in just one night. The girl's father, having no other choice but to recognize the Duke's honorability, consented to the wedding, but had the window of his palace overlooking the fountain closed forever with bricks, in order not to be reminded of his defeat. The window is still closed nowadays.

More recent historical investigation found out that this is nothing more than a really nice legend: in fact the palace was built about 30 years after the fountain, which was ordered by the Government after the extension of the Vergine Aqueduct (the one that also supplies the famous Trevi Fountain)... 

Fettuccine Alfredo: Story of a Roman dish unknown in Rome

It's always a funny and slightly embarrassing scene to watch when some foreigner, especially from the USA, where this dish is very famous, stopping at a Roman restaurant, orders "Fettuccine Alfredo", and all he gets in return from the waiter is a stare.

And indeed the credit goes to two American citizens who worked in Hollywood in making this simple recipe known worldwide. Pasta with butter and Parmesan cheese it's a very common dish in Roman families, and it's often prepared when there is not enough time to prepare a more sophisticated sauce or when someone is not feeling well. In fact, at the time when Mrs. Pickford and Mr. Fairbanks "discovered" the dish, the restaurant's owner's wife was pregnant, and she was eating that kind of pasta, having problems in keeping food down. 

The recipe became famous, so the restaurant's owner (Alfredo di Lelio) gave his name to this dish, making it famous abroad, and adding to the recipe the "Double Butter" which means adding butter not only in the bowl where pasta is mixed (as per the traditional recipe) but adding more of it directly on the serving dish. making the whole dish creamier. 

The Restaurant serving the original "Fettuccine Alfredo" is still open after many years, and beside the traditional venue in Via della Scrofa ("Alfredo alla Scrofa") - not far from the Pantheon and Piazza Navona) there is a "new" one in Piazza Augusto Imperatore, a square along Via del Corso where it is also possible to see Emperor Augustus' tomb and, just a few more meters away, the "Ara Pacis" (Altar of Peace) built by the same Emperor to celebrate his family and ancient Rome's longest peace period. 

In all other restaurants, if you wish to enjoy the nearest thing to "Fettuccine Alfredo" just order "Fettuccine Burro e Parmigiano" (Fettuccine with Butter & Parmesan cheese), unless you enjoy watching the waiter's puzzled face :)

Buon Appetito!

Emanuele

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The Angel on Top of Castel Sant'Angelo - Dreams come True (12 centuries later)

The bronze statue on top Castel Sant'Angelo (formerly tomb of the Emperor Hadrian) It's one of Rome's icons, still it can be interesting to take a closer look to it. 

The first interesting aspect is the position the Angel is in: he is in the act of putting his sword back into the scabbard. This statue is actually the materialization of a dream: it depicts a vision had by Pope Gregorius Magnus (Gregory I the Great, 6th Century A.D.) who was worried by a plague which hit the population of Rome and which seemed to be neverending. The Pope understood this plague was a punishment sent by God for the wrong behaviour of the Romans, but also that the plague was about to end because he saw the Angel Michael was putting his sword away, after such a dream, he ordered a procession to beg forgiveness, and the plague suddenly ended. 

This vision and the related miracle stayed in the heart and in the tales of the Roman people, so long that the statue we can admire today was erected only in rhw middle of 18th Century A.D. Later in the same century, the Bell of Mercy was added, a Bell used to announce the execution of death penalty sentences which, in that era, were quite frequent.

Welcome to my Blog!

Welcome to my Blog!

This blog is an attempt to show less known places, stories and traditions of Rome, which nonetheless contribute to forming the unique and multi-faceted culture of Rome. 

The sources for my posts are works from famous Historians such as Mommsen, Maes, etc and from the Ancient Authors Such as Titus Livius (Livy). Tacitus, etc.) and from my work of gathering oral traditions, legends and tales, both in libraries and in the streets. 


This Blog also includes posts on all aspects of Rome life, people, cuisine, lifestyle and so on...

All comments and suggestions are welcome! Unfortunately the little poll gadget in the right hand side of the page has been retired, but if you have any special interests, just let me know in the comments, and I will try to   post more about your preferred section. 


I hope you will enjoy reading my Blog... 

Emanuele
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