architectural ruins – Snapping The Globe

It is well documented that most Roman emperors enjoyed flaunting their wealth, however, there was one that took his lavish lifestyle in the Eternal City to another realm.

Nero.

Deciding that he would build a palace to outdo all palaces, the Domus Aurea, he set forth with these plans in 64AD, after a major fire had swept through the city, destroying much of the area of the Oppian Hill. With this part of the city leveled, making room for his palatial plans, this led to speculation that Nero himself had started the fire.

Not to be deterred by rumors, he set forth with the construction of a complex, located near the Forum. The massive compound sat on 80 hectares, contained 150 rooms, gardens, a lake, fields, vineyards, pasture and forests with domesticated and wild animals. The rooms were lavishly decorated with gold, gems, precious marble and mother of Pearl, unlike any other built during the era. Records indicate that the house shone like gold with the light reflecting on these lavish decorations…hence the nickname, Golden House. And in the case that anyone’s memory lapsed and forgot who they were visiting, a 35-meter-high statue of Nero was situated at the entrance!

Some time ago, I had read about the Domus Aurea. Not open to the public during this timeframe, I had marked it as a point of interest on my Google map and filed it away hopefully for a future visit. Last spring, while perusing the internet, I came across an article advertising tours of the Domus Aurea. Tickets were limited and groups were small, so I excitedly booked a time slot in the afternoon.

Upon my arrival, what I first notice was that I was entering the gates of not only the Domus Aurea, but a park. A park filled with people sitting on benches, children skateboarding on the paved walkways and lovers relaxing on the grass in the shade of the massive trees. Deciding that it would be nice to walk through after my tour was complete, I continued to follow my directions, soon discovering a gate marked Domus Aurea, only to discover that it was not my intended destination.

*Parco del Colle Oppio and entrance to Domus Aurea grounds*

Virtual reality tours, which show the true nature of how Nero lived, are conducted on the weekends, when restoration work is not being conducted and embark from this location, however, being a weekday, I was directed to another building a little further.

After checking in, more people arrived and we were ushered into the building’s atrium with suggestions that we don outerwear for the cooler temperatures inside.

*Main entrance and walkway to Domus Aurea underground*

Not sure what exactly I was there to experience on my tour, I followed the guide down a long walkway, descending perhaps fifty feet or more to where the remains of Nero’s complex now lies, having been plundered, buried, and built upon by his successors.

Arriving in an impressively excavated, dimly lit, octagonal room, I marveled at the spotlighted statue occupying the center of the room and the astrological symbols being projected onto the vaulted ceiling. Indeed, it was much cooler, and I zipped up my jacket as I made my way around the rotunda, examining the adjacent rooms.

Our guide explained that this was the first time that these rooms have been made available as part of a temporary exhibition. This exhibition conjures up the Domus Aurea’s rediscovery by torchlight, in the 15th century, by those, including the painter Raphael, inspiring his future works.

I admired the best-preserved frescoes of the Domus Aurea in the Room of Achilles on Skyros which portrays a scene inspired by the story of Troy. Other rooms contained projections of the grotesques (a style of decorative painting or sculpture consisting of the interweaving of human and animal forms with flowers and foliage), architectural depictions of the palace designs and statues, including a reproduction of the Laocoon.

*Left photo, reproduction of the Laocoon*

We were also allowed into the dilapidated (due to weather and dampness) Room of Hector and Andromache, the first room to be discovered in the complex. The room was long and extremely tall; however, some remnants of its original artistry can still be detected.

Having examined all aspects of this beautifully restored piece of the palace, I made my way back up the inclined walkway and out into the warm, late afternoon sunshine.

Winding around the back of the building I had just exited, I followed the pathways, through the Parco del Colle Oppio, searching for the Baths of Trajan, which had been built on top of Nero’s palace, about 40 to 50 years later.

After Nero’s suicide in 68 A.D., his successors, Ortho and possibly Titus, added to the completion of the Domus Aurea, but later successors sought to erase Nero’s memory. Parts of the palace and grounds were filled with earth and built over, the Baths of Titus, the Flavian Amphitheater, the Temple of Venus and Roma and the Baths of Trajan were all built on the site.

The Baths of Trajan, built by architect, Apollo of Damascus, were created for the emperor Trajan and as a recreational and social center for both male and female Roman citizens in the early 5th century. There were the first “great baths” in Rome and at the time, the largest existing thermal building in the world. Not in use for very long, it was deserted and left for ruin.

The remains of these ruins are scattered through the northwest side of the Parco del Colle Oppio…amidst area’s playgrounds. Children were running throughout the area with parents watching, exercising or visiting with others. It was interesting to see these citizens using these hallowed grounds as a recreational site, which it once was in a different capacity, all the while knowing what lies beneath them and around them…the Domus Aurea.

*Baths of Trajan and middle right, Cisterna delle Sette Sale (across from rear entrance)*

*Rear entrance along Via delle Terme di Traiano*

*Front entrance, right across from Colosseum*

What an interesting way to grow up among some of Rome’s most historical sites!

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Domus Aurea

https://www.coopculture.it/en/poi/domus-aurea/
Address: Via della Domus Aurea, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Hours: Thursday, 1600-1900, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 0900-1700, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, closed.
Admission: 23 euro

Baths of Trajan

Address: Parco del Colle Oppio, Via della Domus Aurea, 1 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Hours: Dawn to dusk, daily.
Admission: free

Seeking out adventure in Italy is easy.

