27 November 2015 - Museum of the Walls and the final Papal Basilica ticked off our list!

Annika and I walked around the local area trying to find somewhere to sell our printer which we bought in Germany and have carted around with us until now.  We won't need it any more but it has served us well and been really necessary.  I try not to remember handwriting our all Luke's modules in Turkey (in our cave accommodation!) for him to do which was an absolute nightmare.  I'm thinking "Stoic" could be my other middle name!  We didn't have any luck in finding a place to sell it so if we don't manage to, we'll give it to our lovely Rome Baptist Church so they can find a home for it!

Annika has had enough of ruins but the rest of us took the Metro to Circus Maximus and walked down the more than slightly treacherous un-footpathed cobbled Appian Way to Porta San Sebastiano and the Museum of the Walls.  Apart from 2 or 3 others, we were the only ones exploring and enjoying this free museum.  There were some well done displays and models of the walls and now that we know Rome well we could recognise all the places on the model of Rome so it was good!  However, the most exciting part was walking along inside and on the ancient walls and thinking of the soldiers and guards who would have done the same!  On one side, there were green fields and farms and on the other side a long drop to a road!  And the was the tower, too, which was fun to climb and the view was excellent.  Just the sort of museum for the "ruin weary" and being free, it was even more enjoyable.

Luke targetting the enemy!

Bit of recycling spotted on the stairs!

The Aurelian Walls were built between 271 AD and 275 AD and enclosed the seven hills of Rome.  I would LOVE to be able to walk all around the walls but it is not possible.  It was a thrill walking on part of the walls!  We are always hoping to find a Roman coin or two!

Walk way along the Aurelian Wall

Heaps of fun going through the arches.

Green fields to one side.

Cheeky!

Looking to Porta San Sebastiano

 

The Arch of Drusus -  an aqueduct leading to the Baths at Caracalla, just up the road, was routed on top of this arch.  It is not entirely clear as to why it was built.  Made of travertine.

View from the tower of the wall - the sky indicates just how cold it was!

....and the walls go on and on!

Then came the long but none-the-less enjoyable walk to the Papal Basilica of St Mary Major (Maria Maggiore), the last of the 4 Papal Basilicas in Rome.  We walked past the excavation work at Circus Maximus and it was quite thrilling to watch the old path being exposed.  Luke could have watched it for hours, in hope of seeing other exciting things revealed!  We dragged him away to continue our walk and as it happens, we had unknowingly completed the pilgrimage for fulfulling the conditions of gaining the Roman Jubilee Indulgence, instituted by various 14th century Popes.

St Mary Major was another impressive and  slightly overwhelming church with magnificent floor mosaics, wall mosaics, chapels and frescoes.

The church was built under Pope Sixtus (AD 432 - 440) and was restored and extended and refurbished by various Popes throughout the centuries.  The present facade was built in 1740's and the interior was renovated in 16th and 17th centuries.  Examples of 5th Century mosaics alongside beautiful frescoes with every inch of surface area covered with art work is a lot to take in.  This church was particularly dark, may be due to the dull day outside and the candles in the small chapels were pretty but conferred little light.

The Papal Basilica of St Mary Major

Beautiful

The Borghese Chapel

Borghese Chapel roof

5th century mosaics (possibly!)

Crypt of the Nativity  - reliquary of the Holy Crib

Pius IX - 1880

 And there was another obelisk outside this basilica - we were starting to think there might just be a pattern and there was!  The obelisks were erected and some repositioned under Pope Sixtus V during the Renaissance as landmarks to guide pilgrims around Rome.  That is one of tge reasons that we have noticed obelisks outside major churches! The obelisks were Christianised by adding a cross to the top!

Here's the obelisk!

Too dangerous to hire

River god Aniene

Goddess Junos

River god Tiber

Goddess Diana

 lovely apartment was so welcomed!  We're off to Pompeii tomorrow for the day so picnic is prepared but we'll take warm clothes as well as the winter temperatures have pretty much set in now!

26 November 2015 - Another basilica and another long walk!

Drizzle and cold temperatures again but it is still important to get out for some fresh air.  Luke, Tim and I walked to Piazza dei Popoli then down the wet streets to complete our circuit.  We pretty much know Rome's layout by now but there are a few things left to explore.  We did find a Panettone Tiramisu which went down very well with morning coffee!

