Rome blog for Bed & Breakfast Chaplin Hostel

Piazza Barberini - the square itself

Piazza Barberini lies at the foot of some or Rome’s most important streets, the Via Veneto (known for its wealth and its paparazzi past), the Via Sistina (leading to the top of the Spanish Steps) and the Via del Tritone. It was not until the end of the 16th century that Piazza Barberini began to have an urban look. Formerly it was a suburb of Rome and one had to cross a brook to reach it.

Palazzo Barberini

The last and most important owners of the area were the Barberini family, one of Rome’s most famous and influential families. Off to one side of the piazza you will see the Palazzo Barberini, which houses the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica. Around the end of the 16th century Piazza Barberini was crossed by Strada Felic (which is now Via Sistina) and Pope Urban VIII Barberini transformed the old Villa Sforza into what is now Piazza Barberini. The most important artists of the time worked at the building, from Carlo Maderno, who started the work, to Francesco Borromini, and from Pietro da Cortona to Gian Lorenzo Bernini, who did the central block. The coat of arms referencing the heraldic symbols of the Barberini’s (the bees and the sun) were done by Borromini.

The fountains

The latter was also requested to build two fountains, the Triton one, still standing in the middle of the square today and the “Fountain of the Bees”, standing today at the beginning of the Via Veneto.

The Fountain of the Triton is one of the most beautiful sculptures to be found in Rome. Bernini made it in honour of his benefactor, Pope Urban VIII. Four dolphins support two valves with a triton on it who blows water through a shell.

The fountain of the Barberini Bees used to be in the Via Due Macelli and was moved to its present position when the Via del Tritone got enlarged. Above the bees you can see St. Peter’s crossed keys (the keys were always added to a family crest when a son was elected pope).

How to reach from the Rome B&B Chaplin Hostel

As usual, you can either use Rome’s public transport system (metro line A from Rome Termini to Barberini - 2 stops) or you can go for a beautiful 15 minute walk. Starting from the Chaplin Bed and Breakfast you cross Roma Termini, walk towards Piazza della Repubblica (with another gorgeous fountain), go straight ahead instead of turning left into the Via Nazionale and walk on until you come to 3 roads forking: the left one is Via Barberini and at the end of it you will find Piazza Barberini.

Practical information

The official address is Piazza del Campidoglio, 1. Phone: 06 82059127.
The opening hours are Tue-Sun 9am-8pm. Closed on Mondays, Dec 25, Jan 1 and May 1.
The admission cost is €6,50 (reduced €4,50).

Description

The Capitoline Museums in Rome date back to 1471, when Pope Sixtus IV donated a group of bronze statues, that until then had been kept at the Lateran, to the people of Rome. These statues form the original core collection of the museums. Various popes subsequently expanded the collection with works taken from excavations around Rome; some were moved from the Vatican and some, such as the Albani collection, were bought specifically for the museum.

Around the middle of the 18th century, Pope Benedict XIV created the Capitoline Picture Gallery and at the end of the 19th century a considerable quantity of archeological material was added when Rome became Italy’s capital and new excavations were carried out during the creation of new districts for the expanding city.

The Capitoline Museums’ collections are displayed in two of the three buildings that together enclose the Piazza del Campidoglio: Palazzo dei Conservatori and Palazzo Nuovo. The two buildings are linked by an underground tunnel containing the Epigraphic Gallery and leading to the ancient Tabularium, whose monumental arche ovelook the Forum Romanum.

The Palazzo Nuovo houses the collections of ancient sculpture brought together by the great noble families of the past. Their arrangement has remained substantially unchanged since the 18th century. They include the famous collections of busts of Romanphilosophers and emperors, the statue of Capitoline Gaul, the Capitoline Venus, and the imposing statue of Marforio that dominates the courtyard.

The Conservators’ Apartment contains the original architectural nucleus of the building, decorated with frescoes portraying the history of Rome. The Capitoline bronzes on display here are the Capitoline She-Wolf, Spinario and the Capitoline Brutus.

On the first floor a (recently built) huge glass room contains the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, which used to stand in the Piazza del Campidoglio, and the remains of the Temple of Jupiter.

Another section is dedicated to the Campidoglio’s history, from its first inhabitation until the construction of the sacred building, with the results of recent excavations.

The halls overlooking the room contain works from the gardens (horti) on the Esquiline, while the hall connecting the room to the Palazzo dei Conservatori contains the 19th century Castellani collection.

