Trevi Fountain is an example of Baroque Art showing that water is the soul of the world. It is the terminal point of the
spring's course that hydraulic engineering carried the water to from a spring eight miles away. This amazing engineering was created in 19 AD. Not 1901...19. Wow. Those Romans... Some legends say that Diana led the troops to the spring, which has fresh water, free of limestone and perfect for the fountain. Pope Urban VIII wanted a fountain and hired
Berninni to build it. It was expensive however, so they taxed the wine to raise the funds. The people rebelled. Money was exhausted and the project got put on hold. Three centuries later, Pope Clement XII hired Nicola
Salvi and
Papanni, who finished the project in 1762.
The Fountain has Neptune, god of the sea, coming out of the water above the rocks in a chariot pulled by sea horses and tridents. The two horses represent the states of the sea- calm and restless. The two statues on either side of him represent health and abundance.
Above it shows two scenes. On the left,
Grippa (higher up in military) is approving the project. On the right, the maiden (Diana?) is showing the soldiers the source of the spring. Along the top the four statues represent the four seasons.
Legend has it if you wish to return to the eternal city, throw a coin over your shoulder into the fountain. Once a decade of so, they clean the pipes leading to the spring. They still find ancient coins down there! I threw a coin over my shoulder in 2004 when I went to Rome and here I am back again!
JC refused to participate in such
superstitious nonsense. Guess I'll come back without him!
Missing Colleen! Here we sat five years ago and were hit on by those two old men!
Piazza
Novana
The great Pantheon- said by
Michelangelo to have been "built by angels". It was built where
Romulous (founder of Rome) supposedly was seized by an eagle upon death and taken to the sky to live among the gods. Its name Pan=everything and
theon=divine. It was dedicated to all the Roman gods. Built in 24 b.c. it was damaged by fire 80 years later, rebuilt, then struck by lightening and built again in 120 A.D. It combines the Roman dome and Greek columns.
The Pantheon was a cultural revolution. It was the first temple built for the common people. Previously it was forbidden for anyone except the vestals and priests to enter. Interestingly enough this is true for the Jewish and Christian faiths, too, around this time. Only the Levite priest could enter the Holy of Holies until Christ's death, whereby the temple veil was torn and we had the eternal mediator, Jesus Christ.
Inside you feel small and almost dizzy- as one might in front of God. It is a perfect sphere. Picture a basketball inside a trashcan where the bottom of the ball just barely touches the bottom of the trashcan. Height equals diameter, perfect balance and harmony. It is round so all the gods are on one level of importance. In the seventh century, it was turned into a Church dedicated to Mary and the martyrs.
The famous Roman Coliseum: Emperor Titus opened the stadium in 80 AD. The opening ceremony lasted a hundred days and some five thousand animals were killed. The floor was filled with water to simulate great battles of the past.
The Coliseum is elliptic to hold more people, earthquake proof, and was covered with marble. It has four floors- the second and third of which have eighty arches for statues. It was built in just ten years using arches, which the Romans had perfected. Now 3/5 of the outer wall are missing, for the marble, iron, and lead pins were stolen for other monuments and buildings.
Inside 70-90 thousand people could gather for a great view. Admission was free but the seating was according to social status. Here was a link between the leaders and common people as they had shared participation at important events.
Inside the floor has cellars which held equipment and trap doors for animals, gladiators, and backdrops to be lifted up and suddenly appear. In the morning were fights between animals or men and animals. Sometimes public executions happened here, though no Christians were killed in this Coliseum. Around noon they would remove the bodies, put fresh sand on the floors and the crowd would go crazy. Now it was time for the gladiators.
Gladiators were slaves, prisoners or war or paupers looking for a chance at fame. They would come in, walk the perimeter, raise their swords to the emperor and chant, "Hail Caesar! Those who are about to die salute you." If wounded, they could raise an arm to ask for mercy. The crowd would yell their opinion and the emperor would decide. Thumbs up saved him. Thumbs down... To add to the disgusting violence, people thought gladiators blood was valuable and held healing powers for epilepsy and gave sexual power.
Look under that arch and you can see the cross. Benedict 14
th dedicated the Coliseum to the Passion of the Christ and put the cross on the pedestal as a symbol of the suffering to all Christian martyrs. This is the beginning point of the stations of the cross on Good Friday.
The Arch of Constantine
The Roman
Forem and principle meeting place for citizens to discuss politics, trade, or play games. The gladiator games were held in the
forem before the coliseum was built.
The central hall of Trajan's Markets was the
headquarters of the management of the Forum of Trajan- who ruled around 110 AD.
The Arch of
Triumph- one of the greatest symbols of the empire. It was created in honor of military victories. Following victories, troops would enter with armed escorts including the heads of state, musicians, chained prisoners, bearers carrying the spoils of war and soldiers. They would walk along Via
Sacre to the Temple of
Jupitor to offer a sacrifice of praise.
Our first room had three single beds. Seriously? So we went down to ask for a room with a double bed. They didn't have any, but gave us this room which apparently was an upgrade because of the bonus...
The bonus- we got a bathtub!!!! And they provided bath salts each night! It was the best bathtub ever. It had a "butt bump" so you don't slide down to the other side when you're soaking, a long slope to relax, and arm rests! It was so relaxing each night after walking around in the hot, hot Roman sun all day to put my feet up and soak in the tub.
How much do I love this train stop?!
Somehow I got the clacker!?!
Our new friends- Shirley and Keith
This husband and wife were so much fun and really entertaining! 
I love my husband!!!
Keith gets serenaded!!
In the Vatican Museum, Jesus bursts out of the grave in triumph. There is movement in the scene as the guards are blown away by His force. (Also, Christ's eyes follow you as you walk by!)
~Inside a hall in the Vatican Museum~
Recreating a silly picture from 2004. The signs in Europe are so dramatic. As you walk down a spiral staircase with no exits or entries, they continue to post these signs to alert you to the fact that you are on a staircase. Just in case you forgot...
The colorful Swiss Guards! The guards must be Swiss by nationality and Roman Catholic. They must be single when they enter but can marry after several (?) years. They must have a high school degree, be at least 5'7" tall and between the ages of 19 and 30. They have served for more than five hundred years!
The Jubilee Doors are opened once every twenty five years.
Christ is small compared to His Mother, and she is shown eternally youthful- not as the mother of a thirty three year old man. Christ's body and Mary's left hand lean to the lower right showing movement and the weight of His lifeless body. Mary holds her hand out, offering the sacrifice of her beloved son to the Father and us.
This is the statue that struck me the deepest. Here is a monument to Saint 
