Trip to Rome...Virtually

I have never been to Rome but I always wanted to visit the city and take in the sites. As part of an assignment for my Histories of Architecture and Urbanism course, I had to visit Rome virtually. To accomplish this, I used a travel guide (Rome Walking Tour) provided by tripadvisor and Google Maps. Also, for the added benefit of seeing a seamless, full panorama view of the sites in Rome, I used ItalyGuides.it's interactive  map of Rome. 

As there are 22 attractions on this tour, I will not go over all of them (despite how incredible they are), but highlight the ones that are architecturally significant and interested me the most.

The first stop on the tour was St. Peter's Basilica, a truly beautiful monument that seems to be a blend of Greek and Roman architecture, especially with pediments, arches, relief sculptures, and the Roman script running across the entablature. The basilica has a grand entryway with colonnades extending along the sides and branching out like circular wings to accept a procession. 

The passetto de Borgo was another interesting site. This is actually a bridge that popes could use to run from St. Peter's to the safety of the fortress-like Castel Sant'Angelo in times of battles. This long bridge is rather narrow and is similar to the Roman's aqueducts, with the arches spaced out along the bridge. 

The passetto de Borgo

http://rometour.org/corridore-corridori-di-borghi-rome.html

(accessed January 23, 2013)

I also visited the Pantheon, a marvel of architecture that takes a circle and square and melds them together. My first impression of this building was that it was a Greek temple because of the entrance. Then I noticed the Roman alterations: the scripture along the entablature, and of course the dome. 

Further along the tour is the Roman Forum, the heart of Rome. Here it is easy to understand the different elevations of the topography in Rome. Located in a valley beside Capitoline Hill, the Forum consists the relics of the regia (royal residency), temples, basilica, senate house and the still-standing and magnificent, Septimius Severus Arch. The Forum, as the guidebook describes, is a central area of "political, judicial, and religious rituals." Roman life centered around this area. The Romans also created a processional path to follow into the Forum (from the Coliseum). Despite the fact that most of the buildings are no longer standing, one look from beside the Septimius Severus Arch over the Forum area reveals how interconnected Rome is. 

The Roman Forum

http://www.rome.net/roman-forum

(accessed January 23, 2013)

The final attraction was the Coliseum, which is one processional walk away from the Forum. Here the melding of Roman and Greek architecture is visible in the columns, capitals and arches. Inside, there were gladiatorial fights, naval battles, and many other spectacles to entertain the empire. Its walls are somewhat crumbled but still exemplify the largest and most famous amphitheatre by the Roman Empire. 

The Coliseum

http://www.theaussienomad.com/featured-photos/the-colosseum-iconic-rome/

(accessed January 23, 2013)

All of the sites in the guidebook were given a brief historical background, but it is necessary to see (even virtually) most of them to understand their importance in the city and its architecture. Nevertheless, the guide took me through the narrow, twisting, and thoroughly confusing streets of Rome; up and down hills and into neighbourhoods where the buildings were meshed together. I saw the city's organic nature and how it once was and is today with modern incorporations. 

This virtual tour was amazing and eyeopening. One day I hope that I have the opportunity to visit Rome and that my fellow bloggers and readers will too. 

Until next time!

I'm off.