Discover Roma

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Discover Roma

Author: Giuseppe Longo | Total views: 60 | Word Count: 2073 | Category: Recreation and Leisure | Date: Jan 6th 2007

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Rome is full of history everywhere you look. It has many ancient monuments, interesting medieval churches, beautiful fountains, museums, and Renaissance palaces, most visibly the Colosseum, and the Forum and Palatine Hill; but from here there's sequence of monuments- from early Christian basilicas and Romanesque churches to Renaissance palaces and the fountains and churches of the Baroque period.

No city in the world is as beautiful as Rome, and few as glamorous.

Arrival
Rome is located approximately in the middle of the Italian peninsula and therefore is easily reached either from the north or from the south of the country. The capital is well connected to the rest of Italy and the world, thanks to the two airports and the excellent highway and train systems.

By plane:
Fiumicino "Leonardo da Vinci" (FCO)
Officially named Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Fiumicino is a major port of call for intercontinental as well as national and European flights. The airport is situated 32km from the city, close to the sea.

The airport is very well connected to Roma Termini station by the Leonardo Express train, with departures every 30 minutes or by metro FM1, with some stops, to Roma Tiburtina. Between 11.30pm and 5am there is a Cotral night bus linking Fiumicino to Stazione Termini and Stazione Tiburtina. A shuttle bus connects the parking with arrivals and departures from terminal A, B and C.

Ciampino Airport (CIA)
Ciampino is the second airport of Rome and is mainly used by low-cost airlines. To get to the city you must first take a Cotral bus (every half hour) and then subway A from Anagnina station. Also available is the Terravision Shuttle in conjunction with Ryanair and Easy-Jet flights.

By train:
The capital's main station is Roma Termini: from here depart the majority of fast long distance trains (Eurostar, Intercity, Espressi) to all points in Italy. From Termini buses take off for all destinations and there is a subway stop also. Some trains, especially night ones, come and go from Roma Tiburtina. It is the second train station in Rome and is reachable from Termini by bus and by metro. For times please consult the Trenitalia site or call the green number 89 20 21.

By car:
Rome is circumscribed in its entirety by a ring road (Raccordo Anulare) where highways coming from all parts of Italy meet. Those coming from Naples and from the South generally must travel the whole length of highway A1. For those coming from the North of Italy, from Tuscany or Umbria, follow A1 "Autostrada del Sole" up to the capital. From Genoa, Pisa and from the Tyrrhenian coast take A12 up to Rosignano and continue on Superstrada S1 "Aurelia" up to Rome. From Pescara and from the Adriatic coast you must take A24/A25 up to destination.

History and Culture
Ancient Romans believed their city had been founded on 21 April 753 BC, and more recent archaeological discoveries pretty much back this up. According to myth, the city was founded by the twin sons of Mars, god of war, and Rhea Silvia, princess and (until meeting Mars) vestal virgin. The twins, Romulus and Remus, were abandoned on the shores of the Tiber and brought up by a she-wolf. The story goes that the first city center sprang up in 753 B.C. on the Palatine hill, built by Romulus after he had killed his twin brother Remus.Romulus was the first of the seven kings of Rome, who started off the basic characteristics of this city that would go on to make Rome powerful throughout the ancient world.

The non-mythical city was ruled by Etruscan kings until 510 BC, when it became a republic. By the 2nd century BC the city controlled central and southern Italy, had defeated the rival empire of Carthage and was poised to take over the whole Mediterranean. But as Rome became more powerful abroad, its citizens got more uppity at home - the city suffered several civil wars, with the last wrapping up on the Ides of March, 44 BC, when Brutus backstabbed Julius Caesar.

The Emperor Octavius Augustus brought Rome to its golden era: a lengthy period of peace and stability, which was celebrated with monumental works of art.
Many emperors came after him, each of whom was famous for some work, conquest or edict. Under Traianus, the empire enjoyed its period of maximum expansion and reached as far as ruling land that stretched from the Danube to the Nile.

With the rise of Christianity in the 4th century, Rome lost much of its secular power but became the centre of a new empire, Christendom. The Bishop of Rome was named successor to Saint Peter (or, in other words, Pope). Many of the city's large basilicas - such as Santa Croce, Santa Maria Maggiore, San Pietro and San Sebastiano - were built around this time.

