Trippin mag 3

JANUARY 2015

TRAVEL, ART AND CULTURE IN ITALY

ROME A BUSY DAY IN THE ETERNAL CITY

PISA BEYOND THE TOWER

SIRMIONE A PIECE OF PARADISE ON EARTH

HOT MUSEUMS PALAZZO MONTANARI, VICENZA AMONG GREEK VASES, PAINTINGS AND I CONS

DRIVE IN ITALY WHERE DO YOU GO? TIPS AND WARNINGS

Spiral Staircase

Vatican Museum

ROME

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PISA

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SIRMIONE

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HOT MUSEUMS

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DRIVE IN ITALY

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CULTURAL TIPS

A BUSY DAY IN THE ETERNAL CITY

BEYOND THE TOWER

A PIECE OF PARADISE ON EARTH

PALAZZO MONTANARI, VICENZA AMONG GREEK VASES, PAINTINGS AND I CONS

WHERE DO YOU GO? TIPS AND WARNINGS

BOOKS, MOVIES, ALBUNS AND SOME TIPS

CONTENTS

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Allegoria dei Tritoni, Fontana di Trevi

CIAO!

TrippinMag proudly releases the third edition. There are more than hundred pages exploring and sharing some Italian wonders.

Our journey through enchanted spots of Italy begins by Rome, the Eternal City, capital of Romans, Catholics and all lovers. What can be seen in just a day was the question we made ourselves and, then, turned the theme of the story.

We try to answer it begginging at the Termini train station and finishing at the Roman forums. Our next step changes completely the mood and turns north, directly to a truly paradise, Garda Lake. Then, next stop at south, at the shadow of one of the most famous Italian symbols, Leaning Tower and all interesting spots of Pisa - and there are many! Our trip continues towards a fascinating cultural point, Palazzo Montanari, in Vicenza, where we will check different topics as Venetian painting, Greek vases and Russian Icons. We conclude the edition talking a little bit about driving in Italy, it advantages and warnings.

Well, we hope you enjoy it.

Good trip!

Photos and design by Pablo de Mello

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ROM A day in the

MA eternal city

Santa Maria Maggiore Church

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OME THE ETERNAL IS 25 CENTURIES OLD AND CONSTANTLY REINVENTING ITSELF. THE GLORIES OF ANCIENT ROME, THE POMP OF THE RENAISSANCE PAPACY,

AND THE FUTURISTIC ARCHITECTURE OF THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURIES ALL BLEND MIR ACULOUSLY INTO A HARMONIOUS WHOLE. YOU CAN GET WI-FI IN THE SHADOW OF 2,000-YEAR-OLD RUINS. IT’S THIS FUSION OF OLD AND NEW AND THE CASUAL WAY THAT ROMANS LIVE WITH THEIR WEIGHTY HISTORY THAT MAKE THIS CITY UNIQUE.

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nce it ruled the Western World, and even the partial, scattered ruins of that awesome empire, of which Rome was the capital, are today among the most overpowering sights on earth.

To walk the Roman Forum, to view the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the Appian Way—these are among the most memorable, instructive, and illuminating experiences in all of travel. To see evidence of a once-great civilization that no longer exists is a humbling experience that everyone should have.

Thrilling, too, are the sights of Christian Rome, which speak to the long and complex domination by this city of one of the world’s major religions. As a visitor to Rome, you will be constantly reminded of this extraordinary history.

But it’s important to remember that Rome is not just a place of the past, but one that lives and breathes and buzzes with Vespas in the here and now. So take the time to get away from the tourist hordes to explore the intimate piazzas and lesser basilicas in the backstreets of Trastevere and the centro storico. Indulge in enogastronomic pursuits and stuff your days with cappuccinos, pizza, trattorias, wine bars, and gelato. Have a picnic in Villa Borghese, take a vigorous walk along the Gianicolo, or nap in the grass against a fallen granite column at the Baths of Caracalla. Rome is so compact, that without even planning too much, you’ll end up enjoying both its monuments and its simpler pleasures.

Walk the streets of Rome, and the city will be yours.

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Coliseum

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ome, according to legend, was built on seven hills. These hills rise from the marshy lowlands of the Campagna and are mostly on the left bank of the Tiber River.

They include the Quirinale (seat of the modern Italian government), Esquiline, Viminal, Caelian, and Aventine -- and all combine to form a crescent-shape plateau of great historical fame. In its center rises the Palatine Hill, the all-powerful seat of the imperial residences of ancient Rome, which looks down on the ancient Forum and the Colosseum.

To the northwest rises the Capitoline Hill. Some historians have suggested that Rome’s geography -- set above a periphery of marshy and swelteringly hot lowlands -- contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire because of its propensity to breed malaria-carrying mosquitoes.

Today Rome and its suburbs extend for more than 450 square kilometers, and it seems forever growing. The Tiber makes two distinct bends within Rome: below Ponte Cavour, one of the city’s major bridges, and again at the history-rich island of Tiberina.

With bloodlines that include virtually every race ever encompassed by the borders of the ancient Roman Empire, the people of Rome long ago grew accustomed to seeing foreign influences come and go. Picking their way through

the architectural and cultural jumble of Rome, they are not averse to complaining (loudly) about the city’s endless inconveniences, yet they are the first to appreciate the historical and architectural marvels that surround them.

Cynical but hearty and warm, modern Romans propel themselves through life with an enviable sense of style.

The crowds of pilgrims and the vast numbers of churches and convents exist side by side with fleshier and more earthbound distractions, the combination of which imbues many Romans with an overriding interest in the pleasures and distractions of the moment. This sense of theatricality can be seen in Roman driving habits; in animated conversations and gesticulations in restaurants and cafes; in the lavish displays of flowers, fountains, food, and architecture, the nation’s trademark; and in the 27 centuries of building projects dedicated to the power and egos of long-dead potentates.

Despite the crowds, the pollution, the heat, and the virtual impossibility of efficiency, Romans for the most part take life with good cheer and pazienza. Translated as “patience,” it seems to be the frequently uttered motto of modern Rome and an appropriate philosophy for a city that has known everything from unparalleled glory to humiliation and despair. Romans know that since Rome wasn’t built in a day, its charms should be savored slowly and with an appreciation for the cultures that contributed to this panoply.

Join us and let’s explore some Roman wonders!

