For our first real day in Roma, we started off with the morning free. Since the Colosseum (potentially one of the most architecturally significant buildings in Rome) was not on our list of things to see while here, we decided to go and visit it on our own. We progressed towards the Colosseum how people would have in ancient Rome, through the forum. Now the Forum, however, is in such a state of disarray that it seems more like a junk yard for compiling old columns and various other remnants. However, it was very interesting to try to imagine what the Forum would have looked like in that day and age, especially because the signs were in Italian so we had no clue what each ruin was supposed to be. Once we got through this we headed into
the Colosseum, surpassing a huge line to buy tickets. Inside the Colosseum wasn’t anything I didn’t expect, I guess because I have studied it soo much, but what was very interesting is being able to see the hallways and caverns that normally would have been covered up on the main floor and housed all the animals and such that the gladiators would fight off. We stayed inside photographing and sketching for about 2 hours, but I still didn’t even come close to finishing a sketch because there was just too much information to capture.
Next we met up with a professor from the area named Terry Kirk for our afternoon tour of Roma. I am going to preface this by saying that Terry Kirk is potentially the coolest guy ever and I thoroughly enjoyed his highly dynamic speeches and acts. Put that guy in a musical- that is all I have to say. So we started in the Piazza Del Campidoglio which is a hill upon which the Senate building (mostly designed by Michelangelo) sat. This hill became a big deal for papal processions as well as the welcoming of any persons of significance into the city,,, and it can be accessed using the long, thin, angled stairs which “float” you up to the top of the hill in Terry Kirk terminology.
On our way to our next visit, we went by Il Vittoriano, a large national monument of Roma which is often referred to as the wedding cake, and it turns out Mr. Terry is writing a book about this building, so even though it didn’t fit into our baroque topic, we took a detour into it. This building is interesting, because by the time you climb the fourty million monumental stairs flanked by personifications of action, thought, strength, concord, sacrifice, and justice, you are already higher than all the roofs in Rome, so most of the building is just an exterior progression to get you up and above the city.
Next we saw the Forum of Trajan with of course the famous tower which depicts Trajan’s two
major military exploits in no sort of chronological order. Then we hit the Chiesa di Sant’Andrea del Quirinale which is a chapel attached to a college dormitory which is used for morning prayer before the kids head off to school. Bernini is famous for his theatricality, which he definitely taps into in this church which through the use of paintings, sculpture, and architecture, helps depict the crucifixion of St. Andreas, the release of his spirit, and then his ecstasy as he ascends to heaven (the dome at the top of the church). This was probably my favorite church because it did present you with an upfront theatrical story on a stage. Next we went to the Palazzo Barberini (their coat of arms is three bumble bees,, I think we all should have coats of arms) which has two sets of stairs, one by Bernini which is straight and filled with sculptures, and the other by Borromini, his counterpart that created an ovular stair case which varying tread widths and heights to make you flow up the stairs but little other decoration (these two stairs are the perfect example of how these two architects differ, after you see a c
hurch by each of them). After this we went to the Chiesa di San Carlino Alle Quattro Fontane by Borromini who contrasted Bernini by emphasizing dramatics of architecture alone. This church has his famous billowing façade which has its own theatricality, and the interior has deep overemphasized niches which provide a simple building with a heavy rich sense. The Chiesa Di Santa Maria Della Vittoria was next, which is significant for the “Ecstasy of Saint Teresa d’Avila” which depicts the moment after St. Teresa is stabbed in the heart by the fiery arrow of an angel, which she said actually happened to her in her diary and wishes that everyone could experience the same horror and ecstacy that she experienced at that moment, thus Bernini creates that exact moment on a theatrical stage for everyone to experience.
After this we stopped for a gelato break at the supposed “best” place in all of Rome which is known for its unique flavor combinations. I got the meringa e stracciatella (Meringue and chocolate chips) which was absolutely phenomenal. Next we hit the Fontana di Trevi, designed by Nicola Salvi which explores the natural sciences of water, rock, plants and seasonal statues in a thrust theatre formation that spills into the audience and forces them to interact with it. This design is very interesting because he juxtaposes natural rocks with a refined building so that they interact and either reminds the audience that the building comes from nature or that Nature trumps all and will eventually wear down every building in turn. For the sake of superstition, I threw one coin over my left so that I will some day return to the Eternal City of Rome. (Just so you know, supposedly if you throw two over your shoulder you will soon be married, and if you throw three your marriage will quickly end in divorce).
Our final destination with Terry Kirk was the Scalinata di Trinita’ dei Monti, aka the Spanish Steps. Now this is an interesting story, because the steps are actually French, but due to some drama dealing with a statue of Louis the 14th that was supposed to be placed on the steps and which the Pope couldn’t handle because that was like a smack in the face,,, the Romans refused to call the steps or the square below them “French” and have ever since them been calling them Spanish due to the Spanish embassy right down the street. Poor French. Anyway, these stairs are very interesting because they had to conquer the design challenge of a lack of symmetry and awkward angles,,, so this was accomplished by using many many curves. And as Terry said,, you caress these stairs on your way up, and they are graceful that it makes you just want to dance up them (then he proceeds to trip while mid-dance). So here we said our fairwells to Terry and watched him fade out into the distance and then we headed back to our hotel for another night of dinner and gelato.
