Famous sculptures of Poseidon. Ancient Greek sculptures
Rome is located on seven hills. The smallest in size and height, but the most significant in historical and artistic value called Capitol. Every tourist tries to visit this place to see with his own eyes the place where the Eternal City arose.
Rome has many beautiful and unique places: cathedrals, monuments famous personalities, fountains and palaces. The most impressive is Capitol Hill; its historical and cultural values leave no one indifferent. According to legend, 2.5 thousand years ago Romulus (one of the founding brothers of Rome), standing on the top of a hill, saw eagles soaring in the sky. Near this place he decided to found a city. Historians have not reached a consensus on the origin of the name of the hills. There are two versions, according to one it bears the name of Jupiter Capitolinus, whose temple stood long before the appearance of Romulus. Here was the sanctuary of the Sabine tribes; they erected a temple to Jupiter and prayed to him, making sacrifices.
The second version is from the word “kaput” (translated as head), since the Senate was located on the hill, where the most eminent and noble dignitaries of that time sat. In ancient times, a temple to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva was built on Capitol Hill; there were always a lot of people in the square; the Senate met here, important issues were decided, and trials were held. The building of the Mamertine prison, which also stands on the hill, has still been preserved. It is already more than 2700 years old. According to some sources, the date of construction dates back to the 6th century, according to others, it was built in the 4th century BC. Initially, it was a two-level building; in its dungeon, both important dignitaries and ordinary citizens languished in anticipation of the execution of the sentence.
According to legend, the apostles Peter and Paul were imprisoned in this prison before their execution. When the prison in XYI ceased to function, an altar was installed in the dungeon, and pilgrims still come here to worship. Subsequently, the Church of Joseph the Carpenter was erected above the dungeon. In ancient times, on the territory of the Capitol there were streets with trading stalls and shops where artisans sold their products. Some have survived to this day, for example, Silver, where, according to the name, silver products were sold.
At the foot of the Aricheli Temple there are ancient buildings - insulas, in fact, this is an apartment hostel, in the image of which modern hotels and inns began to be built. The first multi-storey buildings appeared in the 3rd century BC, and the mass construction of “communal apartments” in Rome began in the 1st century. Insulas were rented, and the lower the floor, the more expensive the cost of living and the more wealthy people settled in it. There were even sewerage and running water on the first floors. Houses were located close to each other, so entire neighborhoods were often destroyed by fires. They quickly collapsed because they were built in violation of the rules and fell into disrepair, but such “apartments” were not cheap.
Michelangelo and the Renaissance of the Capitol
The ancient buildings required restoration, and he ordered this work to be carried out famous sculptor and the architect Michelangelo Pope Paul III. Michelangelo (6 March 1475 - 18 February 1564) designed many buildings, including St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. From the late thirties, he began to refurbish the Capitoline Square. Unfortunately, Michelangelo died before completing the construction; this was done by his students and followers.
Capitol Square is considered unique in its beauty and harmony - in its central part of the square is the Palace of Senators. On one side of it the Palazzo Nuovo was erected, on the other - the Palace of the Conservatives, they were built according to the same design, so they are exactly the same. They now house museums displaying paintings by old masters, clothing different eras, dishes, coins and figurines.
In the center of the square there is a sculpture of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, emperor and philosopher. It's a copy antique statue. On one side of the square you can go down an ancient staircase, which is decorated with statues of Egyptian lions and sculptures of marble twins - Pollux and Castor. They were discovered in Pompeii and transported to the capital of Italy in the XYI century. Below are statues of Constantine and Constantine II, sculptures from an ancient fountain and mileposts from the Allian Way.
Palace of Senators (Palazzo Senatorio)
The most remarkable building is the Palace of Senators, built in the first century BC. the architect Cornelius. In the Palace originally for a long time there was an archive; in the Middle Ages it was empty and gradually collapsed. The revival of the palace began in the thirties of the XYI century, when Pontiff Paul III entrusted Michelangelo with the reconstruction of the buildings and the arrangement of the square, which was called Piazza del Campidolio. According to the architect's plan, the dominant and most majestic building was supposed to be the central building - the Palace of Senators. Since 1871, the palace has been the residence of the mayor, so most of premises are closed to tourists. You can visit the Lapidarium, where antique stone slabs with inscriptions are exhibited. Downstairs, in the old part, you can see the archive - the Tabularium.
