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visit Rome in 2 days
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Rome in 96 hours - second day
Via della Conciliazione leads to Castel Sant’Angelo, the fortress of the popes built in the Middle Ages above the remains of the tomb of the Emperor Hadrian (2nd century AD). Its structure is an example of the continuity between past and present in the urban fabric of Rome, where ancient buildings were often reused and adapted to serve new purposes, thus maintaining an active role in the history of the city. The location of the emperor’s mausoleum on the right bank of the river Tiber, close to the Vatican, determined its use as a defensive rampart, connected to the papal palaces by a passageway, known as the “Passetto”, and endowed with a moat surrounding it, drawbridges and cannons. In the past the castle was famous for its terrible dungeons, described by Benvenuto Cellini who made an adventurous escape from them. It was also a place of public executions, as recalled by the opera Tosca, that sees its tragic ending here. Walking through the 58 rooms the Museum of the Castel Sant’Angelo today is a journey through its 1800 years of history, and the many terraces offer extraordinary views of the city.
Don’t miss the Bridge of the Angels, with the statues by the Bernini school that in the past announced to pilgrims on their way to visit the tomb of St. Peter, that the goal of their journey was near.
We suggest reaching Trastevere by boat with the navigation service on the Tiber, and to get off at the Isola Tiberina. The boat ride will evoke the fundamental role the river used to have in the life of the city, when buildings and gardens went right down to the river banks, that also had ports, water mills and platforms for fishing. The Tiber often flooded causing great damage to the neighbouring areas. This led to the construction of modern embankments in the 1870s that have profoundly modified the appearance of the river and its relationship to the city.
The area of Trastevere is ideal for a walk through narrow streets, squares and colors that still maintain an authentically Roman character and offers a pleasant contrast with the solemn splendor seen at the Vatican. In antiquity Trastevere – “beyond the Tiber” – was the first district established on the right bank of the Tiber and was inhabited by artisans, fishermen, merchants and communities of foreigners, connected with the activities of the nearby port. Trastevere was also famous for its magnificent villas and vast gardens, the most important of which belonged to Julius Caesar who may have hosted Cleopatra there and left them in his will to the people of Rome.
In the Middle Ages the neighborhood acquired the aspect it still preserves today in its narrow alleys and small squares that often defy any idea of a rational overall urban design, and give the impression of having adapted to preexisting structures. Sites that should not be missed include the ancient Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere, with the 13th century mosaics by Pietro Cavallini, and of Santa Cecilia, with the touching statue of Cecilia herself, patron saint of music, by Stefano Maderno. To find the magnificence of the Renaissance even in Trastevere, the ideal place is the Farnesina, the suburban villa of wealthy banker Agostino Chigi, containing frescoes by Raphael, Baldassarre Peruzzi and Sebastiano del Piombo. Trastevere offers a great variety of restaurants and bars for a fun evening. Courtesy of romaturismo.com Azienda Promozione Turistica Comune di Roma
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The
Vatican City
Castel
Sant’Angelo
Trastevere
