Dinner With A 2,000 Year Old View

The reason we were going to dinner at Aroma Restaurant is not because it is a Michelin One Star restaurant (although that didn't hurt its case to be one of our dinner restaurants) but instead for the view.

And here's the view:

View from the restaurant.

Selfie.  I guess I was concentrating.

While waiting for the Uber

to go back to the apartment.

Scene from our Uber.

The group at dinner.

Needless to say, it was a remarkable place to eat.  The food and wine were great, but the view was unparalleled.

An Absolutely Remarkable Scene

After the "Mostly Art and Some Food" tour finished with Cecilia, we headed back toward the apartment and had a late lunch.  Everyone was bushed from all the walking/sightseeing (and dealing with elements of jet lag), so we went to the apartment to relax for a bit.

At 4pm, Carol, Maria, and Van decided to stay at the apartment until dinner.  Julia and I went out to visit a couple of nearby churches.

The first one we went to was not far from the apartment -- a less than ten minute walk.  When we walked into the Basilica of Sant'Andrea della Valle, we were blown away by a concert being given by a full choir and orchestra.  

The music was enthralling.  I think it was my favorite part of the trip to Rome -- the grandeur of the music, singing, and art was incredible, stupendous, fantastic, fabulous, tremendous, terrific, striking, impressive, outstanding, and even phenomenal.

(Editor: I think they get the idea.

Writer: I hope so, I'm trying to convey just amazing the experience was.)

The post below this one has two short videos showing the main parts of the church as the music swells.  To get a sense of how fantastic it all was, give the videos a watch.  Sound up.

Work on the church was started in 1590, then stopped upon the death of the original patron.  It restarted by 1608.  The dome was completed in 1627, and the whole interior was finished by 1650.  The decorations of the dome set the standard for other churches built in the following decades.  The Baroque facade was added between 1655 and 1663. 

Julia and I left, feeling lucky that we had stumbled into such a dramatic concert and setting.

From there we struck out at a couple other churches that are closed for renovation.  We did go into Sant-Agostino, which has a Caravaggio.

Must Watch Short Videos — Sound Up!

This platform doesn't love videos, or even like videos, but here you go. . .click on the play button in the middle of the frame.  Then click on the play button that shows up in the bottom left.

This is the scene that greeted Julia and

I when we walked into the Basilica of

Sant’Andrea della Valle.

Absolutely stirring.

I rarely post (or even take videos), but these two are fantastic (not from a videography standpoint, but the combination of the music, singing, and the Baroque Church with its lavish, and massive, dome.  Enjoy.

Sant'Andrea della Valle Photos

 

The apse of Sant'Andrea della Valle

tells the History of Sant-Andrea and

Virtues, rescoed by Domenichino, an

Italian painter of the Bolognese

School of painters..

Outline of angels.

One of the dome frescoes.

Behind the altar.

For a long time this was the

third largest dome in Rome,

behind the Basilica of St.

Peter and the Pantheon.

About half of the choir and orchestra.

About the other half.

The Baroque facade was added

between 1655 and 1683.

A fountain tucked

away in a courtyard.

The curved facade on this

church is, itself, 

a work of art.

The Basilica of Sant-Agostino

has a Caravaggio.

Was Michelangelo As Talented As His Reputation Says He Is?

Yes. 

End of argument.

(Editor: Nobody, and I mean nobody!, argues that Michelangelo wasn't talented.

Writer: You've got a point.  On the other hand, I'm probably the only person who has ever even raised that question.

Editor: And you are proud of that?)

Cecilia took us to the Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, which has what Rick Steves describes as "a little-known Michelangelo statue, Christ Bearing the Cross."  

This is the church with the famed elephant and obelisk in the front of it (see earlier blog post for pictures of that).  It's only the only Gothic church within the ancient walls of Rome.  I had missed it the last time that the church had a Michelangelo statue, so I paid a LOT more attention to it this time.  The church also has a stunning arched ceiling that is painted blue with gilded stars and has bright red trim.

Apparently, for a short time starting in 1255, the church was home to a community of repentant prostitutes ("Community of Repentant Prostitutes" would be a great name for a rock band.)

(Editor: Are you going to let your readers know you ripped off the "great name for a rock band" from the great Dave Barry?

Writer: If they don't know that, I'm not going to tell them!)

The Dominicans took over the church in 1266.  

Finished in 1521, this is

Michelangelo's Cristo della

Minerva.  The loincloth

wasn't part of the original

sculpture, it was added

by an overzealous 

priest years later.

Here's a close-up of 

Michelangelo's treatment

of the feet and legs.  Look

at the perfection in the

sculpture!

Part of the ceiling.

The stunning ceiling.

One of the beautiful

stained glass windows.

The elephant (and base of

the obelisk) in daylight.

