SPQR Fellowship

This year SPQR is pleased to be part of the University of Minnesota and College of Design’s 1st inaugural Spring Study Abroad in Rome and Istanbul. SPQR Fellow Satavee Kijsanayotin is one of twelve students participating in the program taught by professor Ozayr Saloojee. It is a terrific opportunity with an inspired but demanding curriculum.

Satavee (she also goes by Steevie) and her classmates will be in Rome for the month of February before going to Istanbul for two months. You can follow them here: MSP-UMN-FCO-IST – SPRING 2013 STUDY ABROAD.  Subscribe! But be forewarned, you will be envious.

  SPQR Fellowship 2011 – A paperback based on Kelly’s work/study in Rome is available for purchase online.

I remember asking Ken the first time we spoke what SPQR represented. Clearly, I had not done my homework on Rome. Ken’s response was that he would let me discover the meaning of SPQR on my own. Naturally, I went straight to Google to find the definition, but the importance of the meaning of the “Senate and People of Rome” was something that I would not discover until I was in Rome.

At the surface level, one can find the inscription everywhere. From drain covers on the ground, to new advertisements and monuments that have been in place for hundreds of years, SPQR surely is the seal of the city. It was fun to see all the different places where the inscription could be found. It seemed that everywhere I turned, the letters SPQR were staring back at me. Though the history goes back to ancient Rome, the glory of the SPQR meaning continues today.

More than being completely visible, however, the meaning of SPQR is what is truly important. The significance of Rome – the ancient Roman Republic to the modern city that is still a world treasure – cannot be duplicated. In the ancient times, when the Romans established their republic they flourished in establishing the empire, building their grandeur, and providing an example for the world to follow with respect to politics, administration, and power. The rise and fall of Rome cannot be forgotten, and yet the city lived on to flourish throughout the Renaissance and still today. SPQR represents a city unlike any other, an empire so magnificent that it has been nicknamed the Eternal City, and the phrase, “All roads lead to Rome” is a common descriptor. The influence of Rome will never fade. Romans left the entire world monuments, lessons, and models for civilization that we continue to use and learn from even to this day.

As I reflect on my time in Rome, I am incredibly grateful for everything I experienced and learned. I want to sincerely thank everyone who made the SPQR Fellowship possible. I am incredibly thankful to have been able to live in Rome for a few weeks and take in the daily experiences of all that Rome has to offer. It was a gift every day to wake up in Rome and discover and learn from such an incredible city. The architecture, art, history, urban design, and more are lessons and sights that I will never forget.

My Roman adventure was the experience of a lifetime, and it is still hard to believe that I was able to see and do everything that I did in Rome. There is no substitute for seeing things in person. Living and breathing in Rome, a city so often referenced in every kind of history book, offered an incredible learning opportunity. I know that I will continually draw from my experiences, and that my time in Rome will stay with me forever.

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This blog highlights some of the random thoughts and sights throughout my time in Rome…..

Gelato, Gelato, and More Gelato

After three months in Italy, I believe I can officially call myself a gelato connoisseur. Having gelato almost every day for the greater part of the trip, I got to know the best gelaterias and the best flavors to try at each one. In Rome, I went to several gelaterias that were recommended in my two guidebooks. I had some of the best gelato in Italy! At Cremeria Monteforte, right next to the Pantheon, I had a flavor called Rose. There is no other way to describe it other than that it actually tasted like the smell of a rose, and it was delicious! At Giolitti, also near the Pantheon, I had cinnamon, cherry, and chocolate, and at Gelateria alla Scala in Travestere I tried a pear, cinnamon, and cherry combination. I wasn’t sure how the pear would taste in gelato form, but it was excellent! Another famous gelateria near the Pantheon was Il Gelato di San Crispino, and their gelato is all-natural, and served only in cups, which they say is to preserve the flavor. This refreshing and sweet treat is something that I will definitely miss!

Street Vendors

One thing I really enjoyed about Rome was sitting in different places and observing how other people experience the city. When posting my blogs, I was in public spaces, and it was always interesting to observe people pass and pick up on tidbits of their reactions to the historic surroundings. It was a touristy path, which means that it was full of vendors: trying to get you to hold birds for a photo, selling fruit and paintings, palm readings, the people who stand as King Tut and don’t move. I was always curious about the people in full costume, and one time, I saw the King Tut man coming out of costume at the end of the day, at about 7pm. It was very interesting.