The Church's power continued to increase and Rome became the representation of this power on earth. Between 1300 and 1600, many churches were built, beautifully painted with frescoes by Renaissance artists such as Raffaello and Michelangelo. Crowds of pilgrims flocked to the Eternal City from all over the world to admire its Baroque squares, its fountains and its monumental basilicas.

In 410, the Barbarian invasions began, but in truth the citizens themselves did more damage, stripping many of the city's fine buildings for their marble. The Western Roman Empire bit the dust in 476 when Odoacer deposed Emperor Romulus Augustulus - from this time on power moved east, and Germanic and Byzantine empires bickered over authority over Rome. In the late 8th century, Pope Stephen II backed up the claims of Frankish king Pepin the Short that he was the chosen of God, and in return received a parcel of land around Rome. The alliance became known as the Holy Roman Empire - combining the power of church and state.

Modern History:
After the patriotic unrest that started in 1848 and which was headed by Garibaldi, a plebiscite approved the annexing of Rome to the Kingdom of Italy in 1870, which set up its official center in the city soon after.

Starting from 1920, Rome , During Mussolini's rule, Rome took on Fascist airs, puffing out its chest with wide boulevards and overblown architecture, Dreams of imperial glory led Mussolini to form an alliance with Germany during WWII, after Italy was liberated by the Allies during the Second World War, a referendum held on June 2nd 1946 sanctioned the end of the monarchy and the beginning of the Republic.

City Transport
Rome has an extensive bus and metro system (Metripolitana) so you can easily get almost anywhere on public transportation. Be aware of pickpockets when riding in crowded subway cars. There is a good transportation map, Roma that's worth buying if you plan to use public transportation. Look for it in tourist offices, newspaper stands, or souvenir shops.

Buses run from around 06:00 to 24:00, with some services running throughout the night. The city's Metro service (which is convenient for many of Rome's sights) has two lines, A (red) and B (blue), both of which go through Termini.. Unfortunately, The metro automatic ticket machines only take exact change so it is recommended that you buy your ticket from a tobacconist, newsstand or vending machine before you get on the train or bus (your bus tickets will also work on the metro). For the metro, validate your ticket before boarding the train; for the bus, look for the validation machines onboard. Use the orange validation machines for the old paper tickets and the yellow ones for the newer magnetic tickets. If you are caught without a validated ticket, the fine is 51.65 Euro. The metro runs about every 7-10 minutes, from 5:30am until 11:30pm everyday, except Saturday when it runs until 12:30am.

Churches and Museums
St. Peter's Basilica - A huge sanctuary of Christian religion. Its façade is 45 meters high, and its enormous dome is 136 meters. St. Peter's Basilica, the largest church in the world, overlooks the square that carries the same name that was designed by Bernini and which is surrounded by a colonnade. Grandeur and majesty: this is the sensation that one gets walking up Via della Conciliazione towards Piazza San Pietro. One of the most important works of art inside is the Pietà sculpture by Michelangelo, that was created between 1498 and 1500.

The Church of Sant'Ignazio - In the centro storico, the church of Sant'Ignazio has a marvelous and often overlooked trompe l'oeil false cupola, covered in figures in various states of action and repose.

The Sistine Chapel - This chapel owes its name to Sixtus IV, the Pope who commissioned the building of the chapel at the end of the 14th century. The Chapel was decorated by famous 15th century painters such as Botticelli and il Ghirlandaio. Later, in the 16th century, Michelangelo was called upon to paint all the frescoes on the chapel's vaulted ceiling: about 1000 square meters. He painted frescoes representing stories from the Bible such as the amazing Universal Judgment, which caused a scandal because of the nudity of about four hundred people in it, and the Creation of Mankind.

Basilica of St. John Lateran - This is the Cathedral of Rome, the most important church after St. Peter's. Founded by Constantine in the 4th century, San Giovanni was the first Christian basilica constructed in Rome. It is still Rome's cathedral and the pope's seat as Bishop of Rome. Destroyed by fire twice and rebuilt several times, the combination of styles adds up to one hugely impressive church. The first church was built in 314, when the Emperor Constantine gave the land to the Pope. The current building complex is made up of the Church, the Baptistery, Palazzo Lateranense, the Scala Santa and the Hospital of San Giovanni.

