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Colosseum – Rome – Italy

Colosseum – Rome – Italy

The Flavius amphitheatre is the biggest and most imposing in the Roman world, but is also the most famous monument in Rome and is known as the “Colosseum” or “Coliseum”. Started by Emperor Vespasian of the Flavia family, it was opened by his son Titus in 80 A.D.

The highly ostentatious opening ceremony, lasted one hundred days during which people saw great fights, shows and hunts involving the killing of thousands of animals (5000 according to the historian Suetonius). For the opening, the arena space was filled with water for one of the most fantastic events held in Roman times, naumachias – real sea battles reproducing great battles of the past.

The Coliseum is one of the most imposing ancient structures. Imagine it all white, completely covered in splendid travertine stone slabs. It is elliptic in shape in order to hold more spectators. It had four floors; the first three had eighty arches each; the arches on the second and third floors were decorated with huge statues.

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Fontana di Trevi – Rome

Fontana di Trevi – Rome

Famous tourist attraction, this is one of the most imposing, spectacular and artistic fountains not only in Rome, but also in the world. When in 1730 Pope Clemente XII decided to substitute the beautiful fountain planned by Leon Battista Alberti in 1453 with a more imposing one, he invited the best artists of the time to present him their plans.

The plan chosen was Nicola Salvi’s one and the fountain began to be erected in 1735. It was terminated under the papacy of Clemente VIII and inaugurated the 22nd May 1776.

Its dimensions are huge. With its 26 meters of height and 20 meters of wideness, the fountain covers one entire side of Piazza Poli. On the top of it rises the Pope’s Coat-of-arms and was carved by Paolo Benaglia, while the balustrade is characterized by four statues symbolizing the four seasons sculpted respectively by Corsini, Ludovisi, Pincellotti, and Queirolo.

On the centre there is a big shell-form coach pulled by two sea horses. The two sea horses are driven by two tritons. Here it emerges from the basin a majestic statue representing the ocean.

The sculptor of the whole marble group is Pietro Bracci. On the two sides of the niches there are two big statues of Filippo Valle: the Salubrity on the right one and the Abundance on the left one. Continue reading Fontana di Trevi – Rome