PANTHEON
IN ROME
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"PANTHEON,
SAN LUIGI DEI FRANCESI, PALAZZO MADAMA and NAVONA SQUARE"
PANTHEON
IN ROME
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This
itinerary surely is one of the most fascinating of Rome by night
as it touches some of the most popular place of interest such
as Navona Square and will immerse you in the most fascinating
and joyful atmosphere of the eternal city. Starting from the famous
temple Pantheon dedicated to Marco Agrippa, Augusto's son-in-law
and lieutenant, it will lead you through narrows streets in the
historical center of Rome till Campo dei Fiori, the centre of
the Roman nightlife, where it's possible to have a good glass
of wine or a traditional dinner in one of the several restaurants
and wineries scattered in the area. The Pantheon is one the most
well conseved monument of the ancient Rome as it's been transformed
in a church during the medieval time by the Vatican. Pantheon
dome has been for long time the biggest in the world till the
moment it was built Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence. The columns
of the facade substain a pediment with an inscription attributing
the Pantheon to Marcus Agrippa even if it was built by Emperor
Hadrian in 118 AD.. This is becouse first pantheon was really
based on Agrippa's project but it completely burnt in 80 A.D.,
then rebuilt by Domitian and once again burnt as struck by lightning.
Emperor Adriano then constructed it with an original shape and
lines. Visit the interior is a must as here are buried famous
painter Raffaello and some kings of Italy such as Victor Emmanuel
II, to whom was also dedicated the Vittoriano.
Just behind the Pantheon there's Santa Maria sopra MInerva's obelisk,
a Bernini's work, composed by an elephant sormounted by an original
egyptian obelisk of the VI cent. B.C., representing the Chrstian
virtues leading to the wisdom.
From the Pantheon walking "Via Giustiniani" through
a series of shops selling every kind of titbit you'll be in a
while in front of San Luigi dei Francesi Church, the National
French  Church
built on a project by Giacomo della Porta and Carlo Fontana in
obedience to King of France's will. The church is a must for those
who like the Caravaggio as it kept three paintings of him: San
Matteo e l'Angelo, the Vocazione di San Matteo and
Martirio di San Matteo, all painted for the Contarelli
Chapel for the jubilee year of 1600.
In the same street is also present Palazzo Madama, Italian Senate
Seat. This palace was the Medici's Residence in Rome and hosted
also Giovanni and Giuliano de' Medici. The first became Pope Leone
X in 1513 and was Lorenzo de' Medici's son. The second became
Pope Pope Clemente VII in 1523 and was born to Giuliano, Lorenzo
de' Medici's brother who was murdered in the famous Pazzi conspiracy.
The name of the palace is due to Madame Margherita d'Austria,
Emperor Charles V's son, who married Alessandro de' Medici, Clemente
VII's son.
Carrying on with this itinerary through Via del Salvatore you'll
reach famous Navona Square, one of the center of nightlife in
Rome. Navona Square immediately impresses the visitor both for
its size and fountains all projected in XVI century but the Four
Rivers Fountain that is a Bernini's project. Evocative aspect
of this beautiful place is the origin of its geometry: it was
exactly drawn following the perimeter of Domitian's Stadium built
in 86 AD, hence its shape. The stadium known as 'Circus Agonalis'
was mainly used for horses' races. The name of the sqaure seems
to derive from the changement of the name of the stadium in 'in
agone' to 'navone' and finally to 'navona'. The image of this
place is strongly linked to its particular shape and the presence
of the three fountains, one in the north, one in the middle and
the last in the south of the square. Two of these are Bernini's
works: the southern "Fontana del Moro" (1653) and the
central "Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi",
| CLICK
IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM |
SANTA
MARIA
MINERVA OBELISK |
INSCRIPTION
ON THE PEDIMENT
- M AGRIPPA L F COSTERTIUM FECIT - |
PALAZZO
MADAMA
SENATE SEAT |
BERNINI'S
FOUNTAIN |
a real baroque masterpiece wanted by Pope Innocenzo X, Bernini
and Borrmoni's patron, and inaugurated in 1651. This mouments
is an allegorical image of the pacification role that Innocenzo
X intended to have toward the entire known world. Hance four rivers
represent four continents: Danubio for Europe, Gange for Asia,
Nile for Africa represented with a blindfold as its sprimgs were
unknown yet, Rio de la Plata represented by a Negro with some
coins on the base representing the richness of Americas. In the
middle a big rock sourmounted by an obelisk, a roman copy dates
back to I cent, and a pigeon on the top, both symbol of peace
and Pope Innocenzo X's family. Finally the message is clear: The
entire world pacificated under the guide of Pope Innocenzo X.
The closeness are one of the most interesting area of Rome for
the baroque period but we leave you discover by yourslves the
palaces and the curiosities of this area as we want to take you
to meet a rela tidbit: the Pasquino's Statue.
This statue was brought here in 1501 and suddenly it started to
talk to the population. Pasquino's statue took its name from a
cobler who had been working close to here in XVI cent. As right
of thinking was not easy to achieve in the ancient Rome governed
by Popes, Pasquino used to attached to the basement of this statue
his political and social complaining and soon was imitated by
the rest of the population. Still today is possible to see and
read ironical complaining to the Italian Government.
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