The Church of Immaculate Conception - A must for fans of the macabre, the Church of Immaculate Conception has the bones of some 4000 Capuchin monks set out in patterns on the walls or simply left as skeletons and wrapped in their original gowns.

San Paolo fuori le mura - This church is in Via Ostiense and was founded in 330. It was only finished, however, in the 5th century. The Church was built on the wishes of Constantine, who wished to commemorate the Deacon Lorenzo, who became a martyr together with Pope Sixtus II in the middle of the 3rd century, with a magnificent tomb.

Santa Maria Maggiore - This church stands on the Esquilino hill and is the first Roman church to be named after the Holy Virgin. Its bell tower is the highest in Rome. There is a story that this was the site where fragments of wood from Jesus' crib were kept. For this reason, the church was called Santa Maria ad Praesepe for a certain period of time.

Rome Musuems you should check out:
The Vatican Museums - This group of museums is divided into several sections such as the Egyptian Museum, the Ethnological Museum, the Painting Gallery and the Raffaello Rooms to name a few. As well as the ancient artifacts, the Vatican Museums contain hundreds of works of art commissioned and collected by the Popes over the centuries and created by the most famous artists in history. The statue of Laocoonte in the courtyard of Palazzo del Belvedere is not to be missed.

The Capitoline Museums - The Capitoline Museums are home to some of the most renowned and beautiful statues the world has ever known founded in 1471, it houses findings and works of art that tell the full history of Rome, from the antique sculptures and bas-reliefs portraying the acts of the emperors to the paintings on show in the Picture Gallery.

Galleria Borghese - Galleria Borghese is Rome's finest art gallery; a museum displaying some of the world's greatest works of art in an exquisite setting. was formed by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, the most passionate and knowledgeable art collector of his day. The collection - including works by Caravaggio, Bernini, Botticelli and Raphael - and the mansion were acquired by the Italian state in 1902; a lengthy restoration took place in the 1990s.

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Rome is full of history everywhere you look. It has many ancient monuments, interesting medieval churches, beautiful fountains, museums, and Renaissance palaces, most visibly the Colosseum, and the Forum and Palatine Hill; but from here there's sequence of monuments- from early Christian basilicas and Romanesque churches to Renaissance palaces and the fountains and churches of the Baroque period. 
 
No city in the world is as beautiful as Rome, and few as glamorous. 
 
 
 
 Arrival 
Rome is located approximately in the middle of the Italian peninsula and therefore is easily reached either from the north or from the south of the country. The capital is well connected to the rest of Italy and the world, thanks to the two airports and the excellent highway and train systems. 
 
 
By plane: 
Fiumicino "Leonardo da Vinci" (FCO) 
Officially named Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Fiumicino is a major port of call for intercontinental as well as national and European flights. The airport is situated 32km from the city, close to the sea. 
 
The airport is very well connected to Roma Termini station by the Leonardo Express train, with departures every 30 minutes or by metro FM1, with some stops, to Roma Tiburtina. Between 11.30pm and 5am there is a Cotral night bus linking Fiumicino to Stazione Termini and Stazione Tiburtina. A shuttle bus connects the parking with arrivals and departures from terminal A, B and C. 
 
Ciampino Airport (CIA) 
Ciampino is the second airport of Rome and is mainly used by low-cost airlines. To get to the city you must first take a Cotral bus (every half hour) and then subway A from Anagnina station. Also available is the Terravision Shuttle in conjunction with Ryanair and Easy-Jet flights. 
 
 
By train: 
The capital's main station is Roma Termini: from here depart the majority of fast long distance trains (Eurostar, Intercity, Espressi) to all points in Italy. From Termini buses take off for all destinations and there is a subway stop also. Some trains, especially night ones, come and go from Roma Tiburtina. It is the second train station in Rome and is reachable from Termini by bus and by metro. For times please consult the Trenitalia site or call the green number 89 20 21. 
 
 
By car: 
Rome is circumscribed in its entirety by a ring road (Raccordo Anulare) where highways coming from all parts of Italy meet. Those coming from Naples and from the South generally must travel the whole length of highway A1. For those coming from the North of Italy, from Tuscany or Umbria, follow A1 "Autostrada del Sole" up to the capital. From Genoa, Pisa and from the Tyrrhenian coast take A12 up to Rosignano and continue on Superstrada S1 "Aurelia" up to Rome. From Pescara and from the Adriatic coast you must take A24/A25 up to destination. 
 