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TIBER RIVER

IV VILLA BORGHESE

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X VII VIII IX

TR AIN STATION

VATICANO

PIAZZA NAVONA

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XV XIII

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FORUM ROMANO

Some Roman curiosities

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Along with miles of headless statues and acres of paintings, Rome

has 913 churches.

At the time of Julius Caesar and Augustus, Rome’s population

reached one million - it was the largest city in the Western world.

ROME

Some historians claim that by the year A.D. 500, only 10,000

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inhabitants were left.

Pope Leo III snuck up on Charlemagne and set an imperial crown

on his head, a surprise coronation that launched a precedent of Holy Roman Emperors being crowned by popes in Rome.

The Theater of Marcellus incorporated a gory realism in some of its

plays: Condemned prisoners were often butchered before audiences.

Christians might not have been fed to the lions at the Colosseum,

but in 1 day 5,000 animals were slaughtered (about 1 every 10 sec.).

North Africa’s native lions and elephants were rendered extinct.

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A must seeing: Grandious Roman engineering work

Rome evokes great visions every corner

Baths of Diocleziano

S. Maria Angeli Church

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ncient Roman recycling at its finest. Originally this spot held the largest of Rome’s hedonistic baths (dating back to a.d. 298 at the time of the reign of Emperor Diocletian). During the Renaissance a church, a vast cloister, and a convent were built around and into the ruins— much of it designed by Michelangelo, no less. Today the entire complex is part of the Museo Nazionale Romano, and this juxtaposition of Christianity, pagan ancient ruins, and exhibit space make for a compelling museum stop that’s usually quieter than the city’s usual blockbusters. There’s a large collection of inscriptions and other stone carvings from the Roman and pre-Roman periods, alongside statuary. Only Aula 10 conserves trace of the vast baths, which accommodated 3,000 at a time when they opened in the early 4th century.

They were abandoned in the 6th century, when invading Goth armies destroyed the city’s aqueducts.

anta Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri was built by Michelangelo in the aula of the Tepidarium of the Baths of Diocletian in 1563. It is one of Rome’s biggest churches and is located at the Piazza della Repubblica, near the main railway station Roma Termini.

In the 17th century Luigi Vanvitelli made a number of changes to Michelangelo‘s original design, which is on display in the sacristy.

The facade of Santa Maria degli Angeli is made of the exedra of the so-called Calidarium. Its floor plan is a Greek cross. The unusually long side-arms correspond to the former Frigidarium.

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The present Italian Baroque church

Trinità dei Monti Church

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The Roman copy of an ancient Egyptian obelisk

France and Spain by linking the Piazza di Spagna (so called because of a road leading to the Bourbon Spanish Embassy) to the French church.

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he Chiesa di Trinità dei Monti is perhaps better known for its location than for the works inside it.

This little jewel has evolved with the centuries to become one of the most famous post cards of the Eternal City.

It stands atop the Spanish Steps, overlooking the Piazza di Spagna forming a backdrop that cannot be ignored.

And yet, until the early 1500s, the church site was an enormous vineyard donated by King Charles VIII of France to an order of monks.

From the 16th century on, the entire area around the Trinità dei Monti had long been under French influence; in the 19th century, this influence expanded somewhat to include the Villa Medici and the French Academy.

The French provided the funds for the celebrated Spanish Steps, which were built some time around 1725 by Francesco De Sanctis. Their purpose was to celebrate the peace between

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The world’s most famous stairs crowded as usual

Piazza di Spagna

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ith its characteristic butterfly plan, the Piazza di Spagna is one of the most famous images in the world, as well as being one of the most majestic urban monuments of Roman Baroque style. In the Renaissance period, the square was the most popular tourist attraction in the city: it attracted artists and writers alike and was full of elegant hotels, inns and residences.

At the end of the seventeenth century, it was called Trinità dei Monti, after the church that dominates the square from above, but it was later given the name we know today after the Spanish Ambassador who lived there.

At the foot of the stairs, you will find the famous Barcaccia Fountain, the work of Pietro Bernini and his son, Gian Lorenzo. The latter went on to become the creator of some of the most important masterpieces of Baroque art in the city, including the renowned baldachino of St. Peter’s Basilica.

With its characteristic form of a sinking ship, the fountain recalls the historic flood of the River Tiber in 1598 and refers to a folk legend whereby a fishing boat carried away by the flood of the river was found at this exact spot. In reality, the sinking boat was ably invented by Bernini to overcome a technical problem due to low water pressure. The sun and bee ornamentation is a symbol of the Barberini family and a reference to Pope Urban VIII who commissioned the work.

However, the main attraction of the square has to be the spectacular staircase of Trinità dei Monti.

Built on the request of Innocent XII and created by Francesco De Sanctis in the eighteenth century, this daring architectural feat with its ramps and stairs that intersect and open out like a fan definitively provided a solution for connecting the square and the Trinità Church .

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Egyptian art ennobles Grandious Roman

Piazza del Popolo

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etween the elegant Pincio, and the banks of the Tevere, Piazza del Popolo yawns into an enormous ellipse. Churches, fountains, monuments, and marble memoirs of historic events in Rome both ancient and modern tastefully embellish the square.

Since antiquity, the city’s Northern entrance formed a vestibule into the city through the gate in the Aurelian Walls.

Though now known as Porta del Popolo, it has had various names over the centuries.

Originally called Porta Flaminia by the Emperor Aurelianus who commissioned its construction, during the Early Medieval period, it was called Porta San Valentino, after the nearest Catacomb. Finally the name Porta del Popolo was agreed on, as the church adjoining the gate is Santa Maria del Popolo.

Piazza del Popolo itself was known as Piazza del Trullo in

Neoclassical in the craddle of the Classical art

the Middle Ages, after the conical fountain which once stood in the centre of the square, reminiscent of a characteristic South-Italian dwelling. Its present name may be due to the poplar tree, known in Latin as “populus” which also meant people, an apt association, as various public events such as fairs, games and dramatic executions were held there.

For centuries Piazza del Popolo had a public fountain, a horse trough and a cistern for washerwomen. It was Sixtus V, in 1589, who turned his attention to the square. The Trullo fountain, under the supervision and workmanship of Domenico Fontana, was to be replaced with the Egyptian obelisk of Ramesses II, second in age and height only to the one in San Giovanni, originally brought to the city by the Emperor Augustus, and put in Circus Maximus.

Bernini had been commissioned to restore the inner façade of the ancient gate in preparation for her arrival. A plaque was placed above the arch, reading: “FELICI FAUSTOQUE INGRESSUI MDCLV” (For a Happy and Propitious Entrance) which remains to this day. Her entrance was so “felicitous” that she never left Rome again.