Palace of Conservatives
The first building of the Palace of the Conservatives was erected under Pontiff Nicholas Y in the second quarter of the 19th century. IN literal translation the word means "Palace of the Guardians". Senators, masters and judges, who were called conservatives, sat in this room, which gave the name to the building. All power was concentrated in the hands of these people. But over time, papal power increased and the importance of the city decreased significantly, the treasury was depleted, which led to the desolation and dilapidation of the building. In the middle of the XYI century, the palace, like the whole architectural ensemble square, was reconstructed by Michelangelo.
Now the building houses museums, the first exhibits belonged to Pope Sixtus IY, he donated them in 1471 antique sculptures made of bronze, including a sculpture of the legendary " Capitoline wolf", according to legend, who nursed Rem and Romulus. IN central hall, richly painted with frescoes, marble ancient Roman busts are exhibited. On the second floor there is a gallery (Pinakothek). It presents works by Caravaggio, Van Dyck, Tintoretto and others famous artists. The Castellans are exhibited in the hall antique items Greeks and Etruscans, as well as jewelry.
Palace Nuovo
Palazzo Nuevo (New Palace), as the name suggests, is the newest building, erected in the 1800s. As Michelangelo Buonarotti intended, it was a copy of the Palace of the Conservatives. Originally built as public museum and was opened to the public in 1734. Nowadays, part of the Capitoline Museums is located in the palace. Visitors can see sculptures, vases brought from Greece, paintings by artists, and ancient mosaics. In the courtyard there are parts of buildings and fragments of the statue of Constantine - a hand, a foot, a head.
In the modern part of the building there is an original bronze sculpture The Marcus Aurelius is a unique exhibit of this kind, preserved from ancient times. A beautiful Scalone staircase leads to the second floor of the palazzo; it is richly decorated with relief paintings on antique stories and inlaid with marble.
Basilica of Santa Maria in Araceli
The Church of the Holy Virgin Mary was founded in the 13th century. The Capitol is a hill with two low peaks, on the smaller of which the church is built. According to ancient legends, a temple to Jupiter, his wife and daughter Minerva, the Goddess of Wisdom, was erected on this peak. Then she had her own palace - the Temple of Juno-Moneta, and it was on this site that the Church of the Virgin Mary was subsequently erected.
Historians do not have accurate information about the first buildings. They rely on medieval legends that say: when Emperor Augustus reigned, the senators decided to build a church in his honor. The emperor wanted to ask the gods whether it was worth doing this and went to the hill, wanting to sacrifice pigeons to them.
On the way he met the Sibyl, a soothsayer. She exclaimed that she saw the birth of God; soon they would only pray to him. The Emperor installed the Heavenly Altar where the sorceress had a vision. Then the church of Santa Maria in Araceli arose here; the first documentary mention of it dates back to the first quarter of the 14th century. A Greek monastery was built in the 6th century, then in the 9th century the Benedictines built catholic church. In the 13th century, it passed to the Franciscan Order, and they carried out significant reconstruction of the building. In the Middle Ages, people not only prayed here, but meetings of the people were held - they proclaimed laws and resolved economic issues.
In 1347, Cola di Rienzo, a politician, took power in Rome and ordered the construction of a grand staircase that led from the base of the hill to the entrance of the church. In 1464, the basilica was restored again, in the middle of the 18th century a sacristy and a bell tower were added to it, in 1565 a choir was erected, and in 1575 a beautiful carved ceiling was made in honor of the victory of the Italian fleet over the Turkish. Nowadays, the cathedral is open to believers and tourists who want to admire the beautiful interior design basilicas.
Opening hours and ticket prices
The palaces that are part of the museum are open at the same time and can be visited by purchasing one ticket:
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 20:00. Closed on Monday.
Ticket prices: comprehensive – 15 euros, reduced – 13 euros.
Mamertine prison. The prison museum is open from 9:19 a.m. admission ticket costs 10 euros. It has also become a tradition to leave donations at your own discretion.
You can visit the Basilica from 8:00 to 17:30. The entrance is free.