~Heather
the Colosseum, surpassing a huge line to buy tickets. Inside the Colosseum wasn’t anything I didn’t expect, I guess because I have studied it soo much, but what was very interesting is being able to see the hallways and caverns that normally would have been covered up on the main floor and housed all the animals and such that the gladiators would fight off. We stayed inside photographing and sketching for about 2 hours, but I still didn’t even come close to finishing a sketch because there was just too much information to capture.Next we met up with a professor from the area named Terry Kirk for our afternoon tour of Roma. I am going to preface this by saying that Terry Kirk is potentially the coolest guy ever and I thoroughly enjoyed his highly dynamic speeches and acts. Put that guy in a musical- that is all I have to say. So we started in the Piazza Del Campidoglio which is a hill upon which the Senate building (mostly designed by Michelangelo) sat. This hill became a big deal for papal processions as well as the welcoming of any persons of significance into the city,,, and it can be accessed using the long, thin, angled stairs which “float” you up to the top of the hill in Terry Kirk terminology.
On our way to our next visit, we went by Il Vittoriano, a large national monument of Roma which is often referred to as the wedding cake, and it turns out Mr. Terry is writing a book about this building, so even though it didn’t fit into our baroque topic, we took a detour into it. This building is interesting, because by the time you climb the fourty million monumental stairs flanked by personifications of action, thought, strength, concord, sacrifice, and justice, you are already higher than all the roofs in Rome, so most of the building is just an exterior progression to get you up and above the city.
Next we saw the Forum of Trajan with of course the famous tower which depicts Trajan’s two
major military exploits in no sort of chronological order. Then we hit the Chiesa di Sant’Andrea del Quirinale which is a chapel attached to a college dormitory which is used for morning prayer before the kids head off to school. Bernini is famous for his theatricality, which he definitely taps into in this church which through the use of paintings, sculpture, and architecture, helps depict the crucifixion of St. Andreas, the release of his spirit, and then his ecstasy as he ascends to heaven (the dome at the top of the church). This was probably my favorite church because it did present you with an upfront theatrical story on a stage. Next we went to the Palazzo Barberini (their coat of arms is three bumble bees,, I think we all should have coats of arms) which has two sets of stairs, one by Bernini which is straight and filled with sculptures, and the other by Borromini, his counterpart that created an ovular stair case which varying tread widths and heights to make you flow up the stairs but little other decoration (these two stairs are the perfect example of how these two architects differ, after you see a c
hurch by each of them). After this we went to the Chiesa di San Carlino Alle Quattro Fontane by Borromini who contrasted Bernini by emphasizing dramatics of architecture alone. This church has his famous billowing façade which has its own theatricality, and the interior has deep overemphasized niches which provide a simple building with a heavy rich sense. The Chiesa Di Santa Maria Della Vittoria was next, which is significant for the “Ecstasy of Saint Teresa d’Avila” which depicts the moment after St. Teresa is stabbed in the heart by the fiery arrow of an angel, which she said actually happened to her in her diary and wishes that everyone could experience the same horror and ecstacy that she experienced at that moment, thus Bernini creates that exact moment on a theatrical stage for everyone to experience.After this we stopped for a gelato break at the supposed “best” place in all of Rome which is known for its unique flavor combinations. I got the meringa e stracciatella (Meringue and chocolate chips) which was absolutely phenomenal. Next we hit the Fontana di Trevi, designed by Nicola Salvi which explores the natural sciences of water, rock, plants and seasonal statues in a thrust theatre formation that spills into the audience and forces them to interact with it. This design is very interesting because he juxtaposes natural rocks with a refined building so that they interact and either reminds the audience that the building comes from nature or that Nature trumps all and will eventually wear down every building in turn. For the sake of superstition, I threw one coin over my left so that I will some day return to the Eternal City of Rome. (Just so you know, supposedly if you throw two over your shoulder you will soon be married, and if you throw three your marriage will quickly end in divorce).
Our final destination with Terry Kirk was the Scalinata di Trinita’ dei Monti, aka the Spanish Steps. Now this is an interesting story, because the steps are actually French, but due to some drama dealing with a statue of Louis the 14th that was supposed to be placed on the steps and which the Pope couldn’t handle because that was like a smack in the face,,, the Romans refused to call the steps or the square below them “French” and have ever since them been calling them Spanish due to the Spanish embassy right down the street. Poor French. Anyway, these stairs are very interesting because they had to conquer the design challenge of a lack of symmetry and awkward angles,,, so this was accomplished by using many many curves. And as Terry said,, you caress these stairs on your way up, and they are graceful that it makes you just want to dance up them (then he proceeds to trip while mid-dance). So here we said our fairwells to Terry and watched him fade out into the distance and then we headed back to our hotel for another night of dinner and gelato.
~Heather
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