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PIAZZA DEL POPOLO The large, open and neoclassical square is a major attraction due to the Flaminio Obelisk, one of the 13 ancient obelisks in Rome, honouring Ramses II and close to the Porta Flaminia, Spanish Steps and Villa Borghese.

Basilica di Santa Maria del Popolo holds two Caravaggio’s masterpieces, Conversione di San Paolo and Crocifissione di San Pietro

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The huge church is the center of the smallest state in the world

Basilica di San Pietro

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t’s the world’s largest Basilica of Christianity, nested into the heart of the Vatican city, with its 186 metres of length (218 if we consider the porch too), a height of 46 metres in the central aisle, a main dome 136 metre high and 42 metres large in diameter. The huge façade is 114 metres wide and 47 metres high. Twenty thousand persons can pray in it.

The first St Peter’s Basilica, nowadays forgotten, was constructed by will of Emperor Constantine around 320 AD in the area where Saint Peter had been martyrized close to the circus of Nero that, in fact, rose in the vicinity. For about thousand years the Basilica grew and got enriched, but it was also theatre of pillage in the barbarian hordes. The first repair and enlargement intervention was ordered in the middle of the 15th century by pope Niccolo V, who entrusted Leon Battista Alberti and his helper Bernardo Rossellino. Later pope Giulio II charged Bramante who in 1506 demolished the

old Saint Peter’s Basilica planning a new one with a Greek cross plan. But at the time of the death of both pope and architect only the central pillars had been constructed.

Rafael took over the guidance of the works, and proposed a Latin cross plan. Rafael was succeeded by Peruzzi first and Michelangelo later. The Basilica was consecrated in 1626.

Bernini worked in the St Peter’s Basilica for twenty years.

We owe this artist the arrangement of the St Peter’s square in front of the Basilica as well (1656-1667). Inside the Basilica are numerous and priceless art pieces kept in the forty five altars and eleven chapels. There are about ten thousand square metres of mosaics, Michelangelo’s Pieta, the papal canopy and the monument to Urbano VIII both by Bernini, the monument to Cristina of Sweden by Fontana, the monument to the countess Matilda by Canossa, only to quote some of the most important pieces.

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Vatican Museums

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atican Museums in Rome house their fabulous masterpieces in palaces originally built for Renaissance popes such as Julius II, Innocent VIII and Sixtus IV. Most of the later addition were made in the 18th century, when priceless works of art accumulated by earlier popes were firts put on show.

Vatican Museum is home to the Sistine Chapel and Raphael Rooms as well as to one of the world’s most important art collections.

The museums features the Etruscan Museum, the Sistine Chapel, the main chapel in the Vatican Palace, were covered with frescoes of some finest artists of the 15th and 16th centuries. The 12 paintings on the side walls, by artists including Perugino, Botticelli, Ghirlandaio and Signorelli, show analogous episodes from the life of the Christ and the Moses. The decoration of the Sistine chapel, treasure

of Vatican museums, was completed between 1534 and 1541 by Michelangelo, who added the great altar fresco, the Last Judgement. Also the Raphael Rooms, decorated Pope Julius II’s apartments were built at the begining of the 16th century and are part of Vatican museums now. Julius was so impressed with Raphael’s work that he chose him to redecorate the four rooms(stanze). Raphael and his pupils began the task in 1508, replacing existing works by several better-known artists, including Perugino. The frescoes express rigid and philosophical models of the Renaissance.

square meters, with another 50,000 pieces preserved in the vaults and storerooms. Forget about seeing everything in a single visit: it simply can’t be done.

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More than 70,000 pieces are on exhibition in over 42,000

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The castle is now a museum, the Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant’Angelo

Castel Sant’Angelo

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his bulky cylindrical fortress on the Vatican side of the Tiber has a storied, complex history, beginning life as the tomb of Emperor Hadrian in a.d. 138, and later serving as a castle (Pope Clement VII escaped the looting troops of Charles V here in 1527), papal residence in the 14th century, and military prison from the 17th century (Puccini used the prison as the setting for the third act of “Tosca”).

The ashes and urns of Hadrian and his family have long since been looted and destroyed, and most of what you see today relates to the conversion of the structure into fortress and residence by the Popes from the 14th century.

From the entrance a stone ramp (rampa elicoidale) winds its way to the upper terraces, from which you can see amazing views of the city. The sixth floor features the Terrazza dell’Angelo, crowned by a florid statue of the Archangel Michael cast in 1752 by the Flemish artist van Verschaffelt.

From here you can walk back down through five floors, including the Renaissance apartments (levels 3–5) used by some of Rome’s most infamous Popes: Alexander VI (the Borgia pope) hid away in the castle after the murder of his son Giovanni in 1497, overwhelmed with grief (although his vows of moral reform were short lived).

Below the apartments are the grisly dungeons (“Le Prigioni”) used as torture chambers in the medieval period, and utilized especially enthusiastically by Cesare Borgia.

The castle is connected to St. Peter’s Basilica by Il Passetto di Borgo, a walled 800m (2,635-ft.) passage erected in 1277 by Pope Nicholas III, used by popes who needed to make a quick escape to the fortress in times of danger, which was fairly often.

Ponte Sant’Angelo, a Roman bridge built in 134 AD by Emperor Hadrian, offers an unique view of Tiber River.

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Piazza Navona

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ome’s most famous square, Piazza Navona, is a gorgeous baroque gem, lined with cafes and restaurants, and often crowded with tourists, street artists, and performers by day and night. Its long, thin shape follows the contours of the old Roman Stadium of Domitian, where chariot races once took place, still a ruin until a mid17th-century makeover by Pope Innocent X. The twin-towered facade of 17th-century Sant’Agnese in Agone lies on the

piazza’s western side, while the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi opposite is one of three great fountains in the square, this one a creation of Bernini, topped with an Egyptian obelisk.

The four stone personifications below symbolize the world’s greatest rivers: the Ganges, Danube, River Plate, and Nile. It’s fun to try to figure out which is which. At the south end is the Fontana del Moro, also by Bernini; the Fontana di Nettuno is a 19th-century addition.

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One of the most admired building is crowed whole year by tourists

The sun ray lights creates a magic atmosphere

The Pantheon

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he Roman Pantheon is the most preserved and influential building of ancient Rome. It is a Roman temple dedicated to all the gods of pagan Rome. As the brick stamps on the side of the building reveal it was built and dedicated between A.D 118 and 125.

