Unknown - The number of domes in Rome is unknown. It is difficult to count them and no one has done
so.It could be a challenge for experts in measurement and
estimation. San Peter’s Domeemerges from the city landscape,
impressive for its elegance and lightnessborn fromthe mind of
Michelangelo. But it is not the largest Dome in Rome, because
with its 42 meters of diameter it is surpassed by the oldest one:
the Pantheon! The greatest load-bearing dome in the world
with a diameter of more than 43 meters (here in a painting by
Canaletto, 1700).The total height of the Pantheon is the sameas
the diameter of the dome, that is, it can perfectly contain a
sphere of a 43-meter diameter. An elegance completedin 128 San Peter’s Dome
AD and dedicated to all of Rome’s divinities. It was built so that you would feel you were in the face of
divinity: very small!The third Roman dome
is that of Saint Giovanni Bosco in the
Cinecittà district. Cinecittà is Rome’s Movie
City, the Italian Hollywood where many
famous movieswere made in its indoor and
outdoor theatres. Recently, an historical
movie was made, not in Rome, even though
it
was
set
during
the
Roman
Pantheon’s Dome
Marcus
Aurelius
Column
Empire:Gladiator. Indeed, it is a remake, achieved with moderntechniques
because Marco Aurelius’ triumphant victory over the Marcomanni was
already represented in the bas-relief on the Marcus Aurelius Column, that
was erected in about 150 AD and is nowin the centre of Piazza Colonna in
front of Palazzo Chigi, hosting the Italian government. Certainly, Rome
harbors many Columns and Obelisks. The Marcus Aurelius Column was
constructed after the TrajanColumn,that was erected around 100 AD and is
now near to the Angelicum Conference Centre, exiting on the left. Its
sculptures in bas-relief describe Trajan’s triumph over the Dacia.
Thirteen- there are thirteen Egyptian obelisks in Rome, the largest number in the world. They have an
unusual history because,after the conquest of Egypt,the Romans and all of western culture was influenced
by the Egyptian myth of Ra, the divinity of the sun. The obelisks represent a petrified ray of Aten, the sun
disk. The Romans brought 8 obelisks from Egypt and reproduced 5 of them in Rome as perfect copies of
Egyptian obelisks, hieroglyphics included. It is known thatoriginally there were more than thirteen, and
now they are not standing in the place in which the Romans put them. In fact, they fell after the end of the
Roman Empire and were forgotten during the Middle Ages, except for the one in Saint Peter’s square that
stood until 37 AD, and had been originally on the wall of Nero’s Circus. All the otherswerere-discovered and
re-erectedduring the sixteenth century in the Renaissance period, withthe aim to adorn Rome and to
indicate some of the most important places in a sort of reference system that facilitates navigation in and
around the city (a Renaissance GPS!). The highest obelisk( in the
world) is the one close to Saint John in Laterano, the second is in front
of Saint Peter’s Basilica. One of the smallest but most beautiful, is the
one on the dorsum of a little elephant in the Minerva square. The
smallest is in Villa Celimontana and dates back to the age of Ramsete
II. They witness 3000 years of human culture.
Two thousand- there are 2000 fountains in Rome. During the Roman
empire many aqueducts were built, and Rome was full of thermal
baths like Caracalla. These
aqueducts were abandoned
during the Middle Ages and
rebuilt
during
the
Renaissance. In this period,
incredible fountains were
Obelisk in Piazza Navona over
built. Everyone knows the
the Quattro Fiumi fountain
Trevi Fountain and the Triton
Fountain, but fewer people
Turtle fountain
know theTurtleFountain in the Jewish district. Now you are
advised, there are 2000, so good hunting!
Two thousand - there are 2000 “nasoni”, literally the “big noses” as they are familiarly called by the Roman
citizens, the fountains with a curved tube perforated on the upper side in order to facilitate drinking. Yes,
the water from the public aqueducts in Rome is superior and cheaper than most of the watersoldin bottles.
But in all the Roman restaurants you will find longer lists of wines to select than mineral water lists. In fact
it is also known that in Marino, near Rome,wine flows from the Fountains, as a popular Roman song tells
us! Indeed, in the first week of October in Marino,an annual wine festival is held, and on this occasion wine
really flows from the fountains! Furthermore, near Rome some of the best wines in the world are
produced. Drink with moderation if you are driving!
Three hundred- there were 300 towers in the city and the skyline was
similar to the ears of wheat in a field. At present there are still 50 of
them, even though most of them are difficult to find or recognize,
because they were embedded in buildings during the Renaissance.
During the Middle Ages most of them were destroyed during political
conflicts among the aristocracy and the middle class. The towers were
the privilege of the aristocracy. One of the most ancient towers is the
Milizie, also known as the leaning tower. It is right in front of you when
you exit the Conference Centre. Originally, it was comprised of three
levels, the highest of which collapsed during earthquakes. One popular
legend tells us that it is the tower where Nero observed Rome burning
while he was playing the lira. Another legend is that the tower is the
watching eye of an underground building belonging to the Emperor
Augustus and when he reawakes he will climb up in his tower to see the
city. Please look at him when you exit the conference!!!
Tower of Milizie