On the second floor, the Capitoline picture gallery contains works, arranged in chronological order from late mediaevil times to the 18th century, including paintings by Caravaggio (Good luck and St. John the Baptist), a massive canvas by Guercino (Burial of Saint Petronilla) and varioius paintings by Guido Reni and Pietro da Cortona.

The Palazzo Clementino-Caffarelli holds the Capitoline Numismatic Collection with many rare coins, medals, gems and jewels. There is also an area dedicated to temporary exhibitions.

Directions from the Hostel Chaplin Bed and Breakfast Rome to the Capitoline Museums

The quickest way from the Chaplin B&B in Rome is to go to Rome Termini, take metro line B to the Colosseo stop, turn right when you exit, walk around the Monument for Vittorio Emanuele till you come to the steps on your left. Climb the steps and the two buildings on your left and your right are the Capitoline Museums. A walk, as always, is more beautiful: from the Chaplin Hostel, cross Rome Termini, walk to the end of Via Cavour (maybe stopping at the Basilicas of Saint Mary Major and Saint Peter In Chains) and turn right. Then follow the previous directions.

Practical information:

To get to Rome’s most important basilica, Saint Peter’s from the Hostel Chaplin Bed and Breakfast Rome is very easy. Walk to Roma Termini and take the metro (line A, 6 stops, to Ottaviano-San Pietro). Take the first exit on your left and follow (shuffle behind) everybody else.

The basilica is open every day of the year, from 7am until 7pm (except during the winter months, when it closes at 6pm). The phone numbers are 06 69881662 and 06 69883462.

The general dress code for Rome’s churches and basilicas is that your knees and shoulders have to be covered. This rule does not get enforced equally strictly in all churches, but it definitely does in Saint Peter’s, so if you visit Rome in the summer and you prefer walking around in shorts, make sure that you have a longer skirt or a pair of jeans with you to slip on before entering Saint Peter’s.

General information

The official name of Saint Peter’s Basilica is Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano. It is the second among the 4 major Roman basilicas (after St. John Lateran). Contrary to what you would expect it is the Lateran basilica which is the patriarchal basilica of Rome , whereas Saint Peter’s is the patriarchal basilica of Constantinople.

It is the burial site of Saint Peter, one of the twelve apostles, who was also the first bishop of Rome. Saint Peter’s tomb is supposed to be below the baldachino and altar, even though there is no indication in the New Testament that Peter ever set foot in Rome.

Many Popes, including the very first ones, have been buried there as well.

The basilica as it is now was built over the Constantinian Basilica. Work started on April 18th of the year 1506 and was finished in 1626.

Due to its size and its location inside the Vatican City it is the principal church of the Catholic religion, even though St. John Lateran is the Pope’s ecclesiastical seat. Most papal ceremonies are performed inside Saint Peter’s.

Saint Peter’s Square was built by Gian Lorenzo Bernini between 1656 and 1667. It is surrounded by an elliptical colonnade with two pairs of Doric columns, with Ionic entablatures.

The 40 metre high obelisk in the middle of the colonnade was moved from the Circus of Nero to its present location on the order of Pope Sixtus V. The 13th century B.C. Egyptian obelisk was originally moved to Rome in 37 A.D. It is the second largest standing obelisk and the only one that remained standing since it was erected during the Roman empire.
There are two fountains in the square, the north one by Maderno, the other one by Bernini.

To get the most spectacular view Saint Peter’s square is best reached through the Via della Conciliazione, which was built by Mussolini, after the signing of the Lateran Treaties.

The Vatican City is the smallest country in the world (44 hectares) and the world headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, ruled by the Pope, who has absolute executive, legislative and judicial powers. It is entirely surrounded by Rome. It is separated from Rome by medieval and renaissance walls.

It has its own constitution, postal system (reputedly faster and more reliable than the Italian system) and flag. The currency is the Euro, though it is not part of the European union. It has its own railway station and its own, very influential, newspaper, the Osservatore Romano.

The Vatican has its own army of about 100 soldiers, the Swiss Guard. Saint Peter’s Square is under control of the Italian police. Several buildings outside the Vatican walls, just like Castel Gandolfo (the pope’s summer residence) have the privilege of extraterritoriality.

In 1929 the Lateran Treaty was signed between Benito Mussolini and Pope Pius XI, which gave the Papal states to Italy and sovereignty over the Holy See plus a considerate financial compensation to the Catholic Church.

