SPQR Fellowship

Monday was a spectacular day. I was so inspired by what I saw and experienced.

Since it was a Monday, and most of the museums are closed, I had planned to tour several churches throughout the day. The first thing I wanted to do, however, was to go to the Vatican to get a ticket to attend a papal audience on Wednesday. I went there right away in the morning to ensure that there would still be tickets available, but it was sure crowded! I had to stand in the line for people wanting to enter St. Peter’s Basilica in order to reach the bronze doors from which you request tickets. The line was wrapped quite far along the edge of the colonnade, but surprisingly, the wait was only about half an hour. To get tickets, one has to walk up the stairs and ask the Swiss guards. I was somewhat unsure if this was the right place, because there was only a small opening in the gates, and everyone was standing behind the gates taking pictures of the guards. I asked two different people, who assured me that you just walk up. I’m sure I has in several photos at that point. Luckily, I was able to get a ticket!

I hadn’t been planning on visiting St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday, however, since I had already stood in line, I decided to go in again. I spent several hours admiring the glory and grandeur of the architecture. Bernini’s glowing dove in the apse is magnificent. Every little detail, etc. of the entire Basilica is incredible.

After touring the inside, I decided to climb to the top of the cupola. What a climb! There were 551 stairs to the top! On the way up, you are let into the inside of the cupola, where you get to see the mosaics up close. Then, the further you climb, the walls actually slant and you certainly feel the curve of the dome! I was a bit tired at when I reached the top, but the view was completely worth it! You could see all of Rome, and get a bird’s-eye view of St. Peter’s Square. It was amazing!

The next highlight of the day was the  Gesu Church. I had read that there was a tomb of St. Ignatius of Loyola receiving his call, but that you can only see the statue if you are there at 17:30, because there is a painting in front of it that lowers only at that time. The timing was right, so I decided to go inside the church. It was incredible. Not only does the church have a beautiful ceiling and several small chapels, but the revelation of the statue was quite a spectacle.

At 17:30, music began playing (it was a recording, but still beautiful), and then there was a lot of speaking (in Italian, so I’m not sure exactly what it was) but then different areas of the alterpiece were lit. The last area to be lit was the painting covering the statue. What a difference the correct lighting makes for the paintings. The entire painting came alive! The vivid colors made it much more beautiful. Finally, the painting lowered, and the statue was revealed. A few minutes later the entire church came alive with lighting throughout the area. All of the paintings and frescos were seen in their true glory and it was an experience that I will never forget! The entire process took about 15 minutes, and then after an hour, the painting quietly and subtly rose once again.

I have always been interested in light and architecture, and witnessing this event inspired me greatly. To feel the effects of different lighting in a space, and the way that it makes one fully appreciate everything the art and architecture has to offer was superb!

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I spent Saturday and Sunday exploring the area in which I will be living for the rest of my time in Rome. The room I am renting is about a five minute walk from the Colosseum! It is incredible to be living so close to such a monumental piece of architecture! Every time I go somewhere, I get to pass by the Colosseum and marvel at its grandeur. It doesn’t quite seem real. I have been very fortunate the past few months…living five minutes from Piazza San Marco in Venice, and now a couple of blocks from the Colosseum!

There are several great things about the area. First, it is a central location. I am able to walk to many of the other important sites, and it is also close to a metro stop. I am trying to do as much walking as possible, so that I can experience the city and learn my surroundings by foot. I have been using several different maps (some are better at navigation through the monumental sites, others have more of the streets labeled, etc.) After days of walking, however, my feet are getting tired! I think the plan will be to take the metro to a further distance, start my day there, and then walk my way back to the Colosseum area. The metro system in Rome is fairly simple – there are only two lines, so I already feel pretty comfortable using that means of transportation.

The other great thing about living so close to the Colosseum is that since I pass it so often, I get to see it during many parts of the day. I really enjoy watching the fluctuations of people and activity. For example, it’s always quite crowded, but Sunday morning it was noticeably quieter and more peaceful. And, on Saturday night, there were four sets of brides and grooms getting their wedding photos taken with the historic background. It’s fun to observe different people and how they interact with the building. It’s also great to see how the building changes with the time of day – being able to see how its color varies with the sunlight, and how the day and night sky are framed throughout the arched openings.

It was nice to have a couple of days that were a bit slower paced and helped me get oriented. The next days will be very full. There is so much to see and do, and I can’t wait to start each day in Rome!

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I have arrived in the Eternal City! It is absolutely amazing to be exploring Rome. Every way I turn my head and down every path I walk, there is something incredible. The history, excitement, and energy of Rome are mesmerizing!

I spent my first two days in Rome with my family, and we saw as many of the city’s essentials as we could before they returned to the U.S. It was a busy couple of days as we walked around, learning about and experiencing the glory of Rome.

Our first afternoon we saw the Circus Maximus and the Colosseum. As we walked through the Circus Maximus we could see the Colosseum and Palatine Hill in the distance. My excitement grew with every step as the Colosseum drew closer and closer. It was so exciting to stand outside of such an important piece of architecture! Walking around inside was unbelievable.

Our next stop was to admire Piazza Venezia, where we got to see the Victor Emmanuel Monument. There is a statue of the king on a horse in the center of the monument, and I read in my Rick Steve’s guidebook that the king’s mustache is five feet wide! It is the largest equestrian statue in the world. What was interesting to me was that it is such a grandiose monument, but it is quite new according to Roman standards, being built in 1870.

After dark we made our way to the Trevi Fountain to experience its magic when it is lit at night. It was so beautiful and the area was filled with people. It was great just to spend some time enjoying the fountain, people, and the piazza. We made sure to follow the ritual and tossed coins into the fountain to ensure our return to Rome!

The next day we explored the Roman Forum and the Vatican City. Walking around the ruins of the Forum is such an interesting experience – you are completely enveloped in history! Afterwards we went to the Vatican Museum, St. Peter’s Basilica, and walked around in the Piazza. Words are not enough to describe the magnificence of that afternoon! In the Museum, Raphael’s The School of Athens and Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel were breathtaking! It has been said that St. Peter’s is the closest thing to heaven on earth, and I would have to agree. It is hard to take in everything that the Basilica has to offer in one trip, and I plan to go back over the course of my time in Rome.

We concluded our second day with a walk to Piazza Navona and enjoyed strolling the Piazza like Italians, listening to music and enjoying the surrounding art and architecture. After that we happened upon Campo de’ Fiori and finished the night with an excellent dinner in one of the many restaurants that fill the lively area.

Some of the first things that struck me were the activity and size of the city. To say that it is “bustling” is an understatement. I couldn’t believe the crowds, traffic, and buzz of the city, at all times of the day! We did a lot of walking from the different sights, and I began to realize how the city sprawls across many areas. Having been living in Venice before, which is a smaller city once you get to know your way around, Rome was quite a change. It will be interesting to see how my perception changes throughout my time in Rome and I become more comfortable and knowledgeable about my surroundings. I’m excited!

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