A Forum was the main center of a Roman city. Usually located near the physical center of a Roman town, it served as a public area in which commercial, religious, economic, political, legal, and social activities occurred. Fora were common in all Roman cities, but none were as grand as the fora of Rome itself.
The Roman Forum or Forum Romanum or Foro Romano in Italian is a rectangular plaza surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient city referred to this space, originally a marketplace, as the Forum Magnum, or simply the Forum. Originally a marsh, the Romans drained the area and turned it into a centre of political and social activity. The Forum was the marketplace of Rome and also the business district and civic centre. It was for centuries the center of Roman public life: the site of triumphal processions and elections; the venue for public speeches, criminal trials, and gladiatorial matches; and the nucleus of commercial affairs. Here statues and monuments commemorated the city's great men. The teeming heart of ancient Rome, it has been called the most celebrated meeting place in the world, and in all history. Located in the small valley between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills, the Forum today is a sprawling ruin of architectural fragments and intermittent archaeological excavations attracting 4.5 million sightseers annually In the area around the Forum, the city was also home to markets, shops and taverns. You could also find the typical Termopolia, which were the ancient equivalent of today's fast food restaurants. In short, the Forum was the heart and soul of city life. It was in Caesar's time, when Rome has become the capital of a vast empire, that the Forum became a place for celebrations and in the Imperial era it was the symbol of the Empire. The Legend goes that one of the first acts of Romulus, the city’s eponymous founder, was to establish a fortification wall around the Palatine Hill, the site of his new settlement. The Capitoline Hill, opposite the Palatine, emerged as the city’s citadel (arx) and site of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, among others Iron Age populations had used the marshy valley separating the Palatine and Capitoline hills as a necropolis but the burgeoning settlement of archaic Rome had need of communal space and the valley was repurposed from a necropolis to a usable space. This required several transformations, both of human activity and the natural environment. Burial activity had to be transferred elsewhere; for this reason the main necropolis site shifted to the far side of the Esquiline Hill. The second century B.C.E. saw the creation and introduction of a unique Roman building type, the basilica. The basilica was a columnar hall that often had a multi-purpose use—from law courts to commerce to entertainments. Roman planners came to prefer them for lining the long sides of open squares, The advent of the principate of Augustus (27 B.C.E. – 14 C.E.) brought about additions and renovations to the Forum Romanum. With the deification of Julius Caesar, Augustus’ adoptive father, a temple dedicated to Caesar’s cult (templum divi Iulii) was constructed on the edge of the forum square. Augustus restored existing buildings, completed incomplete projects, and added commemorative projects to celebrate his own accomplishments and those of his family members. In this latter group, the Arch of Augustus (#16 above) and the Porticus of Caius and Lucius are notable. The former was a triumphal arch celebrating significant military and diplomatic accomplishments of the emperor, while the latter honored the emperor’s grandsons. The monument that is considered to be the final ancient structure erected in the Forum Romanum is a re-purposed monumental column set in place by the emperor Phocas in August of 608 C.E. A major earthquake in 847 C.E. wreaked considerable damage on remaining Roman monuments in the forum and in its environs. During the Middle Ages ancient structures provided reusable buildings materials, as well as reusable foundations, for Medieval structures. While the Forum Romanum was the main forum of Rome, there were several other fora located throughout the city. Each of these fora had a specific purpose unto themselves. These included the Forum Boarium (the cattle market), and several Imperial Fora. Roman Emperors such as Augustus and trajan built the Imperial Fora, usually with the spoils of war, in order to celebrate themselves and their victories. The Forum was one of the important centers of Roman daily life. But the Forum had another purpose that we might find unusual. It was in the Forum where anyone who felt like it could stand and talk to the crowd and express their views on any subject. This was called Orating and the Romans loved it. Teachers of speech-making would bring their students to the forum and assign them to try and convince the crowd that a specific idea was the correct and proper idea. Politicians gave speeches here. Any adult male Roman citizen could speak in the Forum. The ancient Romans were great orators. The job of their orators was not to argue, but to argue persuasively! People thronging the Forum would stop and listen to anyone Orating, then wander away to do their shopping, and perhaps leave a gift at a temple for one of their gods.
