The Roman Forum - Rome, Italy

The Temple of Saturn and the Forum - Rome, Italy

While in Rome, we joined a walking tour of the Roman Forum, the Palatine Hill and the Colosseum with the hope of getting to know a bit more about the history of the area. We joined a tour which was recommended by the people running the B&B we stayed at. We got off to a bad start as the guide got half an hour late and unfortunately things didn't get any better. The whole tour felt as though the guide was just regurgitating a script which she had memorised.

More photographs after the jump.

The Forum with the Colosseum in the Background - Rome, Italy

Since the tour was a massive disappointment, we bought a book which documented the forum and, using it as a guide, walked around the Forum again the next day. It was a bit like walking around in Anuradhapura but with a hell of a lot more people!

The Temple of Antoninus & Faustina - Rome, Italy

Walking around the forum on our own gave me the opportunity to take a bit more time to do a bit of photography. We were there close to midday so the light wasn't the best. I had a circular polariser on the camera which let me capture deeper shades of blues and greens. Although I lost 2 stops using the polariser, I didn't need to use the tripod. The hardest part of photographing the Forum, in my opinion, was getting photographs without people being included in the frames.

A Marble Carving in the Forum - Rome, Italy

I'm planning on heading back to Sri Lanka for a holiday in July. I'm hoping to do a fair bit of wildlife photography while I'm there. I am also planning on heading back to Anuradhapura and probably traveling in the hills as  well. I'm sure the photographs will find their way onto the blog eventually!

The Trevi Fountain - Rome, Italy

The Trevi Fountain - Rome, Italy 

The Trevi fountain is probably the most famous fountain in the world. It was built at the termination point of an ancient aqueduct named Aqua Virgo and is named after the fact that it was built at the junction of three roads (tre vie). Legend has it that Roman technicians located a source for fresh water, about 13 km away from the city with the the help of a virgin. This scene is depicted on the facade of the fountain.

More photographs inside.

Detail of the Trevi Fountain - Rome, Italy

The fountain was one of the first places we visited and, as expected, there was a huge crowd seated on the steps around the fountain and taking it all in. Getting a decent photograph of the entire fountain was virtually impossible as there were people constantly walking into the frame. As a result, I resorted to taking a number of "detail" shots of smaller sections of the fountain.

Detail of the Trevi Fountain - Rome, Italy

We got to the fountain at about four in the evening and the light was pretty good for photography. It was warm, directional light which gave a lot of depth to the photographs. I think we spent around an hour at the fountain photographing small sections of it. A photograph of the entire fountain was on my shot list but there was no way that I was going to capture it that day.

Detail of the Trevi Fountain - Rome, Italy

To get the shot of the entire fountain (first photograph on this post) I decided to make an early start. I got to the fountain at around 5.30 in the morning and found the place empty. I spent about 40 minutes alone at the fountain, photographing it from a whole range of angles before other photographers started to arrive.

St Peters Square - Vatican City

A fountain in St Peters Square - Vatican City 

While we were in Rome, we stayed just outside the Vatican City. On one of our first nights in the city, I decided to have a look at St Peters square with the hope that it wouldn't be too crowded. It was close to  11.00 PM when I walked in and I was surprised with the number of people still in the square. It was by no means crowded but there were at least a couple of hundred people milling about.

More images after the jump.

St Peters Square from the Basilica - Vatican City

The photograph above was taken from the top of St Peters Basilica. The climb to the top is not too bad but is not for people who are claustrophobic. At one stage you have to walk between the exterior wall and the dome of the basilica and you can't really stand up straight through this section of the ascent. On the way down we were able to walk out onto the roof near the statues.

Statues on the roof - Vatican City

The statues above are from the roof that runs around St Peters Square. I used a circular polariser for this shot and it resulted in an enhanced colour in the sky. Some renovations were being done to the square during the time we were there. These sections were covered in some sort of white material and can be seen in the second image on this post.

The Obelisk at St Peters - Vatican City

The Obelisk which stands in the middles of the square originally stood at Circus Maximus. St Peter was said to have been crucified in front of this Obelisk and it is now revered as a witness to the death of St Peter.

All Images on this post were captured with a Canon 7D and a 24-105mm lens. I also used a circular polariser for the two "daytime" shots on this post.