The emperor Hadrian (A.D 117-138) built the Pantheon to replace Augustus’ friend and Commander Marcus Agrippa’s Pantheon of 27 B.C. which burnt to the ground in 80 A.D. Michelangelo felt it was the work of angels, not men. Where it stands was not chosen by chance, but is a legendary place in the city’s history. According to Roman legend, it is the place where the founder of Rome, Romulus, at his death was seized by an eagle and taken off into the skies with the Gods.

The Pantheon exists today in such amazing form because the Byzantine emperor Phocas gave it to Pope Boniface the VIII in A.D 608 and it was used as a church ever since. The Pantheon

has been in use since the time it was built. The name comes from two Greek words pan, “everything” and teon “divine”.

Originally, the Pantheon was a small temple dedicated to all Roman gods. Built between 27 and 25 B.C. by the consul Agrippa, Prefect of the Emperor Augustus, the present building is the result of subsequent, heavy restructuring.

Probably one of the most fascinating features of the Pantheon is the Architecture. The structure is comprised of a series of intersecting arches. The arches rest on eight piers which support eight round-headed arches which run through the drum from its inner to its outer face. The arches correspond to the eight bays on the floor level that house statues. The dome itself is supported by a series of arches that run horizontally round.

At the site where it is believed that Julius Caesar was stabbed to death, you can visit the city’s vast feline population.

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The delicate elephant statue by Bernini carries a true Egyptian obelisk

Piazza della Minerva The Italian kings Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I as well as the famous Renaissance painter Raphael are buried in the Pantheon. It is a wonderful example of second century Roman architecture. It boasts mathematical genius and simple geometry that today still impresses architects and amazes the eyes of casual viewers.

La Fontana di Piazza della Rotonda, which rises with its obelisk just opposite the Pantheon is perhaps the most curious fountain in Rome. Baroque and rococo, an Egyptian obelisk and dolphins, well, a gorgeous and grotesque monument in a busy and sacred place surrounded by bars, caffes and restaurants, crowded whole year by tourists in a magic and nostalgic atmosphere

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culptures by Michelangelo and Bernini, the bodies of Fra’ Angelico and St. Catherine, and the tombs of two Medici popes—so why isn’t this church right behind the Pantheon more famous? Rome’s only Gothic church was built in 1280 over the site of a Temple to Minerva (hence the name, “St. Mary over Minerva”).

The piazza out front sports a whimsical statute by Bernini of a baby elephant (1667) carrying a miniature Egyptian obelisk on its back. The obelisk is from the Egyptian Temple of Isis; its inscriptions related to one of the last pharaohs of Egypt, Apries.

The church interior was heavily restored in the 19th century— though keeping (mostly) to the original, spare Gothic style— and contains some masterpieces by Tuscan Renaissance artists and the bodies of important Tuscan Renaissance personalities.

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Glories and victories of the Romans told on the column

Well guarded entrance of the Chigi Palace

Piazza Colonna & Aurelian Column

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ogether with Piazza di Montecitorio, this stylish piazza is Rome’s political nerve centre. On its northern flank, the 16th-century Palazzo Chigi has been the official residence of Italy’s prime minister since 1961. In the centre, the Aurelian Column is about 29.6 meters tall (100 Roman feet) and formed of 28 blocks of Carrara marble. It rests on a large rectangular pedestal - at the time almost four meters high - and bears a spiraling band of reliefs depicting events during the imperial campaigns in the north.

The lower part shows the campaign against the Marcomanni and Quadi (Germanic tribes) between 169 and 173 AD and the upper part shows the campaign against the Sarmatians between 174 and 176 AD. The reliefs are deeper and more expressive than those on the Column of Trajan, but they are also less refined and the compositions have a lower quality. Inside the column, which

has a diameter of 3.7 meters, is a spiraling staircase with 201 steps that leads to a platform at the top on which a statue of Marcus Aurelius and his wife Faustina the younger used to stand.

The original statue disappeared in the sixteenth century. In 1589 pope Pius V had a bronze statue of St. Paul on top of the column. The statue, which shows St. Paul holding a sword, was created by Domenico Fontana and complements the statue of St. Peter atop the Column of Trajan.

South of the piazza, in Piazza di Pietra , is the Tempio di Adriano. Eleven huge Corinthian columns, now embedded in what used to be Rome’s stock exchange, are all that remain of Hadrian’s 2nd-century temple.

Close, there is Palazzo di Montecitorio, the Lower House of Italy’s parliament and designed by Bernini in 1650. In piazza stands the 10 BC obelisk of Psammeticus from Heliopolis.

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Fontana di Trevi

FONTANA DI TREVI The biggest baroque fountain in Italy was stage for Fellini’s masterpiece “La Dolce Vita”. Don’t forget to throw a coin on the fontain in order to guarantee your return to Rome

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s you elbow your way through the summertime crowds around the Trevi Fountain, you’ll find it hard to believe that this little piazza was nearly always deserted before the 1950s, when it started starring in films. The first was “Three Coins in the Fountain.” It was also the setting for an iconic scene in Federico Fellini’s 1960

masterpiece, “La Dolce Vita,” and it’s also where the Audrey Hepburn character in “Roman Holiday” gets her signature haircut. To this day, thousands of euros worth of coins are tossed into the fountain every day.

Supplied with water from the Acqua Vergine aqueduct and a triumph of the baroque style, the fountain was based on

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the design of Nicola Salvi—who’s said to have died of illness contracted during his supervision of the project—and was completed in 1762. The design centers on the triumphant figure of Neptune, standing on a shell chariot drawn by winged steeds and led by a pair of tritons. Two allegorical figures in the side niches represent good health and fertility.

On the southwestern corner of the piazza is an unimpressive-looking church, SS. Vincenzo e Anastasio, with a strange claim to fame. Within it survive the relics (hearts and intestines) of several popes. According to legend, the church was built on the site of a spring that burst from the earth after the beheading of St. Paul

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The monument, the largest in Rome, was controversial since its construction destroyed a large area of the Capitoline Hill with a Medieval neighbourhood for its sake

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Monument of Victor Emmanuel II

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l Vittoriano, the Vittorio Emanuele II monument, designed by Giuseppe Sacconi at the end of 19th century, is a monument to honour Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of a unified Italy and dominates Piazza Venezia. It was inaugurated in 1911 and completed in 1935.

