Rome, Italy: (26 pictures) – Days 15 and 16
The Arch of Constantine - This is right next to the Colosseum
and actually the picture was taken from inside the Colosseum. Just
like everything else in Rome, it is ancient (built in the year 312).
The Colosseum Floor - This is it, the inside of the 2,000 year
old Colosseum. The floor is now missing, but you can now see all
of the underground passages and cages where the animals were kept before
they were raised into the arena to be killed.
Me inside the Colosseum - The Colosseum could hold 50,000 people
when it was being used. Here is a picture of one person it held 2,000
years later.
Outside the Colosseum - It was amazing to see the Colosseum
in person. So much of the top levels are missing not because it has
fallen apart, but more because it was used as a quarry for its stone somewhere
along the line in Rome's history.
Palatine Hill - This is an area in Rome above the Forum
where old emperors used to build there palaces. Now it is mostly
just in ruins. This was one emperor's private stadium.
Palatine Hill - Another picture of the ruins of old palaces.
You can't really tell what's what, but still it's pretty amazing because
it's so old.
Roman Forum - This is the very impressive Forum, where most
of the activity went on in ancient Rome. The buildings here are old
churches, houses, and courts. There were trails all throughout the
Forum that allowed you to get very close to most of the areas.
Roman Forum - This shows more of the ruins in the Forum including
many ancient Roman columns.
Rome with the Forum and Colosseum in the Background -
This shows how close together most of ancient Rome was. The Forum
is in the middle of the picture, while Palatine Hill is just off the picture
to the right, and the Colosseum is of course on the left side of the picture.
Victor Emmanuel Monument - I don't really know what the
purpose of this building is, but I climbed to the top and had a good view
of Rome. It also has a small museum inside and houses Italy's Tomb
of the Unknown Soldier.
Inside the Pantheon - This is the best preserved interior from
Ancient Rome. The dome at the top has a skylight in it. It
actually looks pretty plain from the inside, but what do you expect from
something so old.
Outside the Pantheon - This building is really big, and
considering the fact that it was built almost 2000 years ago is quite amazing.
It's still the largest building of its kind and the dome is even bigger
than St. Peter's dome in the Vatican City (though much shorter in height).
Trevi Fountain - This was a very cool fountain that this
picture doesn't really do justice to. It was built 250 years ago
to celebrate the reopening of the Roman aqueducts, which power it.
Following tradition I made a wish by tossing three coins over my shoulder
and into the water. Since then the wish has thankfully come true,
but I won't tell anybody what it was.
San Diego Girls at night with Colosseum - These are the three
girls I met on the streets in Rome and saved by bringing them back to my
hostel after their hostel didn't keep their reservations. Oh, what
a hero I am. We all went out to a nice dinner together, then we walked
to the Colosseum and the Forum to see everything lit up beautifully at
night.
San Diego Girls in the Hostel - This is a better picture
of the girls once we returned to the hostel. I forget their names
now, but we had a good time together walking around Rome for most of the
night.
St. Peter’s Square with Basilica - My second day in Rome I took
the subway to the Vatican City, where the pope lives. I think that's
his apartment building just to the right of the dome, where he comes out
once a week to wave to the crowd and give them his blessing. The
Vatican City is actually it's own small independent country just over 100
acres big.
Gallery of Maps inside the Vatican Museum - I of course love
maps, so I had to take this picture of a wall filled will really old maps
of Italy inside the Vatican Museum. The Vatican Museum itself is
also considered one of the best museums in Europe, but is best known for
the following room.
Sistine Chapel - This is definitely the most famous part of
the Vatican Museum. I snuck in this forbidden picture, so that explains
why it's not very good. The chapel is not really very big, but it's
completely filled with paintings done by Michaelangelo, including the famous
story of Creation, with God and Adam touching fingers (can be seen in the
top half of the ceiling). The Sistine Chapel is the pope's personal
chapel, and is also where new pope's are elected when the current pope
dies.
Dome from the Inside of St. Peter’s - This is the huge
dome of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City. It is the highest
dome in the world. I was able to get all the way to the top of it
also.
St. Peter’s Altar - St. Peter's is also the richest and most
impressive church on earth. This altar sits directly over the tomb
of St. Peter and a whole bunch of former popes and saints.
Inside of St. Peter’s Basilica - This church is huge.
It can accommodate 95,000 standing worshippers and has a floor space of
six acres.
Inside St. Peter’s from the top of the dome - This picture
was taken looking down from the inside of the top of the dome. From
here, it was another long climb to get to the top of the outside of the
dome.
Rome from the top of St. Peter’s Basilica - Finally I reached
the very top of St. Peter's Basilica and took this picture. I think
I could see the Colosseum when I was there, but not anymore. St.
Peter's Square takes up the bottom left corner of the picture.
Castle Saint Angelo - This was built in the 2nd Century as a
tomb for emperors, and is loaded with history. I didn't have time
to go inside though.
Piazza Navona - This is a big square in Rome where I enjoyed
a fine bowl of wonderful gelato as I walked back to central Rome from the
Vatican City.
Spanish Steps - This is another main gathering place for people
in Rome. There's not really much here though except for supposedly
a huge McDonalds which I couldn't find.
Continue on to Venice, Italy
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