 |
| Fontana delle Naiadi |
Since I clearly have nothing else to do on a weekday, I decided to walk around the opposite area of Rome from my campus, the South-Eastern portions of Rome. I started by taking the metro to the Piazza della Repubblica which is famous for the fountain at the left.
 |
| Dogali, the obelisk of the ancient Baths of Diocletian |
 |
| Sacro Cuore di Gesu a Castro Pretorio |
 |
| Statue of Pope John Paul II outside Termini Station |
I crossed under the Termini Train Station and walked to the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, a park and a metro station. It was actually not well cared for and a little decrepit, but it was nice all the same.
 |
| The remains of an old fountain called Trofei di Mario |
 |
| The Alchemy Gate, a relic from the previous owners of the square |
From the park I walked a few blocks to one of the four major basilicas of Rome, Santa Maria Maggiore. I couldn't go in as there was a mass in session, but I did get to look around. Below are pictures of the first Holy Trinity Column, usually erected to celebrate the end of a plague or as a sign of faith, and the obelisk Esquiline which was originally a part of the Mausoleum of Augustus. From there it was largely a montage of churches...
 |
| Santa Maria Maggiore up close |
 |
| Chiesa di Sant'Eusebio all'Esquilino |
 |
| Sant'Anna al Laterno |
 |
| Santi Marcellino e Pietro |
 |
| Sant’Antonio da Padova |
...until finally I reached another major basilica, the Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran. Again, a mass was in session and I didn't want to interrupt, so all I could do was skulk around the place.
 |
| Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran |
 |
| Lateranense |
 |
| Basilica Baroque Facade |
 |
| Leonian Triclinium, the apse being the last remaining part of the old Lateran Palace |
From there I had intended to see other parts of the city, but it started to rain rather than drizzle to I decided to leave it for another day. The last thing I saw however was the Aurelian Walls, the city walls of Rome built in the 200s which encompassed the famous seven hills of Rome as well as the region of Trastevere on the west side of the river. The famous Porta San Giovanni (St. John's Door) pictured last was one of the few entrances into the city through this wall. Now it houses seven lanes for cars.
From the park I walked a few blocks to one of the four major basilicas of Rome, Santa Maria Maggiore. I couldn't go in as there was a mass in session, but I did get to look around. Below are pictures of the first Holy Trinity Column, usually erected to celebrate the end of a plague or as a sign of faith, and the obelisk Esquiline which was originally a part of the Mausoleum of Augustus. From there it was largely a montage of churches...
From there I had intended to see other parts of the city, but it started to rain rather than drizzle to I decided to leave it for another day. The last thing I saw however was the Aurelian Walls, the city walls of Rome built in the 200s which encompassed the famous seven hills of Rome as well as the region of Trastevere on the west side of the river. The famous Porta San Giovanni (St. John's Door) pictured last was one of the few entrances into the city through this wall. Now it houses seven lanes for cars.