Definitely a winner for morning coffee!

Ancient Roman walls just doing their thing!

Ruins everywhere you turn!

Being a wet day, it is not so inspiring to go out and explore but we finally decided to check out another one of the four Papal Basilicas, my interest having been kindled after visiting the St Paul outside the Walls yesterday and reading about the Papal Basilicas. It is a luxury to be able to trawl the internet and other sources to discover more and more and learn so much!  I think if I had read about the Papal Basilicas in a text book I would have skimmed over the information but being able to walk through and wonder is great and so that the whole experience becomes memorable. Today's journey took us to the Papal Archbasilica of St John in the Lateran, the official ecclesiastical seat of the Roman Pontiff.  It is the oldest church in the West

As it is the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, it ranks higher than all other Catholic churches (including St Peter's) and is therefore given the title Archbasilica.

The Archbasilica was built on top of the ruins of a fort and it was officially dedicated in 324 AD.  From that time on with an earthquake (897 AD), fires (1307 and 1361) and some extensions and renovations, it has remained the Archbasilica.

Archbasilica of St John in Lateran.

It is impressive to walk into and there was a hushed silence of a few people wandering about and some other praying in the side chapels.  What strikes you most are the 18th Century massive statues of the Apostles along the sides as you walk down the central aisle.  The apse is a magnificent 19th Century mosaic and the floor inspired me for more patchwork quilts with its lovely geometric designs.

 

Geometric floor designs, hand pieced and and laid to see the passage of time.

This one is a greater challenge with the curves!  Imagine hand cutting each piece!

A patchwork possibility!

The Apse with mosaic

The Dove with olive leaf again.

Apostle Simon - massive, at least twice the size of a human.

Looking down the main aisle.

Apostle Peter

There is a cloister attached to this basilica but as the weather wasn't too good and we'd seen one yesterday, we headed off passing  Palazzo Laterano which was the official Papal residence until the Pope moved to the Vatican in 1397.  In the piazza we noted yet another huge obelisk, the Lateran Obelisk.  It was originally from the Temple of Karnak in Egypt and then was erected in Circus Maximus  in AD 357.  It fell at some stage and was buried under the Circus before being discovered and re-erected in its current position in 1588.  It is the tallest standing obelisk in the world.

The tallest obelisk in the world:  the Lateran Obelisk

 

Why let an old arch get in the way of a building project?!

And so the walls continue...

On the Wall path!

  We sort of followed the Ancient Roman walls in the direction of Porta San Sebastiano, not entirely sure that we were going the right way around.  After asking a local chap, who confirmed we were going the right way, he showed us a path off the main road along the other side of the massive walls to walk along!  It was cold, 9 C, slightly drizzly and a longish walk but not unpleasant.  We did find the Museum of the Walls, our destination, but it was closed!  Not to worry, we got to walk along the Appian Way again and indeed back home along the river.

Next to Porta San Sebastiano - The Appian Way continues and cars thunder along at break neck speed.

 Tim was thrilled that he finally found a Taco ice cream!  He'd being eyeing these off but no shops seemed to stock them given that it is now winter.  He sat and enjoyed his find in the chilly evening air!  We also enjoyed a visit to our bakery where Luke scored the biggest doughnut of all time for 1 Euro!

Winner!

Very happy!

Luke measuring his huge doughnut!  Looks like his tee shirt dinosaur is about to eat it!

25 November 2015 - Papal Basilica of St Paul outside the Walls, a long walk and St Cecilia surprises us again!

I do believe that the majority of schoolwork has been completed. Tim, who has finished his year's work,  had some frustration with actually submitting his work as the normal channels were not working.  Just when he thought he'd finalised it all, the submission process let him down so hopefully it will be resolved soon.  Annika has a tiny bit to do and Luke can finish up but we want him to keep up journal writing each day to maintain his skills.  Tim already is working on animations and producing travel videos which he enjoys doing and we will all enjoy watching!  We really didn't know what part of the school curriculum they would be up to at this stage, so that is one of the reasons we decided to base ourselves in Rome for a month.

Papal Basilica of St Paul outside the Walls

We headed out on the Metro to Basilica San Paolo and walked to the Basilica of St Paul outside the Walls.  I hadn't expected it to be so big!  It is one of the big 4 Papal Basilicas in Rome.