Okay, I googled the expression "Michelangelo wasn't that talented" to see if it is a Googlenope (never been written/said, and it appears it is.  Here's how Google's Artificial Intelligence put me in my place:

The statement "Michelangelo wasn't that talented" is widely considered inaccurate; he is widely recognized as one of the greatest artists in history, renowned for his exceptional skill in sculpture, painting, and architecture, showcasing a level of mastery that few have achieved across multiple artistic disciplines.

Given how AI messed up the question about when the Pantheon became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, I'm glad it got one right.  But I'm watching you AI, I'm watching you.

The Best Chocolate Shop In Rome -- Dripping With Old World Charm

Our last food stop was my favorite of the three.  We went to Moriondo E Gariglio in a cozy alley near the Pantheon.  It's a top notch chocolate shop founded in 1850 by two cousins.  I'm not much of an Instagrammer (Editor: I don't think "Instagrammar" is a word.  Writer: Of course it is, it has "grammar" in it!) but apparently it's very popular with Insta Influencers.  And I could see why.

I could tell it is a special place the moment we walked in.  The ladies working there are dressed in bright red uniforms with white collars and white hats.  It adds a nice touch to a very classy and special place.

The biggest problem with the place is that there are so many chocolate varieties to chose from.  It's also an absolutely beautiful shop that feels like a throwback to the 1950s.  Or 1920s, or some other time in the gauzy memories of our past.

The chocolates are made on site, in a chocolate lab right behind the glass counters.  The whole place is a combination of chocolate and old world class/charm.  There are even a few old fashioned tables and chairs inside the shop to rest while chowing down on chocolates.

Don't miss it!

Don't you want to try one of everything?

I didn't try one of everything, but I

thought about it!

One of the ladies working hard.

How classic is this look.  The only thing

missing is Gene Wilder bouncing around

the shop and singing about chocolate.

More Scenes From The "Mostly Art And Some Food" Tour of Rome

Not everything on a walk is worthy of a blog post, but is worthy of being noted (hence the word "noteworthy!)  Here's some more places Claudia took us:

A close-up of the 

aforementioned Marcus

Aurelius column in

Piazza Colonna.

The Galleria Alberto Sordi

shopping mall.  It's not

quite as impressive as the

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

in Milan, but then again,

nothing is!

This was the location of our

 second food stop on the tour,

the pastry shop of the famous

(in Italy) Iginio Massari.

We had been to his first

pastry shop, in Verona back

in late May.

I'm not good at remembering

to take food photos -- but his

stuff is quite tasty.  Our first food

stop was at a sandwich/pastry/

coffee shop that Cecilia used

to frequent in high school.

It was a good stop, and

definitely a really neat 

place -- very authentic,

non-touristy cafe.

Piazza di Pietra (the Plaza of Stone).

These are the remains of the temple

Hadrianeum, built in 145 AD.  The

semi-modern building behind

the columns was NOT built then.

That's actually the Palazzo della Borsa

(stock exchange) and the Chamber of

Commerce ("same thing," my Democratic

friends snort whilst reading this.)

The latter buildings were constructed in 1879.

Ceiling from the Church of Sant'Ignazio.

The ceiling was painted by Andrea Pozzo.

It's famous for both the ceiling (shown

above, here, and below) and false dome.

A false dome isn't the most picturesque,

which is why it isn't, er, pictured.   

Built between 1626 and 1650,

 it is dedicated to the founder

of the Society of Jesus.  The

ceiling shows the reception

of St. Ignatius into heaven.

In the floor of a chapel in the church,

the dragon is the symbol of some

powerful family, although I don't

remember who.  Hopefully Cecilia

will WhatsApp me with that info

and I can edit this mostly lame caption.

Not as impressive as the

one in Barcelona, but these

bridges over streets are

always cool.

If You Are In Awe Every Time You See The Pantheon, We Should Be Friends

The Pantheon is, by far, ancient Rome's best preserved building.  It's a mathematical stunner, given how exacting it is.  It is still the world's largest concrete dome.  And, it is the only ancient building in Rome in continuous use since it was built.

The Pantheon is a temple that was dedicated to all (pan) of the gods (theos).  The original temple was built in 27 BC by Marcus Agrippa.  The inscription above the columns in front of the building proclaims "Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucio, three times consul, made this."  

I don't really know what that means.  I don't think Agrippa personally built this.  I have to believe that was done by a lot of people, including many slaves.  Did he design it?  No idea.  Did he come up with the idea and requisitioned the money?  More probable.

This I do know.  Agrippa was famously short-tempered.  One day, things weren't going well on the job site, and he just totally lost his cool.  Screaming, yelling, throwing things, killing slaves.  

His foreman couldn't take it any more, and yelled is his Italian-influenced Latin, "Marcus, get a grippa!"  

And that's how the phrase "get a grip" came to be.

I'm here all week.

The original temple was built in 27 BC by Agrippa, but destroyed by fire in 80 AD.  Then in 110 AD, Emperor Domitian had it rebuilt, but it burned again.  Those never say die Romans rebuilt it again from 118-125 AD, under the leadership of Emperor Hadrian.  (Earlier in the blog I might have said it was built in 80 AD, so my apologies).