Where is it and how to get there
Address: Campidoglio Square, (Piazza del Campidolio), Rome, Italy. The Capitol is located near the Venetian Square and the Roman Forum. The easiest way to get there is by metro - Colosseo station, line B. Take buses NoNo 30, 51, 81 118, 628 and 810 to the Ara Coeki-Piazza Venezia stop. Take tram number 8 to the Venezia stop.
Indelible impressions remain from visiting sunny Italy - its beautiful nature, warm sea and beaches, wonderful cuisine. But the monuments of ancient and medieval antiquity outshine everything, they amaze and remain in memory forever.
Capitol Hill on the map
This hill is not impressive in size. In fact, it is the lowest of the seven hills. But its significance for the city and for all of Italy is not measured in height meters. Even at the dawn of the birth of Capitol Hill ( Campidoglio) was settled by his parents - Remus and Romulus. Temples were erected here to many gods and significant historical figures. The Temple of Jupiter, one of the oldest monuments on the hill, has been destroyed and reconstructed several hundred times. Until Roman society finally came to terms with his departure, and in his place the Church of Santa Maria in Arceli grew up.
Attractions in Capitol Square
Monuments, historical and cultural values, as well as the mysterious, and now unrevealed, mysterious artifacts on Capitol Hill are countless. And each of them has its own unique story. Among which one is more exciting than the other. For example, old bronze statue Marcus Aurelius, majestically sitting on a horse, made at dawn new era by an unknown sculptor, was once not destroyed only because newly-made Christians mistook it for a statue of Constantine. It is still unknown where this statue originally stood. It is believed that in the area of the Roman Forum or Column. But it came to Capitol Hill only in 1538 by order of Pope III. Moreover, they moved it here from Laterano, where the bronze Marcus Aurelius lived since the 8th century.
Another interesting attraction of the square is the remains mint and the Temple of Juno Moneta. The heroine's story is amazing ancient monument. According to legend, the sacred geese of the morning goddess once warned the Roman people of the impending advance of the Gauls. It was then that Juno began to be called Coin, which translated meant “warned.” Later, the minted money in the courtyard near the temple began to be called coins in her honor. This is how this name spread throughout the world.
At the dawn of its development, Capitol Hill was a huge, majestic fort, which invaders could not approach for decades. But by the 13th century it had radically changed. IN Once again The Temple of Jupiter was burned to the ground. All ancient prayer books and altars were destroyed in honor of the entry into force new faith. And the hill itself was so overgrown with intricate patterns of plants and destroyed that it was attractive only to local cattle. For this reason it was even nicknamed “Goat Mountain”.
But the greatness of the ancient monument did not end there. Michelangelo himself undertook its reconstruction in 1532. And, being a master of unsurpassed talent, he literally transformed the abandoned area into a work architectural art. There are now three stairs leading up to the hill. The side ones are narrow and long. And the magnificent central staircase by Michelangelo himself. However, its grace fades when the guest’s gaze opens up to the expanses of modern Capitol Hill, decorated with all the colors of its long and fascinating story life.
Capitol (Capitol Hill) - one of seven hills on which it arose Ancient Rome. On the Capitol was The Capitoline Temple, which was also called the Capitol, where meetings took place Senate and public assemblies.
You can't visit Rome and not see the Capitol. On this, the smallest of the seven hills of the eternal city, evidence of ancient antiquity has been preserved.
It was here that the ancient Romans built the most important of their temples - the goddesses Juno and Virtus and the king of all gods Jupiter Optimus Maximus (this temple was almost as huge as the Parthenon in Athens) and called the Capitoline Hill the main symbol of Rome as the capital of the world.
Rome. Capitol Hill.
Today the Capitol is the center of Rome. And although neither the Temple of Jupiter nor the Temple of Minerva has been here for a long time, the flow of tourists does not dry up for a single day. Almost everything that a contemporary sees was created by greatest artist and the architect Michelangelo Buonarroti. Following his brilliant plan, the master created the Capitoline Square, rebuilt the façade of the Palace of Senators, and designed the famous Cordonata staircase made of white marble, which all travelers who find themselves in Rome dream of climbing. We were no exception, and we also climbed it.
