by Cristiano Rubbi
* Why would four soldiers fuss around a cannon piece placed on top of the Janiculum Hill in the centre of Rome? The answer is simple. It’s nearly 12 o’ clock and at noon they will be firing a shot, as has been done every day since 1847. At the time this practice was intended to enable people in Rome to set their clocks and watches at a standard time.
* Ever heard of the “most beautiful hole in Rome”? On top of the Aventine Hill - one of the seven hills of Rome - there is a garden known as ‘Giardino degli Aranci’, or Orange Garden, with a fabulous view of the city. At sunset, when the entrance gate closes, you can peep through the keyhole and have a breathtaking view of a line of trees and, lit in the background, St. Peter’s Dome.
* Learn how to always tell the truth! When touring Rome, one of the sights you can’t miss is the Bocca della Verita, or Mouth of the Truth. Everybody knows the story that in antiquity if you put your hand in there and you had committed a crime, your hand would fall off. This, though, was no coincidence: judges standing behind the wall would signal a man to cut off or let go of your hand. And people normally are not told that this masterpiece of Roman art was in fact the top of a sewer manhole originally placed in the Roman Forum!
* Roman Aqueducts: is this an ancient history lesson? Not at all! It’s modern-day Rome. Those glorious, huge structures you can admire along the Appian Way were in fact aqueducts bringing water to Rome. Below those arches the Romans also built other aqueducts and, strange as it may seem, these are still used to quench the thirst of today’s Romans - the water is excellent: it’s even bottled and exported - and to feed water to many Roman fountains.
* The “bewitched” climbing slope. Ever been driving downhill along a road and suddenly found yourself backing up or at least coming to a stop? You can have this experience along a road near Ariccia, in the vicinity of Rome! Don’t ask us why. All sorts of explanations have been given, but none really satisfactory. It’s fun to watch, though, a soccer ball or a tennis ball rolling back along the road!
* Have you ever stopped to think how giant machinery allows man to carry out fantastic jobs almost without any effort? Only a few centuries ago this was unthinkable. In 16th century Rome, for instance, one day they were trying to lift the obelisk currently standing in the middle of St. Peter’s Square. It was a strenuous job that required great concentration for the 800 workers involved. To ensure silence, the crowd had been told that anyone caught even simply talking would be condemned to death (the necessary scaffold had already been set up). Someone realized that the ropes were giving way and to help out the people on the job, cried out: WATER TO THE ROPES! The trick worked perfectly… and the man, far from being punished, was given a prize and a title!
* Piazza Navona is perhaps the square that Romans love most. According to one of the popular stories involving two famous Italian artists who worked there, Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini were at loggerheads with each other and were anxious to show their feelings. So Bernini designed the fountains in the square in such a way that a statue representing the Nile seems to turn its back on the Church of St. Agnes built by Borromini and cover its eyes to avoid the sight of such a terrible-looking church.
* Have you ever heard of modern-day Romans’ laid back attitude to life, but also of their basically kind-hearted approach to other people’s problems? Here is something for you to think about. Carol Wojtyla, who was in Rome for the conclave after the death of his predecessor, was delayed by a hitch and was looking desperately for a lift to the Vatican. A passing bus driver who was going back to his depot was puzzled to see a priest thumbing a ride and stopped to find out. When he heard what was happening, he decided off his own bat to take him straight to the Vatican on his bus. The grateful Wojtyla, now a Pope, got in touch with him some time later to thank him for allowing that unknown priest to become a Pope.
* Do you think that highways are a modern invention? Think twice. Over 2000 years ago the Romans had their version of highways. They certainly didn’t have vehicles hurtling along at breakneck speed or gas stations, but they did have a road network that even these days would be second to none in length (thousands of miles) or quality (many stretches of Roman roads are still partly in use or have been used as tracks for new highways). They were also fairly sophisticated: they had service areas where people could relax or rest during their trip, facilities to change horses and a sort of diners where you could have a full hot meal or take it away with you in hot stone containers to be left at the next service area.
* There is a street in Rome named Via del Porto di Ripetta (Port of Ripetta Street). What has this peculiar name got to do with Rome? The answer is that in Roman times ships could sail up to the city because Rome was 11 kilometers closer to the sea (the Tiber has discharged huge quantities of silt and sand at its mouth over the years) and the Tiber was navigable. Perhaps it will be possible to sail up the river again before long if the mayor of Rome has it his way: he is pressing for it.
About the Author:
Cristiano Rubbi is an experienced traveller: he knows what’s what when it’s about travelling abroad. Why don’t you surf on his
website? You’ll find some handy tips on how to get around safely and really enjoy your Italian vacation. More info? Just send an email to info@niceandeasytravel.it or join his
forum. Be part of his
guestbook.
Tags: Excursions, Family Vacations, Historic sights, Rome, Rome Tours, Rome Travel, Rome Vacations, Sightseeing, Touring, Travel, Travel and leisure, Travel Tips, Travelling in Italy
Posted in Rome Travel |