Pompeii Today: Bill Jennings

Bookshops

Here's a nice little list of bookstores that stock English-language books in Rome.

Daytrips from Rome

I've been Tivoing and burning-to-DVD episodes of Rudy Maxa's Smart Travels.

One of the upcoming episodes focuses on daytrips from Rome. The website has a great collection of all of its tips for Roman Daytrips. The tips cover: Rome, Ostia, Tivoli, Castel Gandolfo (the Pope's summer home, don't you know), Nemi, Viterbo, and a whole lot more.

Rudy Maxa, by the way, has an offical website and, of course, a blog

Live 8 in Rome

On July 2, Bob Geldof is planning to hold five free "Live 8" concerts around the world, as a 20th anniversary follow-up to Live Aid. One of the concerts will be at the Circus Maximus in Rome. Here's the announced line-up:

Duran Duran
Faith Hill
Irene Grandi
Jovanotti
Tim McGraw
Nek
Laura Pausini
Vasco Rossi
Zucchero

Doria Pamphilj

Gridskipper, that other new travel blog, recently wrote an entry about the website of the Galleria Doria Pamphilj. The site features an audio walkthough of the museum/mansion performed by Jonathan Doria Pamphilj, the current owner of the house.

The museum features some amazing artwork, including works by Caravaggio, Bruegel, Titian, Raphael, and Bernini, among others.

Top Sites

Even though you didn't ask for it, here's a list of my favorite highlights that I think you should see when you visit Rome:

St Peter's Basilica and Piazza: This is THE church, built in Roman times over the spot where St. Peter was thought to have been martyred (his bones are supposedly down below). Possibly the largest cathedral in the world, certainly the most impressive. You can find the spot where Charlemagne was crowned emperor of the holy Roman emperor: the Pope made Charlemagne kneel, instead of the other way around. The dome is by Michelangelo, as is the Pieta sculpture of Mary holding Christ, possibly the greatest sculpture I've ever seen. But Bernini is responsible for much of the rest, including the enormous bronze centerpiece as well as the piazza outside. (If you want to know more about Bernini, read Angels and Demons.)

The Colosseum: The most familiar landmark of ancient Rome is truly astonishing in size, although it's falling apart because of years of neglect. Beautiful at night if it's lit up.

The Roman Forum: Right next door to the Colosseum is the Forum, site to many ancient buildings. The best thing are the three triumphal arches, built by emperors to commemorate victory in battle. The saddest is the Arch of Titus, who conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the holy temple of Solomon. There's a carving on the Arch showing the temple's menorah being carried back to Rome. Titus used the money and slaves from Jerusalem to build not only this arch, but also the Colosseum itself. They say that Roman Jews refuse to walk under this arch, even to this day.

The Sistine Chapel: Part of the Vatican Museum, the ceiling to the Sistine Chapel is Michelangelo's greatest triumph. Truly unforgettable, even if it takes forever to get there, it's always crowded, and the guards are forever yelling out "no photos" in four different languages.

The Trevi Fountain: Although Rome is overflowing with amazing public fountains, it's the Trevi that everyone remembers. It's good luck to toss a coin over your shoulder into the fountain; it ensures that you will come back to visit Rome again.

Piazza Navona: This piazza is built where there used to be a Roman racecourse, and you can see the outline in the buildings around. A great place to hang out at night, with plenty of tourists and amazing gelato. The centerpiece is Bernini's Four Rivers sculpture (also in Angels and Demons).

Spanish Steps: Another great public space for people watching, this one is much better in the daytime. The English poet Keats lived in a little apartment right here; it's now a museum dedicated to him and Shelley (Keats is buried in Rome's Protestant Cemetery, as is Shelley's heart). At the top of the steps is a church run by the same convent that runs the school that I work at: the Convent of the Sacred Heart. There's a fresco of Mary in the church which is reproduced in every Sacred Heart school in the world -- ours is next to the library.

What the?!?

When I visited Italy last year, we went on a pilgrimage of sorts to the town of Venosa, the birthplace of the poet Horace. Just outside the town, we stopped for a moment at a medieval church which is still in use. There I noticed the following triptych.
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The two men below are praying to Mary and Jesus above. Nothing remarkable. I had almost walked away, when I noticed something odd in the top painting. Perhaps you can notice it, too?

Of course! Mary is nurturing the faithful below. And look, Jesus is helping. It's all so metaphorical.

(Click on each image to see a larger version.)