 
 History and Culture 
Ancient Romans believed their city had been founded on 21 April 753 BC, and more recent archaeological discoveries pretty much back this up. According to myth, the city was founded by the twin sons of Mars, god of war, and Rhea Silvia, princess and (until meeting Mars) vestal virgin. The twins, Romulus and Remus, were abandoned on the shores of the Tiber and brought up by a she-wolf. The story goes that the first city center sprang up in 753 B.C. on the Palatine hill, built by Romulus after he had killed his twin brother Remus.Romulus was the first of the seven kings of Rome, who started off the basic characteristics of this city that would go on to make Rome powerful throughout the ancient world. 
 
The non-mythical city was ruled by Etruscan kings until 510 BC, when it became a republic. By the 2nd century BC the city controlled central and southern Italy, had defeated the rival empire of Carthage and was poised to take over the whole Mediterranean. But as Rome became more powerful abroad, its citizens got more uppity at home - the city suffered several civil wars, with the last wrapping up on the Ides of March, 44 BC, when Brutus backstabbed Julius Caesar. 
 
The Emperor Octavius Augustus brought Rome to its golden era: a lengthy period of peace and stability, which was celebrated with monumental works of art. 
Many emperors came after him, each of whom was famous for some work, conquest or edict. Under Traianus, the empire enjoyed its period of maximum expansion and reached as far as ruling land that stretched from the Danube to the Nile. 
 
With the rise of Christianity in the 4th century, Rome lost much of its secular power but became the centre of a new empire, Christendom. The Bishop of Rome was named successor to Saint Peter (or, in other words, Pope). Many of the city's large basilicas - such as Santa Croce, Santa Maria Maggiore, San Pietro and San Sebastiano - were built around this time. 
 
The Church's power continued to increase and Rome became the representation of this power on earth. Between 1300 and 1600, many churches were built, beautifully painted with frescoes by Renaissance artists such as Raffaello and Michelangelo. Crowds of pilgrims flocked to the Eternal City from all over the world to admire its Baroque squares, its fountains and its monumental basilicas. 
 
In 410, the Barbarian invasions began, but in truth the citizens themselves did more damage, stripping many of the city's fine buildings for their marble. The Western Roman Empire bit the dust in 476 when Odoacer deposed Emperor Romulus Augustulus - from this time on power moved east, and Germanic and Byzantine empires bickered over authority over Rome. In the late 8th century, Pope Stephen II backed up the claims of Frankish king Pepin the Short that he was the chosen of God, and in return received a parcel of land around Rome. The alliance became known as the Holy Roman Empire - combining the power of church and state. 
 
 
Modern History: 
After the patriotic unrest that started in 1848 and which was headed by Garibaldi, a plebiscite approved the annexing of Rome to the Kingdom of Italy in 1870, which set up its official center in the city soon after. 
 
Starting from 1920, Rome , During Mussolini's rule, Rome took on Fascist airs, puffing out its chest with wide boulevards and overblown architecture, Dreams of imperial glory led Mussolini to form an alliance with Germany during WWII, after Italy was liberated by the Allies during the Second World War, a referendum held on June 2nd 1946 sanctioned the end of the monarchy and the beginning of the Republic. 
 
 
 City Transport 
Rome has an extensive bus and metro system (Metripolitana) so you can easily get almost anywhere on public transportation. Be aware of pickpockets when riding in crowded subway cars. There is a good transportation map, Roma that's worth buying if you plan to use public transportation. Look for it in tourist offices, newspaper stands, or souvenir shops. 
 
Buses run from around 06:00 to 24:00, with some services running throughout the night. The city's Metro service (which is convenient for many of Rome's sights) has two lines, A (red) and B (blue), both of which go through Termini.. Unfortunately, The metro automatic ticket machines only take exact change so it is recommended that you buy your ticket from a tobacconist, newsstand or vending machine before you get on the train or bus (your bus tickets will also work on the metro). For the metro, validate your ticket before boarding the train; for the bus, look for the validation machines onboard. Use the orange validation machines for the old paper tickets and the yellow ones for the newer magnetic tickets. If you are caught without a validated ticket, the fine is 51.65 Euro. The metro runs about every 7-10 minutes, from 5:30am until 11:30pm everyday, except Saturday when it runs until 12:30am. 
 