Cordonata staircase. Its greatness is emphasized by granite Egyptian lions at the foot and two large statues the sons of Zeus at the top - Castor and Pollux.
In 1583, during excavations of the Theater of Pompey, sculptures of Egyptian lions and equestrian statues of the Dioscuri - the legendary twins Castor and Pollux, born of the beautiful Leda from Zeus, who took the form of a swan - were found and placed on the stairs. Geminis were considered the patrons of horses, and are always depicted with them.
In the center of Capitol Hill rises a bronze equestrian statue Emperor Marcus Aurelius.
This statue, created in 176 by an unknown sculptor, survived during the destruction of pagan idols due to the fact that it was mistaken for the image of Constantine. It is unknown where the statue stood in ancient times, but in 1538 it was moved to the Capitol by order of Pope Paul III.
Since 2005, the statue has been replaced by a copy; the original is kept in the Capitoline Museum.
One of the quotes from Marcus Aurelius:
“This is the path to perfection - to live every new day as if it were the last, without falling into a fever, or into hibernation, and without trying to play a role.”
The decoration of the Capitoline Square are three palaces. One is the Palace of Senators, built in the 16th century on the site of an older building. Until 1870, the Senate met in this palace. Next to it is a copy of the statue of the she-wolf that suckled Romulus and Remus.
Palace of Senators- here before late XIX centuries, the “city fathers” met, who were replaced by city officials. Today the palace houses the City Hall of Rome. Beautiful architecture is not the only advantage of the building. Next to him on the column is a sculpture of a “she-wolf-nurse”, or rather a copy of it (the original is nearby in the museum), installed 400 years before the birth of Christ.
And in the Palazzo Senatori, as before, the mayor's office and the city municipality meet.
Two staircases decorated with sculptures rise from the sides to central entrance in the Palazzo Senatori. The two statues on the sides represent the Tiber and Nile rivers. In a niche under the stairs there is a statue of "Rejoicing Rome" with a ball in his hand (a symbol of the dominance of Rome).
Allegory of the Tiber at the Palace of Senators
The square acquired its final form, preserved to this day, only in 1654.
According to legend, the statue of the Capitoline She-Wolf was cast back in the 5th century BC, but after restoration in 2010, experts came to the conclusion that it could not have been produced at that time, but only in the Middle Ages. Let's take note of this clarification.
S.P.Q.R. - abbreviation Latin phrase « S enatus P opulus q ue R omanus» (“Senate and Citizens of Rome”), which was depicted on the standards of the Roman legions, and which was used in the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire.
Bas-reliefs on the wall of the Capitoline Senate with the invariable inscription "Senate and People of Rome"
On the side of the Capitoline Steps there is a statue of Cola di Rienza, it was placed here in the 19th century. at the place where he was killed.
Cola di Rienzo led a revolt in Rome in 1347 that led to the establishment of the Roman Republic.
April, 2016
"You can take the whole world, but leave Italy to me"
Giuseppe Verdi
More details about walks in Italy can be found in the book: " ITALIAN HOLIDAYS"
ITALIAN HOLIDAYS
This book can serve as a short guide to Italy in 7 days:
Three days in Rome(Piazza Venice. Piazza Navona. Trevi Fountain. Piazza di Spagna. Capitoline Hill. Roman Forum. Colosseum and Triumphal arches. The mouth of truth. Bridges and embankment of the Tiber. Pantheon and Rotunda Square. Roman Castles (Castelli Romani). Appian Way. Grottaferrata, Crypt Ferrata. Frascati. Castel Gandolfo. Tuskul. Streets of Rome.
Two days in Florence: Church of Santa Maria Novella. Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Baptistery of San Giovanni. Republic Square. Piazza della Signoria. Ponte Vecchio. Uffizi Gallery. Basilica of San Lorenzo. Santa Croce (“Holy Cross”) Piazzale Michelangelo. Palazzo Pitti.
One day in Venice: Murano. St. Mark's Square and Cathedral. City Tour.
In the book I also included non-tourist routes, which are very interesting and little known to a wide range of travelers. I hope that the book will also arouse interest among those who have already visited these places, and they will be pleased to once again mentally walk through familiar places, remember and compare this virtual trip with their own impressions of this amazing and beautiful Italy.
Book price 100 rubles