The colossal white marble structure has a huge equestrian sculpture of Victor Emmanuel II and two statues of the goddess Victoria riding on quadrigas. It also features

majestic stairways, tall Corinthian columns and fountains.

The monument contains the tomb of the First World War’s unknown soldier; a museum of Italian Reunification.

You can get nice views of Rome from structure for free, but for a fee you can take a lift to the very top ‘ The Terrace of the Quadrigas’ where you can enjoy stunning Panoramic views.

Locals compare it to a wedding cake or a Victorian typewriter.

It has been a controversial building since its contruction.

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Trajan’s Column

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his victory column is a magnificent monument to Roman Imperial power and the skill of Roman sculptors. The column 38m/125ft high and constructed of marble from the Greek island of Paros, is covered with a spiral frieze 200m/655ft long, with over 2,500 figures depicting Trajan’s wars with the Dacians in 101102 and 105-106 AD. This frieze, with its fighting soldiers, prancing horses and the whole panoply of Roman military

equipment, is worth studying in detail. A spiral staircase of 185 steps runs up inside the column, lit by 43 narrow slits in the wall of the column. In the base of the column was a golden urn containing the Emperor’s ashes, and on its summit was a golden statue of Trajan. It was lost during the Middle Ages and Pope Sixtus V replaced it with the Apostle Peter with his key.

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Vision of the greatness of the Roman Empire still provokes sighs

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Forum of Trajan

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he Forum of the Emperor Trajan (A.D. 98-117), the last, largest and best preserved on the Imperial fora, comprised a considerable complex of buildings, including a temple and basilica as well as three monuments erected in honor of the Emperor himself - a triumphal arch, an equestrian statue and a victory column. The markets extended northeast up the Quirinal hill. The forum, designed

by Apollodorus of Damascus, was begun in A.D. 107 and completed in 143. During the Middle Ages new buildings were erected in the area of the forum by the Colonna and Caetani families, among them the Torre delle Milizie still to be seen in Via Quattro Novembre, and later the twin churches of Santa Maria di Loreto and the Santissimo Nome di Maria were also built here. In the first half of the present century a wide motor road and a number of smaller streets were laid out in the area. Excavations carried out since 1928 have revealed

the layout of the forum. A triumphal arch erected in A.D. 116 gave access to an open rectangular area, in the center of which stood an equestrian statue of the Emperor. At the far end was the Basilica Ulpia, a hall measuring 130x125m/430x410ft. In the present state of the site it is difficult to image a building of these dimensions; and indeed it was no easy matter at the time it was built to find space for it in this crowded part of central Rome.

Built on to the rear of the basilica were two libraries, one for Latin and the other for Greek literature, and between the two reared up Trajan’s victory column. Beyond this, at the end of the forum (between the two churches dedicated to the Virgin), was a temple of deified Trajan. Only Trajan’s column is left to represent this whole complex, much admired in ancient times, dedicated to honoring the Emperor under whom the Roman Empire reached its greatest extent.

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Roman Forum & Palatine Hill

W

hen it came to cremating Caesar, sacrificing a naked

Forum is silent in the moonlight, it isn’t difficult to imagine Vestal

victim, or just discussing the day’s events, the Roman

Virgins still guarding the sacred temple fire.

Forum was the place to be. Traversed by the Via Sacra

You can spend at least a morning wandering through the ruins

(Sacred Way), the main thoroughfare of ancient Rome, the Forum

of the Forum. We’d suggest you enter via the gate on Via dei Fori

flourished as the center of Roman life in the days of the Republic,

Imperiali. Turn right at the bottom of the entrance slope to walk

before it gradually lost prestige (but never spiritual draw) to the

west along the old Via Sacra toward the arch. Just before it on your

Imperial Forums.

right is the large brick Curia, the main seat of the Roman Senate,

You’ll see only ruins and fragments, an arch or two, and lots

built by Julius Caesar, rebuilt by Diocletian, and consecrated as a

of overturned boulders, but with some imagination you can feel

church in a.d. 630.

the rush of history here. Used for years as a quarry (as was the

The triumphal Arch of Septimius Severus (a.d. 203), will be your

Colosseum) it eventually reverted to a campo vaccino (cow pasture).

next important sight, displaying time-bitten reliefs of the emperor’s

But excavations in the 19th century and later in the 1930s began to

victories in what are today Iran and Iraq. During the Middle Ages,

bring to light one of the world’s most historic spots.

Rome became a provincial backwater, and frequent flooding of the

By day, the columns of now-vanished temples and the stones from

nearby river helped bury (and thus preserve) most of the Forum.

which long-forgotten orators spoke are mere shells. Weeds grow

Some bits did still stick out aboveground, including the top half of

where a triumphant Caesar was once lionized. But at night, when the

this arch.

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Vision of the greatness of the Roman Empire still evokes sighs

Just to the left of the arch, you can make out the remains of a

Temple of Vesta. Vestals were girls chosen from patrician families

cylindrical lump of rock with some marble steps curving off it.

to serve a 30-year-long priesthood. During their tenure, they were

That round stone was the Umbilicus Urbus, considered the center

among Rome’s most venerated citizens, with unique powers such

of Rome and of the entire Roman Empire; the curving steps are

as the ability to pardon condemned criminals. The cult was quite

those of the Imperial Rostra, where great orators and legislators

serious about the “virgin” part of the job description—if one of

stood to speak and the people gathered to listen. Nearby is the iconc

Vesta’s earthly servants was found to have “misplaced” her virginity,

trio of fluted columns with Corinthian capitals supporting a bit of

the miscreant Vestal was buried alive, because it was forbidden to

architrave form the corner of the Temple of Vespasian and Titus

shed a Vestal’s blood. (Her amorous accomplice was merely flogged

(emperors were routinely worshipped as gods even after death).

to death.) The overgrown rectangle of their gardens is lined with

Start heading to your left toward the eight Ionic columns marking

broken, heavily worn statues of senior Vestals on pedestals.

the front of the Temple of Saturn (rebuilt in 42 b.c.), which housed

The path dovetails back to Via Sacra. Turn right, walk past the

the first treasury of republican Rome. It was also the site of one of

so-called “Temple of Romulus,” and then left to enter the massive

the Roman year’s biggest annual blowout festivals, the December

brick remains and coffered ceilings of the 4th-century Basilica

17 feast of Saturnalia, which after a bit of tweaking, Christians now

of Constantine and Maxentius. These were Rome’s public law

celebrate as Christmas. Turn left to start heading back east, past

courts, with unique architectural style, which was adopted by early

the worn steps and stumps of brick pillars outlining the enormous

Christians for their own houses of worship (the reason so many

Basilica Julia, built by Julius Caesar. Further along, on the right,

ancient churches are called “basilicas”).

are the three Corinthian columns of the Temple of the Dioscuri,

Return to the path and continue toward the Colosseum. Veer right

dedicated to the Gemini twins, Castor and Pollux. The founding of

to the Forum’s second great triumphal arch, the extensively rebuilt

this temple dates from the 5th century b.c.

