21Apr 2023 by admin

2776 seasons and still going strong

Today, April 21st, we celebrate the anniversary of the foundation of Rome, the eternal city that gave rise to Roman civilization. But what are the curiosities behind this historical date? Here are some interesting facts that you may not be familiar with.

The date of April 21st is based on the legend of Romulus and Remus, the twin sons of Mars and the vestal Rhea Silvia, who were abandoned on the banks of the Tiber and nursed by a she-wolf. According to tradition, Romulus killed his brother and founded the city on the Palatine Hill in 753 BC. However, modern historians believe that the date is symbolic and that the foundation of Rome occurred gradually between the tenth and sixth centuries BC.

April 21st has not always been celebrated as the birth of Rome. In ancient times, the date was dedicated to the goddess Pallas Athena, protector of wisdom and the arts. It was only in 1870, after the unification of Italy, that the mayor of Rome Luigi Pianciani decided to establish a civic festival to celebrate the origin of the city. Since then, every year cultural events, shows and historical re-enactments are held to remember the glorious past of Rome.

Another curiosity concerns the name of Rome, which according to some derives from the Etruscan term “ruma”, which means “breast”. This hypothesis is based on the fact that the Palatine Hill has a shape reminiscent of a breast, and that the she-wolf that suckled Romulus and Remus is a recurring symbol in Etruscan culture. Others believe that the name of Rome is linked to the Indo-European root “rhe”, which means “to flow”, in reference to the Tiber River.

One of the oldest traditions related to April 21st is to light a torch on the Capitol and carry it in procession to the Circus Maximus, where a large pyre is lit. This rite symbolizes the continuity between ancient and modern Rome, and recalls the sacred fire guarded by the vestal virgins in the temple of Vesta. The torch is carried by a group of figures in period costumes, representing the most important characters in Roman history.

These are just some of the curiosities that make April 21 a special date for all lovers of Rome and its history. If you want to further deepen the topic, I suggest you visit the official websites of the Municipality of Rome and the Capitoline Superintendence of Cultural Heritage, where you will also find detailed information on the events scheduled for Christmas in Rome 2023.

21Apr 2022 by admin

Roma Caput Mundi… for 2775 years

Today the Eternal City turns 2775 years and continues to enchant the entire world.

Legend has it that Romolo, son of Rea Silvia and Mars, descendant of the royal lineage of Alba Longa, founded the city of Rome on 21 April 753 BC.
Alba Longa was founded centuries earlier by Ascanio, son of Aeneas, the Trojan hero who arrived in Lazio after the conquest of Troy.

The legitimate heir of Alba Longa, Numitore, was ousted by his brother Amulio. The new king forced his niece Rea Silvia, daughter of Numitore, to become a vestal priestess, obliged to chastity, to prevent her from generating pretenders to the throne. But Mars, god of war, fell in love with her young woman and decided to join her, making her the mother of two twins, Romolo and Remo.
Amulio ordered the killing of the twins, but the servant in charge of the murder was moved by pity and abandoned the two babies on the banks of the Tevere river.

The basket with the newborns, dragged by the waves of the river, ran aground in the Velabro area, on the slopes of the Palatine. There a she-wolf who had lost her cubs, attracted by their cries, found them and fed them by nursing them.
The two were raised by a family of shepherds, but once they grew up, the adoptive parents revealed their royal origins. The two returned to Alba Longa and here they killed Amulio, putting Numitore back on the throne.

Romolo and Remo obtained permission from their grandfather to found a new city over which to govern. This is where the quarrel between the twins begins.
Romolo chose the Palatine and Remo the Aventine. To decide who should reign over the city, since the birthright criterion was not applicable, they chose to observe the auspices of the birds.

The first omen, you are enveloped in flight, was sighted by Remo. Soon after, twelve birds appeared to Romolo. Their respective groups of supporters proclaimed them both king, since the former claimed to have the right to power based on priority over time, the others based on the number of birds seen.