Then in 608 AD, Pope Boniface IV ("Boney-face" to his friends and cardinals) converted it into a Christian Church.  (You don't hear of boys being named "Boniface" anymore.  I wonder why.)

In 1747 the dome was struck by lightning, causing considerable interior damage.

And, in 1990, it, along with much of Central Rome, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  As faithful readers of the blog know, I'm on a crusade to have their slogan be "UNESCO Means You Must Go" because nearly every UNESCO site we've been to is jaw-dropping or awe-inspiring, or both.

Showing the limits of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Google's AI claims that the Pantheon was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1965, when the dozen UNESCO sites weren't designated until 1978.  AI better not stick one of its hands into the Mouth of Truth or la Bocca della Verita will bite it right off.

The Pantheon's dome is shallow and hard to see from the outside (from higher vantage points like Sant Angelo or the King Vittorio Emmanuel II monument it's easier to see).  But it was the model for the domes of Florence and St. Peter's.  Even the U.S. Capitol building was inspired by this dome.

I wrote more about the 16 one piece columns in the photo section below here -- not only are they 40 feet tall, but they are 15 feet around.   The most amazing part of the columns is that most ancient columns are stacked up stones cut and pieced together, the columns are a single piece of stone.

The dome is a wonder of the ancients -- it is as high as it is wide. . .142 feet.  Concrete was invented by the Romans, and there is nothing better made of concrete than the dome.  The base of the dome is 23 feet thick and includes travertine marble mixed in (heavier), while at the top it's less than five feet thick and made with lighter pumice (volcanic rock) mixed in.

The square indentations in the underneath part of the dome (see pics) means it is a "coffered ceiling" (I believe that Starbucks gets a cut of all things involving coffee), and thus it reduces the weight of the dome without reducing strength.  

Then, of course, the eye is drawn to the oculus, which is the building's only light source.  It is perfectly circular and is nearly 30 feet across.  The floor is 80% original, and thus over 1,800 years old.  

Since rain comes through the oculus, the floor has drain holes in it and slants to the edge.  We had a very light rain when we were inside, and it felt miraculous to be raining lightly indoors.  I could be wrong, but I think it would be cool to be inside when there is a pounding rain.  

(Carol just interjected in her mind -- "Glen, you're wrong a lot, so you probably are about this as well!").

Alas, because it was a cloudy day, we didn't get to marvel at the 142 foot column of sunlight coming into the building through the oculus. 

The niches along the walls had various Roman gods, including a huge statue of Jupiter, the King of the Gods.  These days, the niches hold Christian images.

Note the coffered ceilings.

The light to the left is the

glare of a raindrop on the

cell phone camera.

If You Could Only Go To One, Would It Be The Colosseum Or The Pantheon?

I don't know which one I would choose, because it's not an easy decision. 

Anyhow, here's photos from the Pantheon tour, and more. . .

One late afternoon at the Pantheon.

From the floor to the oculus.

These are the original bronze doors of

the Pantheon.  Each door weighs about

20 tons each ("tonnes" for my British

readers).  They are nearly 25 feet high

and 14.6 feet wide.  It's not just the dome,

or the building that I'm in awe of.

These columns are solid pieces of granite

that came from quarries in Egypt.  They

weight around 60 tons each!  Imagine

being in charge of getting them from the

quarry in Egypt to Rome.  I can't.

There's a reason I drive a desk.

There are many stories about the

columns, and it's hard to know which

is truthful.  One is that two of the columns

were stolen.  (How do you steal 60 ton

columns?)

Another is that three were switched

out when they were damaged in the

1600s.

How did any of this happen?  I think

Romans didn't really pay attention, so

the columns were taken for granite.

(say it out loud to yourself --  it's

funnier that way. . ."taken for

granite" -- get it?)

The doors are apparently open

10 hours a day/365 days.  The

line is much shorter in November.

Oh, and get your tickets in advance.

The dome is the largest concrete dome in

the world, and was the largest dome for

over 1300 years, until the famous dome

in Florence was built.   

The walls of the Pantheon are seven yards

thick.  That's more yards than the New

York football Giants have gained in any

first half of this season.*

* Any Giants stats are for impact only,

do not gamble based on those stats.

Part of the altar.

The burial place of King Vittorio

Emanuele II, the first king of

the modern unified Italy.  He

and his son (King Umberto I) are

the only two kings buried here.

Six people total are buried here, 

including famed Renaissance

artist Raphael.

The oculus is really eye-catching.

Okay, so the next two photos aren't from the Pantheon, but quite near it.

A fountain in Piazza Navona actually

being worked on, he writes bitterly.

The undulating Rococo facade

of Chiesa di Santa Maria

Maddalena.  I'd show you

pictures of the Baroque 

interior, but it was closed. . .

for renovation, of course!