The Ghetto, Capitoline Hill, and the Pantheon

Compared to my last couple of weekends, this one was somewhat boring. After a week of just average classes, I decided that this weekend I was going to go out and explore every day. This meant walking each day from my apartment to somewhere I haven't been thus far. This way I am being touristy and getting a little exercise.

Friday:
I walked across the Tiber River with the full intention of taking a walking tour of Trastevere posted in my Fodor's guidebook. This tour would basically take me in and out of all the old churches in my neighborhood and then lead me up to a hill that overlooks Rome. The tour started across the Tiber river at Tiber Island. Tiber Island is literally and Island in the middle of the Tiber River. Originally this is how ancient Romans were able to cross the Tiber from ancient Rome to Janiculum (now Trastevere). It is here that the first bridge was built going from ancient Rome to Tiber Island than another bridge from Tiber Island to Janiculum. Now, strangely there is a hospital and a church on the Island, and the Island is NOT very big at all.

A picture of Tiber Island

Just a cool picture I took of the trees while walking along the Tiber River

However, once I crossed the Tiber I noticed a very large building with a green dome on top of it. In my archaeology class I learned that churches like the Pantheon, St. Peter's and all the others around Rome would put large circular domes on top of the churches to signify the power of the Catholic Church. However, the dome on this building was different, it was square, and I realized this was the Jewish synagogue in front of the Jewish Ghetto. This synagogue was built in 1904 and has a square dome to signify its power, but to differentiate it from all the Catholic Churches. Thus, I decided to walk around the Synagogue and I stumbled upon the Jewish Ghetto, which is really cool. The stores in the Ghetto sell Jewish items like menorahs and all the Restaurants serve Roman Jewish food. I read that Jews were very prominent in Rome in the 13th century, since they (stereotypically) were the doctors for the Popes, thus they were free to live wherever and build synagogues. However, soon the Catholic Church switched their stance, and as late as 1870, Jews were confined in the Jewish Ghetto. Then of course WWII happened, many Roman Jews were sent to concentration camps.

The Jewish Synagogue

In the middle of the Jewish Ghetto is an ancient Roman ruin. It turns out that this is Portico d'Ottavia, which was named by Augustus for his sister. This Portico originally housed two temples, a meeting hall and library. In the middle Ages, the ruins of the Portico were used as the Roman fish market. There is a walkway by the Portico which then leads to Teatro di Marcello, first built during Caesar's time, it was Rome's first permanent theater and had 20,000 seats. 

Portico d'Ottavia

Walkway to Teatro Marcello

Friday night I went over to the apartment of some guys who go to AU. They actually made Gabby, Zoe, and I dinner. Very nice of them.

Saturday:

Today I decided to walk to the Capitoline Hill since Gabby told me it had a great view of the Roman Forum. This walk led me first to Piazza Venezia and the Vittoire Emanuelle monument, built for the first King of a unified Italy. This building is truly amazing because of its sheer size, and also because it was built in the style of ancient Rome but in 1900. So for a while I just sat across the street on a bench looking at it. Then I walked up its stairs to get a better look at the statues on the building. The Capitoline Hill is behind Vittoire Emanuelle. This is one of the famous 7 hills of Rome between which  ancient Rome was built. On top of the Capitoline hill is the Capitoline museum, the first museum to be opened to the public. Behind the museum is a really great view of the Roman Forum.

Vittoire Emanuelle 

The Capitoline Museum

View of the Roman Forum from Capitoline Hill

Sunday:
Sunday I went to the Porta Portese market that stretches from the Tiber River all the way to my apartment. This happens every Sunday morning and they sell everything. Shoes, clothes, socks, makeup, kitchenware, anything you need you can find at this market. It is amazing, and now I know where to find things, even luggage (in case my cheap Target luggage doesn't last the next 3 months sitting under my bed). I didn't get any pictures of the market because it was so crowded, it was almost impossible to get a good picture of it.

Monday:

Today I finally went to the Pantheon. It is incredible!! The Pantheon sits in the middle of a small Piazza and all the buildings on this Piazza are relatively new and colorful. Then you turn around and there's the Pantheon, obviously old because it's bricks are stone grey. Inside it has the largest circular dome in all of Rome (at least I think it does). The Pantheon was originally a Pagan temple built by emperor Hadrian in 120 AD on the site of another Pantheon built in 27 BC by Agrippa. In 608 AD, the Pantheon was turned into a Church. There are 3 very important people buried in the Pantheon, Vittoire Emanuelle, Umberto I (The 2nd King of Rome), and Raphael the famous painter and architect.

Outside the Pantheon

The dome

A blurry view inside the Pantheon

a blurry picture of Raphael's tomb

Finally, on Monday night Zoe and Gabby cooked a few of us girls pasta with meatsauce and their roommate Rachel made a white chocolate mousse for desert in honor of Valentine's Day. All in all a very good, low key weekend.