Castel Sant' Angelo - Rome, Italy

Castel Sant' Angelo - Rome, Italy

Castel Sant' Angelo was built to be used as Emperor Hadrian's family mausoleum between 135 AD and 139 AD. It has since been used as a fortress, Papal residence and a military prison. The building is cylindrical in shape and a wide stone ramp winds its way from the ground floor to the upper terraces. The building consists of a number of passageways and Papal apartments as well as old dungeons.

Read on for more images and info.

Castel Sant Angelo across the Tiber - Rome, Italy

The highest point of the building, the Terrazza dell'Angelo, is crowned by a statue of the archangel Michael shielding his sword. The statue is supposed to be protecting Rome from the plague. The Terrazza is also where Floria Tosca throws herself off the ramparts in Puccini opera Tosca. An escape passage, named Il Passetto, leads to Castel Sant' Angelo from St Peter's Basilica and was used by Popes when they needed to make an escape from the Basilica.

Castel Sant' Angelo across the Tiber - Rome, Italy

Castel Sant' Angelo also features in a number of films including Dan Brown's Angels and Demons where it was the last existing church of the Illumnati.

We stayed close to Castel Sant' Angelo  and St Peters Basilica while we were in Rome. I made a couple of trips to both St Peters and Castel Sant' Angelo in the night to get a few images of the buildings lit up. I thought it was the best time to head out with the camera as there weren't too many people around and I was able to photograph both buildings without people walking into the frame.

Castel Sant' Angelo - Rome, Italy

All the images on this post were captured with a Canon 7D and a 24-105mm Lens.

Piazza Novona - Rome, Italy

A Balcony looking out onto Piazza Novona - Rome, Italy  

Piazza Novona, a ten minute walk from the pantheon, is probably Rome's most famous square. It actually sits on top of an ancient stadium built by Emperor Domitian in the first century AD. The track and field are said to have been used for competitions similar to the Greek olympics and during the Renaissance the stadium was often flooded for mock sea battles. 

More info and images after the jump.

Bernini's Fontana Quattro Fiumi in Piazza Novona - Rome, Italy

The square is also home to three famous fountains. The largest of these is Bernini's Fontana Quattro Fiumui (Fountain of the four rivers), shown above. The fountain is said to depict the four major rivers of the known continents: the Nile, the Ganges, the Plate and the Danube. Legend has it that the Bernini designed one of the statues (image below), facing the church of Saint Agnes (in the background of the image above), shielding his eyes from the "horror of the church" which was designed by his rival Borromini. In actual fact the church was built after the fountain.

Bernini's Fontana Quattro Fiumi in Piazza Novona - Rome, Italy

The solitary statue of Saint Agnes, above the facade of the church, turning away from Bernini's fountain when it would have normally faced the fountain. A small skull in the reliquary of the church is said to be that of Saint Agnes, who was beheaded in the stadium of Emperor Domitian in the 3rd century AD. 

Detail of Bernini's Fontana Quattro Fiumi in Piazza Novona - Rome, Italy

The other two fountains in the square are Fontana del Nettuno (Fountain of Neptune)  on the northern end of the piazza and Fontana del Moro (Fountain of the Moor) on the southern end. The Fontana del Moro, shown below, was designed by Giacomo della Porta consisted of a basin and four Tritons. In 1673 Bernini added a Moor (African) wrestling with a dolphin. 

Fontana della Moro in Piazza Novona - Rome, Italy

The basin of the Fontana della Nettuno was also designed by Giacomo della Porta in 1574 and is said to have been sponsored by Pope Gregory XIII.  For 300 years the fountain survived without any statues. The fountain we see today, with the statue of Neptune (shown below) was completed by Antonio della Bitta in 1878. 

Fontana della Nettuno in Piazza Novona - Rome, Italy

A number of restaurants open out onto the piazza which is also full of artist's stalls, street performers and tourists. Needless to say, it is quite crowded during the day. A Christmas market is held at the piazza  every year. The markets run well into the night and are said to be worth a visit. 

Tourists and the Church if Saint Agnes at Piazza Novona - Rome, Italy

All images on this post were captured with a Canon 7D and the 24 - 105mm lens.