The Vatican gets its money from Catholics from all over the world (Peter’s pence), interest on its investments and profits from its bank. Of course the Vatican museums also attract more than 10.000 visitors a day. Some of those visitors buy stamps, some of them books and posters, some of them eat in the restaurant in the Vatican Museums and some of them visit the dome of Saint Peter’s. The Vatican owns land and apartments all across the city, which is rented out at Roman rates.

Together with that seen from the Gianicolo, the view from the dome of Saint Peter’s is one of the most spectacular sights of Rome. It is also probably the only view you will be able to get of the Vatican Gardens, a visit to which has to be reserved in advance.

As can be seen below, there is only a 50 cent price difference between walking and taking the elevator up. Please note that the elevator does not take you all the way up: the last part you will have to walk and the stairs are narrow, steep and many.

Contrary to what most people think, the Dome (or cupola) of Saint Peter’s Basilica was not designed by Michelangelo, but by Giacomo della Porta (assisted by Domenico Fontana). By Michelangelo’s death in 1564 only the drum on which the dome rests had been completed. Della Porta vaulted the dome itself between 1585 and 1590. Fontana built the lantern in 1591 and the ball was placed in 1593.

The brick dome is 42 metres in interior diameter and rises 120 metres above the floor. In the 18th century, when cracks appeared in the dome, four iron chains were installed between the two shells in order to bind it. The - egg-shaped- dome is supported by 4 piers that are each 18 metres across.

Domus Aurea reopens to the public

After having been closed for a little bit over a year for restorations on February 4th the Domus Aurea will open its doors to visitors again.

Weekend without football

After major irregularities leading to the death of a policeman after the football match between the Sicilian teams of Catania and Palermo the government has decided to suspend all league football matches for the weekend, including the top match between Roma and Inter.

Car-less Sunday

On February 18th no cars will be allowed in the center of Rome. For one day you will be able to cross the road without having to fear for your lives. Enjoy!

Rome’s first golf course to be ready in 2008

Mayor Walter Veltroni has official announced the construction of Rome’s first golf course, to be built near the Rome-Fiumicino motorway. The 7,000 meter course is supposed to be ready in 2008. Time to get out the funny pants

The ruins of Nero’s Domus Aurea, which has been closed since December 2005, will reopen to the public on February 4th, 2007. Tours will be accompanied by an engineer and an architect. They will cost 4.50€.

The “Golden House”, which was closed when the 32 rooms open to the public were declared unsafe after patches of brick and plaster had started showing signs of detaching, had only reopened in June 1999 after having been closed to anyone but art officials for 21 years. The cost of the restoration was an impressive 5 billion liras (2.5 Million Euros).
The Domus Aurea lies underneath the Colle Oppio (Oppian Hill), which is covered with parks, roads and trees.

After the Emperor Nero’s suicide in 68 AD his successor Trajan, in order to make all traces of Nero disappear, had his baths built on top of the Golden Palace, just as he had the Flavian amphitheater (or Colosseum) built on top of the lake that used to be beside the palace. Funnily enough, it was the burial of the palace that preserved the vivid colors and images of its frescoes (the word ‘grotesque’, from the Italian word for cave (grotto), was coined after the winged lions, griffins and tritons depictred in the Domus Aurea).

From an architectural point of view, the most important room is the eight-sided Sala Ottagonale with its rotating floor where Nero is said to have entertained his guests by playing the lyre. At the height of festivities Nero used to order marble panels to be slid back, thereby showering the proceedings with petals and perfume.

The chalk and tallow marks on the walls were left by Renaissance masters like Raphael who were let down through a hole in the roof to admire its splendours.

The Domus Aurea, after Nero had finished building it, boasted 150 rooms which covered most of the Palatine, Celian and Oppian hills (more than 50 hectars).

At the moment archeologists are trying to unearth more of the baths Emperor Trajan had built over the Domus Aurea.

From the Rome Hostel Chaplin Bed and Breakfast the Domus Aurea can be reached by taking a metro (line B) from Rome Termini to the  Colosseo stop. Turn left upon exiting from the metro system, walk past the Colosseum and turn left onto the Viale Domus Aurea. From the Chaplin’s sister B&B, the Rome Hotel Little Italy, you turn right when you walk out the door, left at the end of the street and then straight ahead till you find the Viale Domus Aurea on your right.