Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Flanking
Moses
are the Old Testament sister-wives of Jacob, Leah (to our right) and Rachel,
both begun by Michelangelo but probably finished by pupils.
This powerful statue of Moses—mature Michelangelo—is worth studying. The artist
worked on it in fits and starts for 30 years. Moses has received the Ten Commandments. As
he holds the stone tablets, his eyes show a man determined to stop his tribe from worship-
ping the golden calf and idols...a man determined to win salvation for the people of Israel.
Why the horns? Centuries ago, the Hebrew word for “rays” was mistranslated as “horns.”
Cost and Hours:
Free, daily April-Sept 8:00-12:30 & 15:00-19:00, Oct-March
8:00-12:30 & 15:00-18:00, modest dress required; the church is a 10-minute uphill walk
from the Colosseum, or a shorter, simpler walk from the Cavour Metro stop.
ThisisancientRome'sbirthplaceandciviccenter,andthecommongroundbetweenRome's
famous seven hills. As just about anything important that happened in ancient Rome
happened here, it's arguably the most important piece of real estate in Western civilization.
Whileonlyafewfragmentsofthatgloriouspastremain,history-seekersfindplentytoignite
their imaginations amid the half-broken columns and arches.
open daily 8:30 until one hour before sunset, last entry one hour before closing, audioguide-
€5, Metro: Colosseo, tel. 06-3996-7700,
http://archeoroma.beniculturali.it/en
.
The hill overlooking the Forum is jam-packed with history—“the huts of Romulus,” the
hugeImperial Palace, aviewoftheCircusMaximus—butthere'sonlythebarestskeletonof
rubble left to tell the story.
We get our word “palace” from this hill, where the emperors chose to live. The Palatine
Hill was once so filled with palaces that later emperors had to build out. (Looking up at it
from the Forum, you see the substructure that supported these long-gone palaces.)
The Palatine museum contains statues and frescoes that help you imagine the luxury of
theimperialPalatine.Fromthepleasantgarden,you'llgetanoverviewoftheForum.Onthe
far side, look down into an emperor's private stadium and then beyond at the grassy Circus
Maximus, once a chariot course. Imagine the cheers, jeers, and furious betting.
While many tourists consider the Palatine Hill just extra credit after the Forum, it offers
an insight into the greatness of Rome. (And, if you're visiting the Colosseum or Forum,
you've got a ticket whether you like it or not.)