Colosseum Fun

Living so close to the Colosseum in Rome was a real joy. I got to experience its activity at all times of the day, at different times of the week, and with different users. As such a monumental piece of history, the users ranged from worldwide tourists, local bride and groom couples, to Roman construction workers. One day, as I was walking past the Colosseum, I saw a police car driving by, and the policeman who was the passenger in the car was snapping a photo of the Colosseum. I turned to see what the excitement was about, and there were several workers on the ledges of the Colosseum. It was fascinating to watch them work. They were on several levels with men on the ground directing them! It was fun to see!

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There were several evenings throughout my time in Rome when I went exploring after the sun went down. I am fascinated by the way spaces are used during the day versus at night. Is the area still active? How has it changed? Who are the users? How is the space perceived with daylight as compared to artificial lighting? These are just some of the questions that I tried to answer when I spent time different piazzas, on various roads, and around the major sights.

To analyze these similarities and differences, I visited some of the most popular spots in Rome during both the day and night. I went to attractions such as the Pantheon, Capitol Hill, the Piazzas, and more. I found that in general, most areas were just as busy at night as during the day. Though the museums and sights were closed, the restaurants, piazzas, streets, and other areas were filled with people. For example, the Pantheon and Colosseum would close before sunset, but people gathered in the piazzas and spaces surrounding them long after they closed their doors. The restaurants, cafes, and bars would spill into the piazzas and streets, filled with people enjoying the scenery and each other’s company. There was hardly a restaurant that I would walk by that wasn’t brimming with people. Art vendors would keep their work up on the streets and piazzas, and music would fill the air.

Lighting was also an interesting factor. One of the main roads, Via Dei Fori Imperiali, was lined with important sights such as the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Imperial Forum, Capitol Hill, and Piazza Venezia. When the sky was dark, the monuments and ruins would be lighted to showcase the ancient columns and stones. It even went so far as to have the busts of different emperors projected on the Senate building of the Roman Forum.

The city takes on a different character throughout the day, and it is constantly changing. I enjoyed seeing how people would gather and use the spaces – moving to the shaded areas during the day, and gathering near the fountains, monuments, and restaurants at night. It seemed that no matter what time of day or night, Rome was alive and bustling!

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I began Monday rising before the sun. The birds were chirping outside my window, and I was ready for another glorious day in Rome. One of my favorite ways to experience a city is to watch the sunrise and the city come alive. I enjoy the way the quiet and still of the morning gives way to the activity of the day. The streetlights changed from blinking yellow to their regulating operation, the metro unlocked its doors, and the deep blue night sky changed colors as the sun rose above the Roman skyline.

It was a great morning. When I first began my walk, there were some on the road, but very few people out walking. It was so different to see places like the Colosseum and Capitol Hill, which are normally surrounded by hundreds of people, completely empty. As I was finishing my walk the cafe bars and tabacchi shops began to open, the city workers began cleaning the streets, and Rome prepared for another day in history.

Next on my agenda was to visit some of the important churches of Rome. I walked to San Giovanni in Laterano, which was Rome’s first Christian church after Christianity was legalized in the city. My next stop was the Church of Santa Prassede to see their incredible mosaics, and then to Santa Maria Maggiore. That was one of the oldest churches in Rome as well, and contained beautiful mosaics, relics from Jesus’s manger, and the tomb of Bernini.

To continue my day I strolled down Via Nazionale, window shopping and going into an occasional store. I also walked around some neighborhoods that I hadn’t yet explored before following the Italian lead and taking a nice midday break for lunch. Since most of the churches and shops close for a few hours everyday at that time, I thought this was justified!

Then I made my way to the Church of St. Peter’s in Chains. This church holds the actual chains which held Peter when he was in the Mamertine Prison. One of the interesting things about Rome that I have been discovering is how everything is linked together. I had just been in the Mamertine Prison the day before and seen where he was chained. Another example was how the main entry doors to San Giovanni in Laterno were originally from the Senate building in the Roman Forum, where I had again been inside the previous day. That is one of the greatest benefits of getting to really explore Rome – I am having the opportunity to see how the buildings, ruins, and all of history are connected in the incredible city.

The other main attraction at St. Peter’s in Chains is that it has the unfinished work of Pope Julius II’s tomb, which holds Michelangelo’s Moses sculpture. The tomb was supposed to be a grand work of art with almost 50 sculptures and statues, and Michelangelo worked almost 30 years on it. The tomb was never finished according to the original plan, but what remains is still of a grandiose scale. It was incredible to see the Moses sculpture. The detail of his beard, the tension in his fingers, and the precision of his muscles was astounding. I read that if Moses were standing he would almost be as tall as Michelangelo’s David sculpture. It was another incredible day in Rome!