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For tourists looking to be in the cuore (heart) of it all, the best place to be in Rome is in the centro storico. Indeed, the historic center of the city is where a chunk of the Eternal City's main attractions are located. There are an endless amount of things to see and do in the historic center of Rome.
For a sublime example of the Eternal City's most beautiful piazzas, visitors have plenty to choose from in the centro storico: Piazza Venezia, Piazza Navona and Piazza di Spagna to name a few This area, known in ancient Roman times as the Campus Martius, was outside the city centre, a low-lying area that was mostly given over to barracks and sporting arenas, together with several temples, including the Pantheon. Later it became the heart of the Renaissance city, and nowadays it’s the part of the town that is densest in interest, an unruly knot of narrow streets and alleys that holds some of the best of Rome’s classical and Baroque heritage and its most vivacious street- and nightlife. In Rome, there are a slew of great trattorie, pizzerie and outdoor café scene, especially in the centro storico. While there's great selection of restaurants to choose from in the historic center, For some pizza on the run, before you head on over the Pantheon, check out Da Remo's pizza al taglio (pizza by the slice). Remo makes the best pizza with salame, pumpkin and/or pancetta. The calzones aren't too shabby either! Giolitti is a historic gelateria that features all of the classic flavors. Meanwhile, Il Gelato serves up flavors that will tantalize your palate (over 100 different flavors to choose from)! Looking to paint Roma red? The centro, is definitely the place to do it. From pubs to clubs, the historic center of the city offers a wide array of nightlife for all tastes. Pubs are also popular places thanks to its pub grub and live music. Some of the hottest dance clubs can also be found in the centro storico. Though the scene is much smaller, than say, Testaccio where the hub of Rome's nightlife is located; there are several clubs contending for a prime spot on Rome's movida scene. Most of the best shopping is concentrated around Via del Corso near the Spanish Steps. If you're looking for high-end fashion, you'll want to hit up Via dei Condotti. It's considered the Rodeo Drive of Rome. In and around this street, you'll find high-end fashion names like Fendi, Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton and various others. For smaller, more exclusive haute-couture brands, one can check out streets such as Via Frattina and Via del Babuino for the best boutiques. Perhaps, you prefer shopping for fresh food or just want to browse through one of Rome's famous street markets? The most famous of all is the Campo de' Fiori market. Not only can you pick up the best and freshest produce and flowers, but you can also witness vendors turn the sale of an eggplant into a theatrical performance! The market is open Monday through Saturday and is definitely worth at least a stroll. Once you have visited the area of the Forum, the Colosseum, and the Vatican, the other really “big stuff” and “fun stuff” can be covered with a stroll through the cobbled side streets of the historic centre. The Palatine Hill, Collis Palatium or Mons Palatinus or Palatino is the centremost of the Seven Hills of Rome and is one of the most ancient parts of the city. According to Roman mythology, the Palatine Hill was the location of the cave, known as the Lupercal, where Romulus and Remus were found by the she- wolf Lupa that kept them alive. Another legend occurring on the Palatine is Hercules' defeat of Cacus after the monster had stolen some cattle. Hercules struck Cacus with his characteristic club so hard that it formed a cleft on the southeast corner of the hill, where later a staircase bearing the name of Cacus was constructed.