Arch of Titus (a.d. 81), on which one relief depicts the carrying off

Beyond the bit of curving wall that marks the site of the little

of treasures from Jerusalem’s temple. The area was gobbled up by

round Temple of Vesta (rebuilt several times after fires started by

imperial palaces and drew a famous and roster of tenants, such as

the sacred flame within), you’ll find the reconstructed House of

Livia, Tiberius, Caligula, Nero, and Domitian.

the Vestal Virgins (a.d. 3rd–4th c.). The temple was the home of the consecrated young women who tended the sacred flame in the

Only the ruins of its former grandeur remain today, but it’s worth the climb for the panoramic views of Forums and Capitoline Hill.

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Colosseo

o matter how many pictures you’ve seen, the first impression you’ll have of the Colosseum is amazement at its sheer enormity. It is massive and looks as if it has been plopped down among the surrounding buildings, and not the other way around. Your first view of the Flavian Amphitheater (the Colosseum’s original name) should be from the outside and it’s important to walk completely around its 500m (1,640-ft.) circumference.

Once inside, walk onto the partially reconstructed wooden platform flooring that once covered the hypogeum, the place that is, where gladiators and beasts waited their turn in the arena. Vespasian ordered the construction of the elliptical bowl in a.d. 72; it was inaugurated by Titus in a.d. 80 with a bloody combat, lasting many weeks, between gladiators and beasts. The stadium is sectioned on three levels and could hold 87,000 spectators divided by social rank and gender.

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The Arch of Constantine is one of the three remaining imperial triumphal arches in Rome built to comemorate the victory of Constantine’s army and the end of the civil war

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T

Arco di Costantino

he photogenic triumphal arch next to the Colosseum was erected by the Senate in a.d. 315 to honor Constantine’s defeat of the pagan Maxentius at the Battle of the Ponte Milvio (Milvian Bridge) Battle (a.d.

312). Many of the reliefs have nothing whatsoever to do with Constantine or his works, but they tell of the victories of earlier Antonine rulers.

Historically, the arch marks a period of great change.

Converted to Christianity by a vision on the eve of battle, he ended the centuries-long persecution of the Christians, during which many followers of the new religion had been put to death in a gruesome manner. Although Constantine didn’t ban paganism (which survived officially until the closing of the temples more than half a century later), he embraced the Christian belief himself and began the inevitable development that culminated in the conquest of Rome by the Christian

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SOME IMPORTAN WHEN TO GO

PUBLIC TR ANSPORT

There’s no real off-season in the Eternal City. Spring and autumn are the busiest tourist seasons, with a peak at Easter as Vatican pilgrims swell visitor numbers. Winter – especially from mid-January into the first week of March – can be a great time to come if you’re lucky with the weather. Hotel rates are lower and restaurants are blissfully uncrowded. If you can take the heat, August (when most Romans head for the beach) is another good month to find offers on hotel rooms. The most perfect months, weatherwise, are probably April, May and October – and it’s also at this time of year that you’ll generally find the most pleasant temperature differential between balmy Rome and the cold north.

Run by the municipal transport agency ATAC (atac.roma.it), Rome’s bus network is fairly efficient and extensive – unlike its metro system, currently consisting of just two useful lines, A and B, which intersect at Termini Station. A section of the new C line was unveiled in November 2014, but currently it serves only the city’s eastern suburbs; an extension to connect with the B line at Colosseo is not expected to be completed until 2020 at the earliest.

A is useful if you are going to the Vatican (direction Battistini, get off at Ottaviano), while B will take you to the Colosseum (direction Laurentina, get off at Colosseo). Single ‘BIT’ tickets can be bought at metro stations, in most tabacchi (cigarette shops; look for the blue T sign), or at newspaper stands: say ‘un biglietto per l’autobus’. They cost €1.50.

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NT INFORMATION TA XIS

TR AINS

Roman taxis aren’t cheap. The official minimum fare is €3, going up to €4.50 at weekends and €6.50 at night (10pm-6am), but most journeys have a way of coming out at €12 or more, and a cross-city crawl in traffic can set you back as much as €30. Wee Airport runs to or from the city of Rome are fixed-price: €48 for Fiumicino, €30 for Ciampino.

For a receipt, ask “Mi fa una ricevuta, per favore?” Two reputable radio taxi co-operatives are Samarcanda (06 5551) and Cooperativa Radiotaxi 3570 (06 3570; 3570.it).

If you like overland travel, the train can be a good way of getting to Italy – for example via the daily Palatino night train from Paris Bercy, which takes a leisurely 14.5 hours (eurorailways.com). The main station is Roma Termini, to the east of the centre.

Some trains also stop at the outlying Roma Tiburtina station, which is connected to Termini and other points beyond by metro. Italy’s high-speed trains, ‘Le Frecce’, have come on apace in the past decade and are good ways of exploring the country, too (timetables and prices at trenitalia. com). The private Italo company (italotreno.it) also offers highspeed services between larger cities.

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“

Every one soon or late

comes round by Rome

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SIRM

A PIECE OF PARA

IONE

ADISE ON EARTH

Entrance of the Castello Scaligero

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IN

1921 Ezra Pound wrote to James Joyce from a pinkwalled hotel that still today overlooks Sirmione’s harbour on Lake Garda: “Dear Joyce, I’d like you to spend a week here with me. The location is well worth the journey – both Catullus and I can guarantee it!” It is still worth the journey.

The English poet’s moving description of a visit to the ruins of the lakeside home of the “tenderest of Roman poets” fired the imaginationof many. The shores of Garda are studded with pretty harbour towns, but Sirmione shines, perched on a narrow strip of land two miles long, reaching into the lake from the southern shore.