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Saturday was quite a day: busy, tiring, and beautiful. I made my way through the classic ancient Roman sights, the Mammertine Prison and viewed the Imperial Forum and Trajan’s Column from the exterior. With the Roman sun beating down on me as I wandered through the outdoor sights, I had to stop and marvel at the history surrounding me. I saw the birthplace of Rome, the center of Roman civilization for a thousand years, incredible architecture, and more. It was a lot to take in! I did my best to stop, observe, and breath in the ruins around me and the paths on which I was walking.

I began my day in the Colosseum. I had been there about a week before with my family, and we took an excellent guided tour, so this time was more about slowly making my way through and just observing. This amazing feat of architecture and engineering was inspiring to see, and I spent a lot of time looking at the different materials that had survived and the details of how the materials came together.

Next, I went to Palatine Hill. This was another one of the quiet respites from the Roman traffic and tourist chaos. The birds were chirping, dust was blowing in the air, and beautiful trees provided the backdrop. One of the most interesting sights of Palatine Hill was the Huts of Romulus. It is said that Romulus and Remus were brought there and raised in that spot after being discovered by a shepherd.

Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum are connected, so as I finished my explorations of Palatine Hill I was perfectly placed at the entrance to the Forum. I was glad I had an opportunity to return here as well, because, like most of the sights in Rome, one time is not enough to truly appreciate everything they have to offer. (I’m beginning to think that two times isn’t usually enough either, but one could truly spend a lifetime exploring Rome.) The amount of history that is in the Forum is astounding, and I enjoyed walking through and learning about the ancient way of life.

Again, the central location of the sights allowed me to exit the Forum about five meters from the entrance to the Mamertine Prison. I did not know too much about this sight – the descriptions in my guidebooks were quite limited – except that it is where the Saints Peter (and possibly Paul) were prisoned. It was quite an experience. We got to see the place where Peter and Paul were imprisoned. There were originally no walls into the cell, and prisoners were lowered in through a hole in the roof, which is still visible. After that, the tour included several different rooms where we watched interpretive videos on things such as water, rocks, and Christianity. It was a different and interesting experience.

To finish out the sights around the Capitol Hill area I viewed the Imperial Forum and Trajan’s Column from the exterior.

My next activity was a walk through the Trastevere neighborhood. It was a perfect end to the day. To get there, I walked along the Tiber River. It is an interesting situation because the river is completely walled off. Unlike other cities where the river is a main attraction, Rome has completely separated themselves from the river.

Trastevere is said to be the more “Roman” part of the city.  As I wandered the quieter streets dusk settled in, and I came to areas that were more lively, with both tourists and locals. Restaurants, jewlery vendors, and more filled the cobblestone streets. It was a lot of fun to make my way through the streets, not looking at the map, and happen upon different areas. It was a great evening.

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Saturday was dedicated to the Pantheon and three nearby churches. What is go great about visiting the churches is that one gets to see such incredible artwork it the place for which it was originally intended. It is definitely the best place to view the incredible art in Rome.

The first church I visited was the Church of San Ignazio. Inside, there was an incredible wooden model that was composed of many smaller churches. The description was in Italian, but it seemed to me that they were different churches from all over the world. As an architecture student, I always appreciate looking at models, and this one was extraordinary! The church itself is known for its beautiful frescos over the walls and ceilings. The church lighting was different than what I had seen before as well. There were many smaller candles that framed the center painting around the altar, as opposed to overall lighting as in many other churches.

The Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva is the only Gothic church in Rome, and it had a sculpture by Michelangelo, Christ Bearing the Cross. I am still astounded by the fact that you can walk into just about any church in Rome, and chances are great that there is a piece of art by one of the great masters – Michelangelo, Raphael, Caravvagio, etc. The churches are truly a place to contemplate how art and architecture depend on each other. Instead of being created separately they seem to become one piece in its entirety, where one is not complete without the other. It’s always fascinating to discover what treasures are behind the church walls.

The third church, San Luigi, had work of Caravaggio. One of the chapels had three of his paintings, including his first large scale work, The Calling of St. Matthew. The paintings were incredible, and the way that theybecame so vivid with the correct lighting was quite a sight. As much as I wanted to stay and appreciate the paintings, it was difficult to admire them. Space was limited and it was completely crowded! One could hardly move. It was almost like going to see the Mona Lisa at the Louvre -the line to see the paintings is almost as much of a spectacle as the artwork itself!

My next stop was the Pantheon! I was able to spend more time inside than before, and I just sat in amazement and watched the shadow of the oculus change. It was such an experience to see a bird fly over and observe how the shadows change within minutes! While is was great to see, this ever-changing quality made it difficult to sketch the shadows of the coiffers. As can be seen in the sketches below, I originally tried sketching overall shadows, but then focused on smaller details as the image changed so quickly. I was completely fascinated as I sat there and sketched the magnificent architecture!

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