Two versions are reported. According to the first, a fight broke out in which Remo was killed. According to the second, Remo climbed over the pomerium, the sacred furrow that Romolo had traced to delimit the city. For this his brother killed him, saying: “So, from now on, may anyone who dares to climb over my walls die” (Livio, Ab Urbe condita, I, 7)

Thus, according to the myth, on April 21, 753 BC. the city of Rome was founded on the Palatine Hill, with a square shape, and Romolo became its first King, starting the royal age of the Seven Kings of Rome.

Happy Birthday Roma!!

(Photos credit Federico Celletti)

15Aug 2021 by admin

Buon Ferragosto!!

Being confused and amazed by the incredible multiplicity of Italian traditions and holidays is a common feeling when traveling around Italy. Understanding them all could be truly disconcerting, especially since most of them have ancient Roman pagan roots and have at some point converted to Catholic holidays.

August 15th, better known in Italy as “Ferragosto” is a perfect example of that!
It is one of the oldest holidays, which began more than two thousand years ago and is still a day to celebrate for Italians and much awaited every year. It is considered the culmination of the Italian summer, with many people leaving the cities and taking vacations.

Its particular Italian name derives from the ancient Latin “Feriae Augusti”, which means “Holidays of Augusto”.
Someone might wonder who the man is… none other than the adopted son of Giulio Cesare and the emperor who founded and first made the Roman Empire great!
Augusto was such a great, unforgettable and revered man that the month of August was named after him, a
eternally commemorating the days he became consul and when he always defeated his rivals Marco Antonio and Cleopatra.
In 18 BC Augustus decided to introduce a further holiday to the already existing ancient Roman summer festivals which fell in the same period and celebrated the harvest.

The “Feriae Augusti” were therefore established, with the aim of bridging the gap between the festive celebrations of the period and allowing workers to enjoy a longer rest period, called “Augustali”, after the intense agricultural work of the previous weeks.

This day was packed with events, shows, games, horse races across the empire and parades of pack animals freed from their labor and adorned with garlands of flowers.

August 15th coincides with one of the most important Catholic holidays of the year: the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, that is, the day on which Catholics believe that Mary ascended into heaven body and soul after her death.

Such an ancient tradition still finds “pagan” echoes today, in the festivals that take place in most cities and countries of Italy to date and are above all a real summer party:
How not to mention the spectacular horse race known as the Palio dell’Assunta in Siena, Tuscany, or the Palio Marinaro all’Argentario. Beach games and hilarious water balloons during the day, traditional lunch, usually a barbecue or picnic, with family and friends, and the magnificent evening fireworks in many coastal towns are just a quick short list of events that happens in each single town all across Italy.

Wherever you will be in Italy on this day, just make sure to check what’s the plan for this celebration!

25Apr 2020 by admin

25th April, Liberation Day 75th Anniversary

From my rooftop with my family.
A special moment after 7 weeks of lockdown

❤️💛

25Dec 2019 by admin

A Christmas Postcard

Merry Christmas and happy new year to you all from Rome!

18Sep 2019 by admin

Discovering Ancient Rome at Ostia Antica

Enjoy a wonderful experience walking through the streets of the ancient city of Ostia. You’ll find yourself back two thousand years, immersed in a wonderful Mediterranean vegetation and in all the monumental remains of the main commercial port of the entire region.

It seems that this fortified citadel was one of the first inhabited settlements in Rome (it is said it was founded by Anco Marzio) which expanded from a small center with a basic function for fleets, gaining importance and prestige, thanks to the commercial activities and the guidance of Augustus .

Preserved in perfect condition, it can be defined as a sort of Roman Pompeii and it gives us a very clear idea of ancient daily life: laundries, private houses and buildings, shops, even a fire station are still standing, together with public buildings , baths, temples and theaters.

You will discover how the inhabitants of an ancient Roman city lived, then we leave the rest to your curiosity. We bet you will be enchanted!

Click here for more info

15Jul 2019 by admin

Summertime in Rome

The Romans flee the city in the sultry summer months, but there are many reasons to hang around, beat the heat, avoid the crowds and spend a beautiful summer in Rome.

Cool off with the “grattachecca”.

La granita di Roma is a cup of freshly shaved ice with syrup on top.
The Sora Maria in Prati is the most known place that serves today the “grattachecca”, but you can also find it in a handful of other stalls, including the Tram Depot in Testaccio and Sora Mirella in Trastevere.

