Tourist Atrtactions In Rome - The Aventino And Trastevere Neighborhoodss

The Aventino region is in the south of Rome

The Aventino region is in the south of Rome. Here you will find the Circus Maximus (Great Circus), the largest in Rome. This chariot racing venue, dating back to Ancient Rome, is located at the northern edge of the district. The Circus measured an almost unbelieveable 621 meters (2,037 feet) in length and 118 meter (387 feet) in width. On busy days it held 250,000 spectators, about one out of four city residents. I would love to have the salted peanut and beer concessions. Unfortunately there is not a lot left to see but you still might want to visit the site and let your imagination run wild.

Nearby you'll find the Santa Maria in Cosmedin Church, built in the Sixth Century. Its Twelfth Century bell tower is one of the most beautiful in all Rome, and as you know there is a lot of competition. Don't miss the "Bocca della Verita" (Mouth of the Truth). According to popular legend, the mouth would snap shut on the hand of anyone telling a lie. To keep the superstition alive, the caretaker-priest used to stick a scorpion in the back of the mouth to sting the fingers of those who stretched the truth too far. During the filming of the 1953 romantic comedy "Roman Holiday" Gregory Peck stuck his hand in the mouth and hid his hand up his sleeve when he yanked it out. Costar Audrey Hepburn got such a shock that this unscripted scene stayed in the movie. Hepburn got the Oscar for Best Actress for the film.

At the southern end of the district you'll find the marble-covered Piramide di Caio Costo (Caius Cestius, Pyramid) built to hold the remains of Caius Cestius, a magistrate and member of a major religious corporation of Ancient Rome who died in 12 B C. The Piramide is undoubtedly the most original mausoleum in Rome. For a while it was incorporated into the walls that served as part of Rome's defensive infrastructure. Later on it was forgotten and of course somewhere along the line it was pillaged. An anonymous Japanese benefactor has pledged over a million dollars to help restore this great monument to braggadocio. By the way Caius, yours wasn't the only Roman pyramid, a larger one was demolished in the Sixteenth Century.

The Trastevere district lies across the Tiber River from Campo de' Fiori district in the center of Rome. The Santa Maria en Trastevere Church is located close to the river near the center of this historic district. It is one of the oldest churches in Rome. Some say that this church hosted Rome's first openly celebrated Christian masses. Of course Santa Maria en Trastevere has undergone multiple renovations over the centuries but its basic floor plan dates back to the middle of the Fourth Century. Be sure to see the mosaic on its faade and admire the many columns were taken from the ruins of ancient Roman buildings.

To the west you'll find the San Pietro in Montorio Church built at the end of Fifteenth Century by Ferdinand II and Isabella of Spain. Tradition holds that Saint Peter was crucified on this site. The church's six chapels compete with each other for artistic beauty. The Flagellation of Christ fresco in the first chapel on the right by Sebastiano del Piombo contains figure drawings by his one time friend, Michelangelo. Raphael's Masterpiece, the Transfiguration, once decked the high altar, but it is now in the Vatican.

Back to the river, north of the Santa Maria Church is the Palazzo Corsini originally built in the early Sixteenth Century for Cardinal Riario and rebuilt for Cardinal Corsini some two hundred twenty years later. This site includes Rome's Botanical Gardens boasting over seven thousand species of plants from all over the world. It features sequoias, palm trees, orchids and bromeliads. The gardens are part of the University of Rome, to be described in another article. Inside the palace you'll find the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica boasting paintings by Rubens, Van Dyck, Caravaggio, Reni, and many others.

Finish this part of the tour by heading east to the Janiculum Belvedere and Lighthouse for one of the finest views of Rome. The lighthouse was given to Rome in 1911 by Italians living in Argentina. While the view is always beautiful, try to see Janiculum at night. By the way, you won't have any trouble finding great pubs and restaurants in the cobblestoned streets of this historic part of Rome.

by: Levi Reiss

POST COMMENT

Dagmar Cross And Ladies Watches - The Perfect Gift Managing Projects And Team Selection With Project Management Solution Dissimilar Kind Of Id Cards And Holders Available Significance Of Label Pins And Mobile Phone Holders Beach Of South India And The Majestic Gushing Waves Travel In India And The Renewal Of Life To Come Welcome To The Blog On Updated Info And Entertainment World. Sacramento Taxi Services Are Known For Their Excellent Customer Services And Punctuality. High Price Oem Cartridges And Compatible Ink Refills Go For Audacity Download And Commence Creating Your Own Sound Masterpieces Top 4 Questions And Answers About Eyeglasses And Lenses Pros And Cons Of Led Moving Heads Network Switches And Vlans A Review