A View of Piazza Novona - Rome, Italy

The Colosseum - Rome, Italy

The Colosseum - Rome, Italy 

The famous Flavian amphitheatre is one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering. Situated in the centre of Rome, it is a "must see" for most tourists. We visited the Colosseum on a walking tour which also included the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill. The tour itself was not very good but we did get an opportunity to walk around the Colosseum on our own at the end.

Read on for more info.

The Colosseum photographed from the Forum - Rome, Italy

The building was started by Vespasian, inaugurated by Titus in 80 A.D. and completed by Domitian. The Colosseum was used to hold gladiatorial contests, animal hunts, executions and re-enactments of battles. It was later used for housing, workshops and even a christian shrine. The tiers of the Colosseum were able to seat 50,000 spectators around the arena.

Inside the Colosseum - Rome, Italy

Below the wooden floor of the arena was a complex network of rooms, passageways and lifts used to move wild animals from their cages into the arena. The walls which support tiers of seats, passageways and stairways radiate out from the arena. Three tiers of arcades ring the outer edge of the building linking numerous stairways and facilitating the efficient movement of a large number of people. A canopy was suspended form the roof to provide shade. 

Exterior of the Colosseum - Rome, Italy

The arches on the ground floor were numbered to allow easy access to seats (some of the number are still visible). Boxes were provided on the North and South sides of the arena for the Emperor and the Vestal Virgins (these were the best seats). Flanking these boxes was reserved seating for the Senators. Some of their names can still be seen carved into the stone. The level above this was occupied by the non senatorial noble class. Ordinary Roman citizens occupied next level up. This level was further divided into two sections for the wealthy and the poor. Gravediggers, actors and former gladiators were banned from the Colosseum.

The Colosseum - Rome, Italy

Outside the amphitheatre stood the Colossus of Nero, a giant bronze statue measuring 30m in height. After the death of Nero the statue was modified to depict the sun god. The statue was last mentioned in the 4th century and only the foundations of the pedestal exist today. It may have been destroyed during the sack of Rome in 410 or in one of the earthquakes that occurred during the 5th century.  

The Colosseum - Rome, Italy

These images were captured with a Canon 7D and the 24-105mm lens. A tripod was used for all the night shots and a circular polariser was used for the others. It was a bit difficult to get a clear shot of the building in the night with cars driving past so I decided to include them in the frame.

Trastevere - Rome, Italy

An Evening in Trastevere - Rome, Italy

We visited Trastevere for dinner on one of our last evenings in Rome. The area is just south of the Vatican City and is now referred to as Rome's bohemian left bank. It is known for its vibrant street life. The tightly packed, decaying buildings and the cobbled streets give it an old world feeling. Apparently some of the older locals haven't been to the "other side" of the river for a number of years.

Read on for more images and info.

Alfresco dining in Trastevere - Rome, Italy 

The heart of Trastevere is Piazza di Santa Maria which is a pedestrianised cobblestone square. The square is named after the church "Santa Maria in Trastevere", one of the oldest churches in the city. It is famous for the mosaic of the Madonna and Child which can be seen above the entrance (image below) in a protective niche.

The Mosaic of the Madonna and Child at Santa Maria in Trastevere - Rome, Italy

Trastevere is home to a number of other churches as well as the Orto Botanico (Botanical Gardens). The gardens include a sight and scent garden for the visually impaired. A number of important people, including Julius Ceasar, built their villas around here.

An artists work in Trastevere - Rome, Italy

The steps around the fountain in the middle of the square are a popular meeting point. Due to the fact that there is a crowd around the fountain, many artists try to sell their work in the area. The picture above shows the work of an artist who only uses can's of spray paint to create the "paintings" that can be seen around him. It took him about 10 minutes to create one of these. Since I used a long exposure the artist's movement has been captured in the frame.

A cobble stone street in Trastevere - Rome, Italy

The nightlife in Trastevere attracts the younger crowd and as a result, things stay open a lot later than usual. We went there for dinner on a week night and found the place buzzing well after midnight. 

Restaurants along piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere - Rome, Italy

All the images in this post were captured with a Canon 7D and a Canon 24-105mm lens. A Tripod was used to capture all of these images.

A restaurant along a lane way in Trastevere - Rome, Italy