 
 Churches and Museums 
St. Peter's Basilica - A huge sanctuary of Christian religion. Its façade is 45 meters high, and its enormous dome is 136 meters. St. Peter's Basilica, the largest church in the world, overlooks the square that carries the same name that was designed by Bernini and which is surrounded by a colonnade. Grandeur and majesty: this is the sensation that one gets walking up Via della Conciliazione towards Piazza San Pietro. One of the most important works of art inside is the Pietà sculpture by Michelangelo, that was created between 1498 and 1500. 
 
The Church of Sant'Ignazio - In the centro storico, the church of Sant'Ignazio has a marvelous and often overlooked trompe l'oeil false cupola, covered in figures in various states of action and repose. 
 
The Sistine Chapel - This chapel owes its name to Sixtus IV, the Pope who commissioned the building of the chapel at the end of the 14th century. The Chapel was decorated by famous 15th century painters such as Botticelli and il Ghirlandaio. Later, in the 16th century, Michelangelo was called upon to paint all the frescoes on the chapel's vaulted ceiling: about 1000 square meters. He painted frescoes representing stories from the Bible such as the amazing Universal Judgment, which caused a scandal because of the nudity of about four hundred people in it, and the Creation of Mankind. 
 
Basilica of St. John Lateran - This is the Cathedral of Rome, the most important church after St. Peter's. Founded by Constantine in the 4th century, San Giovanni was the first Christian basilica constructed in Rome. It is still Rome's cathedral and the pope's seat as Bishop of Rome. Destroyed by fire twice and rebuilt several times, the combination of styles adds up to one hugely impressive church. The first church was built in 314, when the Emperor Constantine gave the land to the Pope. The current building complex is made up of the Church, the Baptistery, Palazzo Lateranense, the Scala Santa and the Hospital of San Giovanni. 
 
The Church of Immaculate Conception - A must for fans of the macabre, the Church of Immaculate Conception has the bones of some 4000 Capuchin monks set out in patterns on the walls or simply left as skeletons and wrapped in their original gowns. 
 
San Paolo fuori le mura - This church is in Via Ostiense and was founded in 330. It was only finished, however, in the 5th century. The Church was built on the wishes of Constantine, who wished to commemorate the Deacon Lorenzo, who became a martyr together with Pope Sixtus II in the middle of the 3rd century, with a magnificent tomb. 
 
Santa Maria Maggiore - This church stands on the Esquilino hill and is the first Roman church to be named after the Holy Virgin. Its bell tower is the highest in Rome. There is a story that this was the site where fragments of wood from Jesus' crib were kept. For this reason, the church was called Santa Maria ad Praesepe for a certain period of time. 
 
 
Rome Musuems you should check out: 
The Vatican Museums - This group of museums is divided into several sections such as the Egyptian Museum, the Ethnological Museum, the Painting Gallery and the Raffaello Rooms to name a few. As well as the ancient artifacts, the Vatican Museums contain hundreds of works of art commissioned and collected by the Popes over the centuries and created by the most famous artists in history. The statue of Laocoonte in the courtyard of Palazzo del Belvedere is not to be missed. 
 
The Capitoline Museums - The Capitoline Museums are home to some of the most renowned and beautiful statues the world has ever known founded in 1471, it houses findings and works of art that tell the full history of Rome, from the antique sculptures and bas-reliefs portraying the acts of the emperors to the paintings on show in the Picture Gallery. 
 
Galleria Borghese - Galleria Borghese is Rome's finest art gallery; a museum displaying some of the world's greatest works of art in an exquisite setting. was formed by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, the most passionate and knowledgeable art collector of his day. The collection - including works by Caravaggio, Bernini, Botticelli and Raphael - and the mansion were acquired by the Italian state in 1902; a lengthy restoration took place in the 1990s. Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesoft.com" target="_blank">ArticleSoft.com</a> About the Author: http://www.en.hotel-in-rome-italy.filcoo.com/

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