Wow! Today was a very long & wonderful day. We started at the Roman Forum, the heart of what was ancient Rome. This is where people gathered, where the Senate met to decide on new laws, where the temples were built to worship the gods, where prisoners were held, etc. Of course, it is in ruins now but it was amazing to see how complex and grand the city once was. Palatine Hill overlooks the Roman Forum and was where several Roman emperors lived. According to Roman legend, it’s the same place where two twins, Romulus and Remus, were found and raised by a she-wolf. Later on, Romulus killed Remus and found the city of Rome, its name echoing Romulus’ victory.
We visited the Pantheon. This building was commissioned by Marcus Agrippa a few years B.C. as a building to worship all the Roman gods. However, since the 7th century, it has been used as a Roman Catholic Church.
We walked around town for a bit and went to the Spanish Steps (reported to be the longest and widest staircase in Europe) and the Trevi Fountain—a very impressive 85 feet high and 65 feet wide. We then went back to the room, and I took a much-needed Jacuzzi bath.
Opmerkingen