Basilica di San Pietro, Musei...
by fandango
Basilica di San Pietro, Musei Vaticani, Cappella Sistina : The Vatican City
You will never will be on a place like this, MichelAngelo cappella sistina is really the master piece of universal art, You will agree with me, I am sure.
Very interesting the Musei Vaticani, but at least 2 days are needed to see it all, I recommend, after the Cappella sistina, The Rafaello rooms, the FraAngelico frescos, Musei Pio-Clementino, Laocoonte, and the Gallerie delle carte geografiche.
At the Basilica, you could see the fantastic MichelAngelo Pieta, through a big glass. The Bernini columnata is another master piece.
Piazza Vittorio
by trilbi
Now that the biggest outdoor food market in Rome has been moved from the piazza to a new location, it's possible to admire this big square laid out in 1870. It is surrounded by palaces with arcades at pavement level, very much alike the ones you can see in Turin but very unusual anywhere else. In the center of the Piazza are the gardens with pieces of a roman fountain of the 3rd century A.C. and a mysterious ruin of the 16th century , the Porta Magica (Magic Door). The Porta Magica originally stood in front of a gate leading to the nearby garden of the villa of the marchese Massimiliano Palombara. A legend says that the door was raised as a commemoration of a successful transmutation that took place in Christina's of Sweden chambers. Interest in alchemy and in the transmutation of lead into gold was very common in the 16th century. The inscriptions on the doorway are supposedly the instructions for this transformations but have never been deciphered (!)
Cheap taxi
by Henrik_rrb
Despite what I wrote in the Tourist trap tip, taxis in Rome are really cheap. At least compared to Sweden... Except for when going to and from the Leonardo Da Vinci-airport it's always a good choice to take a taxi in Rome. It's cheap, it's safe, and the drivers are most of the time very friendly. Specially if you try to speak some italian with them, as many doesn't speak much english.
Going to the Ciampino airport we realised the last time it was a good deal to take a taxi. Cost 30 euro as a fixed price, so if you're not alone it's a good price. The shuttle buses from Termini are always full, specially in the morning, and if you don't get a seat on the first one you'll have to wait for the second one 30 minutes later.
Much better, and quicker, with a taxi ride instead.
Also inside Rome taking a taxi is a good thing. They aren't actually supposed to stop anywhere but on taxi stops, but unlike the drivers in Milan, Rome's taxi drivers stops just about everywhere to pick you up.
There is always a starting fee, higher during evening and night, and then you'll have to pay extra if you carry any luggage in the back.
Eating in Rome - for food allergetics & vegetarian
by iris2002 about IF you have food allergies or are vega/vegetarian
I often come across a problem when I trave: I am intolerant to lactose and egg (I am not a vegan or vegetarian) but need to look for places like that in order to get something that doesn't upset my stomach.
So WHEN in Rome - here are the options for vegetarian food:
Arancia Blu v. degli Equi 58
Il Canestro viale Gorizia 51
Margutta Vegetariano - Via Margutta 118
Rosaria Cilenti - Via E. Filiberto 209
Govinda's - Via di San Simone 73/A 6-541973
Hare Krishna
Jaya Sai Ma - via A. Bargoni, 11-18 5812840
Closed mon.
La Zucca Magica - Via dei Barbieri 23 6833207
Closed Sun. AND here are some Vegetarian survival phrases ;)
Sono vegetariano - I am vegetarian
Non mangio carne, nè pollo o pesce - I don't eat meat, chicken or fish.
Sono vegano/ vegana. - I am vegan
Sono strettamente vegetariano - I am a strict vegetarian -
Non bevo il latte - I don't drink milk.
Non mangio il burro, il formaggio, le uova, o il miele - I don't eat butter,cheese, eggs, or honey.
Avete un piatto vegetariano? - Do you have a vegetarian dish?
C'e' un ristorante vegetariano qui vicino? - Is there a vegetarian restaurant near here?
C'e' del brodo di carne o pollo in questa zuppa? - Is there meat or chicken broth in this soup?
Io amo gli animali, percio' non li mangio - I love animals, so I don't eat them.
Buon Appettio!
Part I, The Exterior
by von.otter
“My intentions had been that this sanctuary of All Gods should reproduce the likeness of the terrestrial globe and of the stellar sphere.”
— Emperor Hadrian (AD 76-AD 138) his thoughts on the Pantheon
The main attraction in the Piazza della Rotonda is the Pantheon, from the Greek for ‘all the gods.’ It is our favorite building in the world.
Originally, the Pantheon was built in 25 BC by Marcus Agrippa, a Roman statesman and general. This building was destroyed by fire in AD 80. The bricks used by Emperor Hadrian to rebuild it are stamped with a date corresponding to AD 125. Hadrian paid tribute to Agrippa by having the latter’s named chiseled on the pediment of the portico (see photo #4).
The first Christian emperors closed the Pantheon, along with all other places of pagan worship, in the fourth century AD. In AD 609 the Byzantine Emperor Phocas gave the building to Pope Boniface IV, who consecrated it as the Church of Mary the Virgin and all the Martyr Saints. Because this antique pagan temple was turned into a Christian one explains why it is the most intact building to come down to us from the Ancient Romans.
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sea goddess, so it's a fish shop?
Nativity Scene
At the Pantheon
Swiss Guards outside St. Peter's Basilica, May 07
