Two day Rome recap ( part 2)

 In retrospect, our 3 days in Rome wasn’t quite enough time to see the 900 churches and cathedrals, 60 art galleries, 90 museums and several hundred ancient sites. Even after 3 visits we have barely put a dent in the list of things to see.

Sunday morning we spent an hour or so checking out the ancient Forum and it’s many buildings, temples and architectural digs. It seems that there is constant restoration work and searches for artifacts. Despite it being somewhat late in the season the site was flooded with dozens of group tours guided by flag bearing tour leaders conversing in several languages.

 Moving over to the Colosseum we were able to avoid the lines, having previously booked on line. 

Like the Forum, the building was under restoration, mostly the upper parts of the exterior walls. We were able to access parts of the site that had been off limits on previous tours. So we were able to get a better view of the lower areas of the arena floor. An audio guide provided a detailed history of the arena, including some rather gruesome descriptions of events in which thousands of prisoners were put to death as well as similar numbers of exotic animals and gladiators. Apparently events on occasion went on for weeks or months to celebrate various battles won and special occasions like the Emerors birthday or certain Religious Feasts. So cleanup costs would be an arm and a leg!

The upper areas provided a view similar to what the spectators in ancient times would have experienced although the actual arena floors no longer exists.

The late afternoon was spent enjoying a guided tour of the Borgia Gallery- surrounded by a massive public park- think Central Park, New York. Originally a Borgia home, it is now public museum featuring statues, paintings and mosaics from the second to the 18th century. Prominently featured were paintings by Caravaggio (some considered to risqué at the time and therefore removed from the commissioning churches) Also featured were paintings by a Raphael ( insert your own Mutant Ninja comment here) and some amazing sculptures ( life size and larger) of Bernini featuring various mythological figures.

 Returning through the park we made a brief stop at the Piazza del Popolo, a large public area dominated by a large Egyptian style obelisk and fountain, as well as two almost identical churches, the Santa Maria in  Monsanto and the Santa Maria dei Miracoli. The only difference, almost difficult to spot,were the slightly different shapes of the domes.