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Sunday 12 February 2012

A Quick Guide To A Couple Of Romes Historic Monuments

By Michael B. Waters


In the Renaissance period, Popes resided in palaces which today house the Vatican Museums in Rome. It was during the 1700s that the precious collections of sculptures, paintings, frescoes for example. Were first put on display. The Raphael Rooms ( originally the residences of Pope Julius II ) and the Sistine Chapel ( the principle chapel of the Vatican ) are a part of the Museum complex, which homes some of the most significant masterpieces in the world. The inside of the Sistine Chapel was painted from floor to ceiling by the best artists of the 1400s and 1500s, for example Michelangelo, Ghirlandaio, Perugino, Signorelli and Botticelli.

Over two hundred chapels and nineteen basilicas are trapped by the ancient Aurelian Walls. The most important of the basilicas are St Peter's, the most important on earth ; St John in Lateran, the world's oldest church, where the bishop used to live ; and Santa Maria Maggiore. A bunch of the chapels date from early Christianity, when they originated as centers of protection for believers who were escaping persecution. These religious refugees met in buildings which were termed domus ecclesiae. As the years wore on, churches grew up around these buildings which were over the centuries changed, refurbished or in a number of cases completely reconstructed.

The Palantine Hill looks down on the Forum - it is here that legend states Romulus and his twin brother, Remus, established the city of Rome around 800 BC. These two men were claimed to have been reared from infanthood by a female wolf. For over four centuries after it was founded, Emperors continued to live here. Across the following 1200 years, Rome went from having a King to turning into a republic, to being the centre of a large empire.

However , what does the official archaeological history state? Well, it's been established that an Iron Age settlement composed from huts was founded in the area where the modern city of Rome now stands around 800 BC. In the early 7 th century B. C, the neighbouring Etruscans, who were at that point quite a developed civilisation, laid claim on the city but were later overthrown. It was around this time that the Roman Republic came into being. Initially it seized power over much of Italy. But it shortly started to grow, and by 100 BC had claimed Northwards Africa, Greece and Spain. As the empire expanded, those with aspiration saw their chance to seize authority ; but with so many folk desiring a chunk of the action, by corrupt means or alternatively, ultimately the democratic system broke down.

Today the Roman Pantheon, dating from the second century Ad, is the most complete traditional structure still standing. In traditional times, it was the most critical building in the city, as it stood as a pagan temple honouring Roman gods. Today, it is tricky to figure out the manner in which the faithful worshipped, as the layout differs so much from other Roman temples. We've got the Byzantine Emperor Phocas to thank for its extraordinary state of preservation, as he gifted it to Pope Boniface the VIII in the 7th century. Afterwards it was made a church, which ensured it has been actively used ever since its construction.




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