No visit to Rome is complete without a thorough exploration of the ancient city, including the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. This majestic hill towers over the Roman Forum and the Circus Maximus, the ruins of its ancient palaces still visible from a distance. It was once the home of emperors and the site of temples, The Palatine is also something of a green haven. Wild flowers grow among the ruins, and you might spot a rabbit scampering across the hill. Come here for a picnic, or to seek shade beneath the trees in the Farnese Gardens. Even at the height of the tourist season, the Palatine is surprisingly peaceful, so it’s a good place to escape the crowds. And then there are the views – perhaps the best in Rome. On one side, you can admire the Circus Maximus from high up, and look across to the Aventine Hill on the other side of the valley. But the most spectacular views are on the other side, where you can see the labyrinthine ruins of the Roman Forum in their entirety, the Colosseum, and the Capitoline Hill. The Palatine was desirable for a number of reasons – the mythical associations, the central location, the spectacular views of the city, the cooler temperatures in the summer, and the cleaner air. The residents of the Palatine got the best of both worlds, living in the center of the city without having to endure the noise and dirt of the streets below. During the Republican era, many wealthy Romans lived in luxurious villas on the Palatine. The hill later became home to Rome’s first emperor, Augustus, as well as Tiberius and Domitian. These emperors are responsible for most of the impressive ruins we see today, including the Flavian Palace, the Stadium of Domitian, and the House of Augustus. Other vast constructions, such as the Temple of Apollo (built on the orders of Augustus), and the mysterious decorative building known as the Septizodium, have disappeared, hardly leaving a trace of their existence. The Palatine Hill is littered with ruins from ancient palaces and other buildings. At the southern end, bordering Circus Maximus, are the remains of the palace of Septimius Severus, Roman emperor between 193 and 211 AD. Adjacent to the palace lie the ruins of the Baths of Septimius Severus. The stadium was built together with the Palace of Domitian, which formed the heart of the Palatine Hill. For three centuries the palace, built in 81 AD, held the title of Rome's largest palace. Domitian's Palace was constructed between two crests after the tallest one - the Palatium - was topped off and the ground used to level the hilltop. The palace consisted of two wings: a private one (the Domus Augustana) and a public one (the Domus Flavia). Remains of both wings can still be found. House of Livia, one of the best preserved houses on the Palatine Hill. The house dates back to the 1st century BC and was the home of Emperor Augustus and his wife Livia. Archaeologists also discovered remains of an early settlement on the Palatine Hill, probably dating back to the times of the first king of Rome, Romulus. Hence this site is known as the Hut of Romulus. At the north-west end of the Palatine Hill are the ruins of the Palace of Tiberius (aka Palace of Caligula), built in the 1st century AD. Later, a 16th-century cardinal turned the hill into the Farnese Gardens, incorporating the ruins into a tree-shaded park of terraces, lawns, flowerbeds, pavilions, and fountains for social occasions. The alluring combination of some of Rome's most imposing remains, framed by trees, with views over the Colosseum, Circus Maximus, and other Roman landmarks makes this a popular tourist attraction, especially for those tired of the crowds below. When you walk through the still-impressive ruins of these palaces, temples, and public buildings constructed under Augustus and his successors, you are walking through the history of the Roman Empire. The Galleria Borghese or Borghese Gallery is an art gallery in Rome, housed in the former Villa Borghese Pinciana. At the outset, the gallery building was integrated with its gardens, but nowadays the Villa Borghese gardens are considered a separate tourist attraction. The Galleria Borghese houses a substantial part of the Borghese collection of paintings, sculpture and antiquities, begun by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, the nephew of Pope Paul V.
Scipione Borghese was an early patron of Bernini and an avid collector of works by Caravaggio, who is well represented in the collection by his Boy with a Basket of Fruit, St Jerome Writing, Sick Bacchus and others. Other paintings of note include Titian's Sacred and Profane Love, Raphael's Entombment of Christ and works by Peter Paul Rubens and Federico Barocci. The Galleria Borghese includes twenty rooms across two floors. The main floor is mostly devoted to classical antiquities of the 1st–3rd centuries AD including a famous mosaic of gladiators found on the Borghese estate at Torrenova, on the Via Casilina outside Rome, in 1834, and classical and neo-classical sculpture such as the Venus Victrix. Its decorative scheme includes a trompe l'oeil ceiling fresco in the first room, or Salone, by the Sicilian artist Mariano Rossi makes such good use of foreshortening that it appears almost three-dimensional. The museum displays, in addition to Bernini's above mentioned works Proserpine's rape, Apollo and Daphne, David throwing a sling also Roman time wonderful works sleeping Hermaphroditus, as well as the famous Lying Venus by Canova, portraying the beautiful features of Maria Paola Bonaparte. Maybe Caravaggio's best works are displayed in Rome's Borghese gallery: the Madonna of the Grooms, St. Jerome, St. John Baptist, David with Goliath's head. Young man with a fruit basket, the little Bacchus: Borghese gallery in Rome also hosts works by Annibale Carracci, Francesco Albani, Guido Reni, Guercino, Antonello da Messina ("portrait of a man"), Domenichino ("Diana's hunt"), Bronzino ("St. JOhn Baptist"). |
Rome Private ToursThere are plenty to do in Rome, Italy. Here is our recommended points of interest for Groups of friends and family to get together and enjoy. Categories
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