Close to
the Beaten Path in Rome are Unique and Beautiful
Monuments
This is a small collection of
charming sights in
Rome
that may not even be in your guidebooks. In Rome, where great artists and architects have vied to
outdo each other for centuries, these gems may go
unnoticed. Many are, in fact, recognized
masterpieces that have, fortunately for the harried
tourist, escaped popularity. You will find beauty
that is easy to access and for which you do not have
to wait in lines or vie with other tourists for a
view. You will not be rushed to enjoy these
jewels and may develop a greater appreciation of
them than for more popular monuments.
These monuments are in the
historic center of Rome
so even if you are visiting the famous monuments,
you can make small stops to visit these fascinating
minor sights, increasing your appreciation of the
Eternal City.
Ecstasy
of the Blessed Ludovica Albertoni
Address: San Francesco a
Ripa Church, Piazza San Francesco d’Assisi, Trastevere
Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1596-1680),
the ultimate artist of the baroque, glorified the
mysticism of the 1600s with its veneration of the
saints of the Catholic Church in brilliant contrast
to the sober counter reformation of more northern
European countries.
The tiny church of San Francesco a Ripa in
Trastevere is of unexceptional architecture but is
rich in artistic and religious treasures. To
maximize the drama of one of Bernini’s last works,
walk down the right aisle of the nave of the church
and enter the right transept where you will find the
Rospigliosi-Pallavicini chapel. When you reach the
baluster of the chapel, turn to look at the opposite
transept (across the nave of the church), and there
you will see the dramatic side-lit staging of the Blessed
Ludovica Albertoni, lying on her couch of
multicolored marble, surrounded by luminous gold and
a flight of little smiling angel heads.
Approach the statue and
appreciate the masterful rendering of the woman in
ecstasy, she has clasped her hands to her breast as
if to hold in the rush of her emotion. Her beautiful
face shows joy and anguish together, mystic ecstasy.
As you study the artist’s mastery of her writhing
body, tousled clothing, and soft, yielding cushions,
can you imagine her as a live person in front of
you? It is said that hands sculpted by Bernini are
the most lifelike in the history of art. Can you
locate the hidden window devised to direct light on
to the face of Blessed Ludovica?
There is much more to see in
this small church, with artwork representing all the
styles of painting and sculpture for two centuries.
Be sure to visit the cell of Saint Francis of Assisi
, where he stayed when he visited
Rome in 1219. You will see his stone pillow and his
crucifix and, on the wall, a painting done of him
during his lifetime.
You may want to time your visit
to coincide with the huge Sunday morning flea market
at nearby Porta Portese (take precautions against
pick pockets).
A more famous and related
sculpture is that of the Ecstasy
of Saint Theresa in Santa Maria della Vittoria
that has a history of controversial interpretation,
most recently in Dan Brown’s thriller Angels
and Demons. The church is located in Largo Santa
Susanna not far from Via Veneto and Piazza Barbarini.
Echoing the angel with Saint
Theresa is Bernini’s
Habakkuk and the Angel, also included in the
plot of Angels and Demons, found in Santa
Maria del Popolo in Piazza del Popolo where you will
again find Bernini’s mastery of facial and body
expression in Habakkuk’s astonishment.
San
Gregorio Nazianzeno
Address: Vicolo Valdina off of
Via di Campo Marzio
Pursue this very special,
little church only if you are a good detective; it
is truly hidden. As you navigate to Vicolo Valdina,
look for the beautiful, slender Romanesque
bell tower, very rare in
Rome. Now find the entrance of the State Archives,
Archivo di Stato. The rules and hours for admission
change, so we suggest planning on a return trip if it isn’t open the first time you pass.
The church is ancient and part of an even older convent
with many of its buildings intact, too. The convent
was founded in the 700s, the medieval church, built
incorporating an older structure, and bell tower, in
the 1200s. Within the church, you’ll find a small
nave with barrel vault ceiling with great buttress
arches on either side. You’ll see traces of
windows and other arches as well as the outline of a
short transept and tiny apse from earlier times.
Traces of frescoes of different periods can still be
seen. Can you distinguish the austere, but moving,
medieval paintings from the softer and more colored,
but perhaps less suggestive, later works?
The most interesting works are
the ribbons of ornamental paintings which can be
seen between the arches; they are of pure Byzantine
character, therefore dating back to when the church
was first built. They are masterpieces that
represent rich cloths decorated with vegetable and
geometric motifs.
Older still are the ruins that
appear curiously in the floor and in the actual
walls of the church, the remains of ancient Roman
buildings. Highly decorative fragments dating
probably from the first to second century AD can be
seen, and also much older sturdy walls belonging to
the Cinta di Servio Tullio, the walls built by an
early Roman king around the seven hills in about
550BC. Another section of this wall can be found
near the main train station.
Trailing the echoes of ancient
history, enter the spacious, tranquil cloister
touched by the Renaissance in the lines of the
octagonal pilasters. A small garden forms an oasis
in this densely-built area of
Rome. The
marble well dates from the 1400s and you will also
find fragments of sculpture and architectural
elements that are equally old.
In the 1700s an abbess added some
interesting baroque doorways, and, if it is open,
you can look into the refectory with beautiful
frescoes of the same period.
Via Quattro Novembre
The busy streets of Via XXIV
Maggio, Via IV Novembre join above Trajans Forum
where several lovely churches are dominated by the Tower
of the Militia. Its massive air of menace
may be enhanced because it is, every so slowly,
falling.
Some legends say that Nero
watched
Rome burn from its heights, but the tower was built in
the 1200s when the nobility of the city vied for
magnificence by building towers.
Originally the tower stood a
whole level taller, but it still impresses with its
weight and height. Note the difference between the
sharp corners in bare brick of the lower storey
compared to the rounded corners on the upper floor,
with its walls divided by slender pilasters which
add a contrasting touch of elegance. The tilt of the
tower gradually increased through the centuries but
now it is slightly, but noticeably, decreasing. It
is possible to climb to the top where your effort
will be rewarded by a breathtaking view of the
center of
Romeand all seven hills.
<Top>
30 Via Gregoriana. As you face down the Spanish
Steps, follow the first street on your left.
When you are in the neighborhood of the Spanish
Steps, take a short detour to see a charming
example of bizarre architecture. Perhaps it
isn't a masterpiece of art, but it is fascinating,
unique, and easy to find, so, why not stroll
by?
In the late 1500s, this type of art was a
forerunner of the baroque fantasy. It is also found
in the surreal creations at the Tivoli gardens near
Rome and in the "Monster
Park" at Bomarzo in Umbria.
The monster that surrounds the door and the
little ones around the windows are not cheerful
demons, but scowling bogeymen that could give some
children nightmares.
<Top>
At Excellent Europe we want our customers to love
their vacation in Italy and their experience with
our company. If you have any questions or request
about your rental with us, please don't hesitate to
ask.
This content is copyright protected; unauthorized
use will be prosecuted. If you would like, however,
to link to this useful information on a
travel website, please do so.
|
