Roman Forum

Campidlogio and Capitaline museum

Piazza Campidlogio was designed by Michealangelo and sits at the top of the Capitaline Hill. The museum had an exhibit on Michealangelo's work so we decided to go today because of the rain. It was really a once in a life time exhibit with some of his original sketches and notes for things such as the Sistine Chapel. The building was also amazing the wall decorations were very ornate. We had been to the Piazza already with a couple of our classes.
Yesterday we met here for our class that is lead by an archeologist. He is a funny old man who is incredibly intelligent and told us about the geology of Rome as well as informing us about all of the forums that had been built in that area. It was a three hour tour and it rained through part of it but luckily not to bad.

Some places from history class

urban studies class

Trevi Fountain

Legend has it that if you throw a coin into the fountain backwards and over your right shoulder you will return to Rome some day.

Piazza di Popalo was the Grand Enterance into Rome.
Me on the Spanish Steps

















A very ornate column placed along one of the roads extending from the Piazza di Popalo. This is one of
many columns and obelisks that were placed throughout the city by Pope Sixtus the fifth.

San Sebastian and the Catacombs

Today we went to the Church of San Sebastian which is near to the site we are studying for design. The church is located directly on top of the catacombs. We went on the tour through a part of it. The entire thing is 3 layers and 7 miles of tunnels. Saint Sebastian is buried there and Peter and Paul were temporarily buried there to protect their remains from an anti-Christian emperor. Some of the oldest mausoleums are still preserved so well you can make out the murals that are painted inside of them. The church was built directly on top of the catacombs and there are a few Bernini sculptures and the ceiling was carved from wood by a Dutch artist.

view from studio

the walk to villa maxentius

as a part of design we have to study something that has already been built this semester I have to look at the Villa Maxentius, which is just outside of the city. so my group made the 4 mile treck(one way) to see the ruins. the last photo is of part of the ruins the rest is from our walk into the countryside on our way there.

Vatican and Pantheon