So, while in Rome, when a friend asked me to rent a car and drive to some nearby cities, I was tempted. Very tempted.

Problem was, I had promised my cousin that I would seek out some special rosaries in Vatican City that he had asked me to purchase!

What to do? What to do?

Always striving to keep my promises and pleased to have such an important errand for the day, I headed out into the beautiful afternoon in search of the religious treasures he was seeking. After many religious shops and several texts, I finally found what he was requesting, made the purchases and then walked out past St. Peter’s Basilica.

Not really having a plan for the rest of the afternoon, of which I still had much time, I headed toward the Tiber River and walked southeast, soaking up the warm sun, which was casting its brilliant rays on the swift moving waters. As I neared Tiber Island, I decided to take a left away from my original trek, not really sure where my path was leading.

Striding up the Via del Portico d’Ottavia an area of the city I had never transited, I encountered a large tour group standing in front of the facade of a lofty ruined structure. Not sure what I was viewing, I made my way down the ramp to study the signage and learned that what I was standing in front of was the Portico of Octavia, an ancient structure built by Augustus in the name of his sister, Octavia Minor after 27 BC. The structure was used as a fish market until the end of the 19th century and the colonnaded walks enclosed the temples of Jupiter Stator and Juno Regina as well as a library.

The church of Sant’Angelo in Pescheria is built into the ruins and as I made my way across the walkway, I entered this religious temple.

Famous for the ruined portico as its narthex, the church was originally dedicated to St. Paul and then later, St. Michael. Rebuilt during the Middle ages, the church was used as the headquarters for the Confraternity of Fishmongers. A reconstruction on the right hand aisle, for their use, resulted in the Chapel of St. Andrew, the patron saint of fisherman. Interestingly enough, the fishmongers became dissatisfied with their small chapel and built their own church next door, Sant’Andrea dei Pescivendoli, which is now deconsecrated. The chapel is one of the treasures of the church and decorated in gilded stucco and frescoed panels. The panels on the ceiling show events in the life of St. Andrew and fish are featured throughout. The panels flanking the altar, date back to 1598, and feature St. Francis of Assisi on the left and St. Francis of Rome on the right. You can also spot the Contrafraternity’s shield on the marble floor which features a deer, a pair of geese and a large sturgeon.

The left side aisle was once dedicated to Our Lady of Graces but is now graced by a modern crucifix decorated with a bronze sculpture. The altar contains an opening which allows a glimpse of the relics of the martyrs Cyrus and John of Alexandria which were brought from the church of Santa Passera in the 14th century. On the altar, you can also find the relics of the martyred Saint Symphorosa and her comanions.

As I turned to face the rear of the church, I was confronted with the gallery which houses the original organ installed in the 18th century. It is not in very good condition and therefore, unplayable.

The church now used by the Communita Maria, a Marian lay worshiping community, is often frequented by those visiting the ruins of the Portico. The front door is often not open, as it was on my visit, however, you can use the walkway to the left of the portico. This passes through to the Via Sant’Angelo in Pescheria, a dead-end street, where you can find the most commonly used entrance to the church on the right. This was the doorway that I exited and I made my way around to the front of the portico once again.

Heading down to the Via del Foro Pescario, I marveled at the ruins that littered the sides of the ancient street. On the right, I encountered the remains of the Temple of Apollo Medicus Sosianus, the Roman temple dedicated to Apollo, whose full name is derived from its final rebuilder, Gaius Sosianus. Some may recognize Sosianus as the person responsible for placing Herod on the throne of Jerusalem.

I gazed up at the only parts remaining of the temple, three columns that form the front right-hand corner of the temple, which was restored in 353 BC and 179 BC. The temple originally displayed six columns on the front, two at the side and seven more attached to the inner chamber wall. The chamber was once decorated with colored marbled and contained a large collection of marble statues, all relating to Apollo. Several relics from the temple can be seen in the Central Montemartini Museum.

Though I knew that I was near Palatine Hill and the Capitoline Museums, areas I was familiar with, I was struck that I had never encountered this little slice of history.

And as I turned to the right, my bearings were even more disconcerted.

The colosseum was here?

To be continued…

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Portico di Ottavia

Address: Via del Portico d’Ottavia, 29, 00186 Rome
Hours: Summer, 0900-1900, Winter, 0900-1800
Admission: free
Getting There: Bus, Teatro Marcello/Ara Coeli stop, Lines 30, 44, 51, 63, 81, 83, 85, 87, 118

Church of Sant’Angelo in Pescheria

Address: Via della Tribuna di Campitelli, 00186 Rome
Hours: unknown
Admission: free
Getting There: Bus, Teatro Marcello/Ara Coeli stop, Lines 30, 44, 51, 63, 81, 83, 85, 87, 118

Temple of Apollo Medicus Sosianus

Address: Via del Teatro di Marcello, 42, 00186 Rome
Hours: Summer, 0900-1900, Winter, 0900-1800
Admission: free
Getting There: Bus, Teatro Marcello/Ara Coeli stop, Lines 30, 44, 51, 63, 81, 83, 85, 87, 118

Tag: architectural ruins

The Golden House

The Portico, The Church and The Temple