Sirmione, with its cobbled streets, its 13th-century castle and, above all, the ruined Roman villa lying at the tip of the promontory: the Grotte di Catullo – not a grotto, but that’s what the early Venetian explorers called it when they came upon what they thought were natural caves in the thick undergrowth, not realising they had stumbled on a vast treasure, the most important Roman site in northern Italy.

Shortly before she died in Paris in 1977 Maria Callas told a friend how much she missed Sirmione – over the years she retreated regularly to her villa on the lake to escape from the stress of the limelight.

But the town is no longer the haven of peace it was when she knew it.

Today, holidaymakers swarm off the ferries, settle at waterfront cafés, line up for multicoloured, gravity-defying cones of local ice cream and jostle their way through the tiny, winding streets. As well as the usual trinket shops, Sirmione has thermal baths and a health centre with hot springs and treatments. It is best visited in spring or late summer; in high season the town centre is engulfed by tourists. Whenever you go, a few hundred yards from the harbour the crowds dwindle and calm descends. From here you can walk or take the trenino, a little toytown “train” up the gently sloping road, past glimpses of a grand hotel secluded in shady grounds, until you reach the headland and the entrance to what has become accepted, despite some academic doubts, as the Catullus family villa. And here Tennyson’s dream comes to life: the Roman poet’s olive-silvery “allbut-island”, with purple flowers cascading from the crumbling walls.

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VERONA LAGO DI GARDA

MILANO

irmione is one of the most popular holiday resorts on the shores of Lake Garda in northern Italy. The small historic town is located on the tip of a long peninsula protruding from the southern shore of the lake between Desenzano del Garda and Peschiera. Sirmione has thermal springs and was a spa destination even in Roman times - you can visit some impressive Roman ruins at the end of the promontory. The town is in the province of Brescia, in the Lombardy region of Italy.

Sirmione is a pleasant place to stay, with lots of comfortable hotels, some in the town centre and others spread along the green pensinsula. They’re designed for relaxing stays, with sun terraces, pools or private beaches. The town itself offers short strolls, a couple of tourist attractions and lake views.

Although Sirmione is very attractive, its small historical heart gets choked with tourists. For atmosphere, you’re really better off visiting out of season. Almost all the businesses in Sirmione are aimed at tourists - naughty postcards, souvenirs, ice creams - and unfortunately most of the restaurants are also tourist standard. We found a very nice spot with reasonable prices however, where we were able to sit outdoors and enjoy a good meal: the Caffè Margherita.

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one of the most popular holiday resorts on the shores of Lake Garda.

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IL CASTELLO SCALIGERO

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he town is dominated by a thirteenth-century castle, the Rocca Scaligera, defended by a moat patrolled by swans and ducks. It is a real fairytale castle from the exterior. As our boat approached Sirmione recently, a little girl cried in Italian ‘It’s Cinderella’s castle!’. The Scaglieri clan of Verona placed this 13th century keep at the narrowest point of Sirmione’s long peninsula, and effectively created an island of the end of it by dredging out a moat from one side to the other. The stone citadel was in use as a fortress until the 19th century. The castle - a fortress, really - is open to the public. The interior is not much more than an empty shell, but visitors can explore the ramparts, admire views over Lake Garda and climb the tower. It’s a good treat for children.

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Old Town of Sirmione

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irmione is a pleasant place to stay, with lots of comfortable hotels, some in the town centre and others spread along the green pensinsula. They’re designed for relaxing stays, with sun terraces, pools or private beaches. The town itself offers short strolls, a couple of tourist attractions and lake views.

Although Sirmione is very attractive, its small historical heart gets choked with tourists. For atmosphere, you’re really better off visiting out of season. Almost all the businesses in Sirmione are aimed at tourists - naughty postcards, souvenirs, ice creams - and unfortunately most of the restaurants are also tourist standard. We found a very nice spot with reasonable prices however, where we were able to sit outdoors and enjoy a good meal: the Caffè Margherita.

The historical centre of Sirmione is pedestrianised; its narrow winding lanes busy with tourists. Orienting yourself can be confusing, but the town is so small that you can’t get lost for long. Sirmione is picturesque throughout, but its two main tourist attractions are the castle and the Roman ruins. A panoramic walk (signposted) leads out around the the promontory, and on a clear day you can enjoy great views over the lake and towards the mountains in the north.

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Bucolic streets, fine restaurants, what a suggestive place!

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ike several other Italian resorts, Sirmione bans visitors from walking around its streets wearing swimming costumes - bare-chested and skimpily-clad foreigners can give offence.

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the Grotte di

Arches of the Villa Romana

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i Catullo

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he ruined Roman villa Villa Romana - out at the end of the headland is large and impressive. The poet Catullus had a family home in the Sirmione area, so historically this site has been associated with him, and known as the Grotte di Catullo (‘caves of Catullus’).

However the villa is of a slightly later date and of a scale and grandeur suggesting a very important and rich owner. The ruins (closed Mondays) are in a lovely setting surrounded by lake, with lizards scuttling through olive groves. Visitors can wander through the ruined walls and admire archaeological finds including a charming carving of rabbits - in the small museum.

Olive trees

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#

AN ABSOLUTELY CHARMING SPOT!

PISA Beyond the tower Once a maritime power to rival Genoa and Venice, Pisa now draws its fame from an architectural project gone terribly wrong.

But it is not that all! There are more wonders to visit. Discover them!

Lungarno Pacinotti

FLORENCE PISA

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SIENA

t’s ironic that one of the most famous landmarks in a country that has given Western civilization many of if its greatest artistic and architecture masterpieces is an engineering failure. For too many tourists, Pisa means just one thing – the Leaning Tower, which serves around the world as a shorthand image for Italy. It is indeed a freakishly beautiful building, a sight whose impact no amount of prior knowledge can blunt. Built on sandy soil too unstable to support the weight of so much heavy marble, the city’s famous tower began to lean even while it was still under construction.

Yet it is just a single component of Pisa’s breathtaking Campo dei Miracoli, or Field of Miracles, where the Duomo, Baptistry and Camposanto complete a dazzling architectural ensemble. These amazing buildings belong to Pisa’s Golden Age, from the eleventh to the thirteenth centuries, when the city was one of the maritime powers of the Mediterranean. Decline set in with defeat by the Genovese in 1284, followed by the silting-up of Pisa’s harbour, and from 1406 the city was governed by Florence, whose rulers re-established the University of Pisa, one of the great intellectual establishments of the Renaissance – Galileo was a teacher here. Subsequent centuries saw Pisa fade into provinciality, though landmarks from its glory days now bring in hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, and the combination of tourism and a large student population give the contemporary city a lively feel.