Ascent to Monte Mario

This mini-excursion (about 20 minutes uphill) takes place on a winding path up to the highest hill in Rome to be rewarded with a spectacular view of the city with an ice cream or a coffee on the Lo Zodiaco lookout.

Tiber Expo

From 6.00 pm in the capital, thanks to the event Tevere expo 2019, the nightlife comes alive: the river light up to parties and you can enjoy the popular side of the city among stalls, cultural events, shows, restaurants and events.

An evening at the theater

At the ancient ruins of the Baths of Caracalla, once the public baths of the city, the opera house of Rome is a series of highly successful shows that overwhelm the works La traviata and Carmen, the ballet Romeo and Juliet and the concerts of Björk, James Taylor and Joan Baez.
If you prefer the theater, don’t miss the Shakespeare season at The Globe in Villa Borghese, a faithful reproduction of the original in London.

05Mar 2019 by admin No Comments

The formula E championship returns to the streets of Rome

Rome hosts the second edition of the Formula E electric car race on 13 April at 16:00 with 22 battery-powered electric cars battling it out on the streets of the city’s EUR suburb.

The day of the second E-Prix in Rome will start at 7:00 am on April 13th with the opening of the gates to all the participants. Many activities on the track, with the official test sessions and qualification of the Formula E from 7:30 am that will leave space at 14:00 to the race of the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY, the first series in the world of international racing for electric cars In production, the drivers will compete on board modified Jaguar I-PACE.

You can buy any type of ticket by visiting the Formula E website in the section dedicated to the E-Prix of Rome, at the following links: http://fiaformulae.com/rome-tickets and https://www.ticketone.it

12Feb 2019 by admin No Comments

Dive into a fairy-tale in the Coppedè district

Rome is full of picturesque buildings, squares and fountains, but there is a particular neighborhood that not only deserves to be called picturesque, but also seems to embody the definition of the word. In reality it is not a real neighborhood, but a corner of Rome with unexpected and bizarre features which takes its name from the flamboyant architect who designed it between 1913 and 1927, Gino Coppedè, and it is one of the most exclusive and smallest neighborhoods in Rome.

What makes this area so fascinating, anyway, is its delightful mix of architectural styles: taking inspiration from medieval styles, ancient Greeks, Art Nouveau, neoclassical and baroque, the architect built a residential area that makes you feel like you entered in a world of fantasy and magic. The whole of the buildings, the incredible “pastiche” of architectural languages, which immerse the visitor in the sumptuous atmosphere, and even a little fictitious, of the early ‘900 is articulated around Piazza Mincio, where the central space is occupied by the Fontana delle Rane, an imposing fountain populated by 12 frogs, also known for the bath the Beatles had dressed after their concert in the nearby Piper nightclub.

The entire neighborhood is located between Piazza Buenos Aires and Via Tagliamento – and although it is out of the way, it is still easy to reach, either by tram 3 or tram 19, both with stops at Piazza Buenos Aires.

It’s worth a visit!

05Feb 2019 by admin No Comments

The Centrale Montermartini between machines and Gods

The Centrale Montemartini is located along the Via Ostiense on the left bank of the Tiber in front of the former Mercati Generali and it is an extraordinary example of an industrial archeology building, first public plant for the production of electricity converted in a museum. It is in fact the second exhibition pole of the Capitoline Museums and houses a considerable part of the sculptures of classical antiquity that came to light during the excavations carried out in Rome between the end of the nineteenth century and the first decades of the twentieth century.

The exhibition reconstructs the ancient monumental complexes tracing the development of the city from the Republican age up to the late imperial one with significant episodes often almost unknown to the general public, as about the huge mosaic with hunting scenes from S. Bibiana.

The great rooms of the Centrale and in particular the Machine Room with its precious Art Nouveau furniture, preserve unaltered turbines, Diesel engines and the colossal steam boiler: the ancient marbles shine for their brilliance and refinement of carving in this fascinating and suggestive scenery and in this atmosphere which recalls on one side the monumental grandeur of ancient Rome and on the other a more recent past and the memory of one of the first Roman industrial environments.

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