Front of the Basilica - note golden mosaic

The original basilica was erected over the burial place of the Apostle Paul by Emperor Constantine I.  Over time is was extended and modified and a cloister  was built between 1220 and 1241

The basilica was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1823.  Many countries contributed to the reconstruction and the new basilica was re-opened in 1840.  Emerald green malachite and blue lapis lazuli from the Emperor of Russia and pillars of alabaster from the Viceroy of Egypt and re-use of some of the mosaic materials which could be salvaged, have combined to make this basilica quite magnificent.  Luigi Poletti, a neoclassical architect was responsible for the new basilica.  By the way, he also added a choir to the Pantheon and designed several theatres.

Apse mosaic with various Saints

The Altar of Assumption -with emerald green malachite and blue lapis lazuli - stunning!

Some of the Popes - all painted  in sequence under the upper windows.

All of the Popes - there is room for 6 more!

Frescoes hidden in corners!

Apostle Paul's tomb

Apostle Paul's remains were placed in a sarcophagus in 4 th Century and can be seen as a rough marble sarcophagus below the altar with the inscription: Paulo Apostolo Mart (Paul the Apostle and Martyr).

Always good to use someone's explanations

Paschal candle stand -12th century work signed by Pietro Vassalletto. 

 The kids and I decided to take the opportunity to go into the cloister and pinoteca as well.  With many double columns inlaid with colourful mosaics, the courtyard area is very pretty.  The walls of the cloister display a tasteful collection of old marble plaques and grave stones with fragments of ancient writing upon them.  I always challenge myself to work out dates and if I was right, some of the stones were 13th century or even much earlier!

The beautiful cloisters also designed by Pietro Vassalletto

Mosaic pillars in cloisters

Sarcophagus in cloisters

From 13th century

Beautiful mosaics on the pillars and around the top

Rose garden

Checking out the pillars

The monastery still functions today.

Found in 2007-2009 excavations

Some reliefs are still remarkably intact.

Trying to work out the date ?220AD - can't be!

The dove with olive branch again.

Wow!

Very fine work here!

Holy Door opened every 25 years for Jubilee celebrations

The gardens were lovely but it really was getting a bit chilly to sit around for long!  We decided to walk to the Trastevere which was much further than it looked on the map! There is nothing quite like dragging a grumbling one or two kids along to make the road seem arduous when you are actually enjoying the walk and loving the history around you! I have given up promising that I won't stop to take pictures and read signs! Tim decided to go back home at his fast pace and just when the grunts had reached their peak, I saw the church of St Cecilia in Trastevere.  At least some of our party were excited!

Outside the church of St Cecilia in Trastevere

St Cecilia, again!  She seems to keep cropping up and surprising me.  If I were a Catholic, I might consider Cecilia as an extra name!  Only yesterday I learnt about St Cecilia in Rome and her church and we didn't even go looking for it!  Luke and I were particularly excited and noted the statue of St Cecilia was indeed the same one (one of them is a replica) we had seen in the catacombs!  We were even more excited to find some steps leading down to the archaeology below the main church which included a very beautiful crypt and the remains of St Cecilia's house.

Cecilia was martyred in 230 AD in her home which had also been a secret place of worship.  She had survived being locked in a steam room for 3 days and then survived 3 blows of an axe to her neck for a further 3 days until she bled to death and during this time she spread the Gospel and many became Christians,  The current church was built on top of her home.  We felt as if we had to tip toe across the 2000 year old mosaics on the floor of the ancient house.  The remains of a tannery with several big vats could be seen as well as pots and other rooms in the house.  It was quiet and peaceful there in the old house - what a privilege! And the crypt built in 1899, with all its elaborate mosaics was really quite lovely and a surprise find at the end of the earthy ruins of the house.

Sneaky peek at the Roman ruins of Cecilia's house below the church

St Cecilia (1600)

We tried to tip toe on these ancient floor mosaics

There were 5 or 6 big vats for the tannery which once existed in the house of Cecilia

I imagine this is St Cecilia

Crypt under house

1899 Crypt mosaic

We walked through the Trastevere area and then along the river to the Vatican, via the subterranean bakery and home.  My legs were really tired.  We must have walked at least 10 kms, mostly on cobble stones which really challenge one's legs!

Arches pop up everywhere!

Street scenes

Trastevere getting ready for Christmas