It has to be said that visiting the Campo in high season is not a calming experience – the tourist maelstrom here can be fierce. Within a short radius of the Campo dei Miracoli, however, Pisa takes on a quite different character, because very few tourists bother to venture far from the shadow of the Leaning Tower.

Come with us to explore some Pisani wonders!

Piazza Vittorio Emanuele BEFOR E STA RTING OUR WA LK THROUGH THE CIT Y CEN TR E UN TIL DUOMO A ND THE TOW ER, THER E IS A RULE TH AT EV ERY V ISITOR IN PISA SHOULD R EMEMBER; YOU MUST LOOK UP. PISA C A N ONLY BE A PPR ECI ATED IF YOU R A ISE YOUR E Y ES A ND LOOK AT THE BE AU TIFUL BUILDINGS.

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his part of the city still has very clear signs of the atrocious bombings of 1944 when Pisa was attacked for 45 consecutive days: 57 bombings, over 3000 civilians killed and 50% of the buildings were destroyed. This tragedy is evident walking from the station towards Corso Italia. All the buildings are modern or have been rebuilt.

Walking through via Gramsci, we arrive at an elliptical square, quite chaotic because of the traffic. This is Piazza Vittorio Emanuale, represented by the statue in the middle.

Remember this square: most of the city busses stop here, there will soon be a major underground parking garage and the central Post Office is located here. The buildings in the square are neo-gothic in style and were built with the square in 1872 after the demolition of part of the city walls and the old 64 | TRIPPINGMAG

Gate of San Giulio. Also located in this square is the church of Sant’Antonio, which gives its name to one of the quarters. The church was rebuilt after the World War II bombing with the exception of the facade, which is in the typical Pisan style.

Near the church, in the square, is one more thing you must not miss - a massive mural by Keith Haring from 1989.

Corso Italia

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Corso Italia

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alk down Corso Italia, the liveliest and most crowded street in the city. Corso Italia belongs to the Quarter of San Martino, which we will visit again at the end of the tour.

This is a very good place to shop; the best shops can be found here and in Borgo Stretto, on the other side of the river. There are also numerous jewelers.

At the beginning of the Corso Italia on your right is the little Church of San Domenico, part of a convent of Dominican nuns. The little church was built in the 14th century by Pietro Gambacorti for his daughter, the blessed Chiara. Next to the church is a beautiful building in liberty style, built in 1911 by the architect Studiati, and now home to a nice commercial centre, called Corte di San Domenico.

Just a few steps north and on your right, there is a beautiful noble palace called Palazzo Gambacorti (14th century); it was built according to the style in fashion in Venice at the time.

Palazzo Gambacorti is beside a small square and the huge

is not a long shopping street, but it has quite a few cute shops

Chiesa di Santa Maria del Carmine. The side walls are original from the 14th century, while the facade belongs to the 17th century. The statue in the square represents Nicola Pisano and was made by Salvini in 1826. The interior is decorated in the baroque style, with the exception of the vestry which is furnished with original wooden pieces from the 15th century.

The church has a beautiful cloistered court.

If you continue towards the river you find several other beautiful noble palaces until you finally come to the Logge dei Banchi, a porticoed building built at the beginning of the 17th century where once were the jails. It once held the wool and silk market, and later the food market. Now it houses the monthly antique market (second Sunday of the month) and the Christmas market. The top room is part of the National Archive and can be accessed from a bridge connected to the Town Hall building, Palazzo Gambacorti.

Palazzo Gambacorti is one of the most beautiful noble buildings built by the powerful Pisan families on the Lungarni.

It faces the river and Ponte di Mezzo (literally, the middle bridge). Pietro Gambacorti had it built at the beginning of the 14th century and the tradition says that he was killed here, on the doorstep in 1393.

Opposite the City Hall, on the other side of the Logge dei Banchi there is the Palazzo dell’Orologio, with the clock that still represents a reference point for all the people who go out for the evening struscio in Corso Italia.

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Keith Haring’ s] Mural

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uttomondo, the beautiful mural by Keith Haring. It was the artist’s last public work of art, painted in 1989 before his premature death. The inspiration for the mural came from a fortuitous meeting between Keith Haring and a student of the Univeristy of Pisa, with over 30,000 students and a very lively cultural life.

There is a vast population of street artists what contribute to maintain high the creative level.

Tuttomondo was painted in a week without preparatory sketches to represent the good and bad of human coexistence. The main theme is harmony and peace in the world, 66 | TRIPPINGMAG

but next to the positive figures such as a mother with a baby, two men supporting a dolphin and dancing figures symbolizing the vitality of humanity, there are some more “troubled” figures, such as a scissor man cutting a snake that has already eaten a man’s head or a man wolf with a knife, to symbolize the fact that mankind can be dark and dangerous. Tuttomondo is only few steps away from the central train station, in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, on the side of the old convent of St. Antonio.

Church San della Spina

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he church of Santa Maria della Spina is a jewel of the Italian Gothic architecture.

The name, given to the church in 1333 instead of the original Santa Maria di Pontenovo, derives from a thorn of Christ’s crown that a Pisan merchant put inside the church when he returned from the Holy Land. Today the church stands on the Lungarno Gambacorti (left side), but was built (in 1230) on the Arno’s right bank. In the XIX century, it was dismantled and transferred to avoid it

An Italian Gothic jewell just next Arno River

nta Maria a being damaged by the frequent river floods and it was also decided to substitute the original statues with copies.

The facade of Saint Mary is divided into two symmetrical parts with two portals surmounted by two arches and two gables. In the middle, there is a tabernacle with a copy of the “Madonna con Bambino” by Giovanni Pisano while the original work is exposed inside the San Matteo Museum.

The roofing, according to the Gothic architecture, has many spires, pinnacles and statues that decorate the high pyramidal steeples and characterize the upper part enriched with two rose-windows and marble inlays.

If compared to decorative richness and the refinement of the exterior, the interior appears very simple. It has a single rectangular room, with a ceiling painted during the 19th century reconstruction. In the presbytery’s centre is one of the highest masterpieces of Gothic sculpture, the Madonna

della Rosa by Andrea and Nino Pisano. On the left there is the tabernacle in which once was the crown’s thorn, by Stagio Stagi (1534). Another statue by the Pisanos, the Madonna del Latte, was once here, but has been moved to the city’s San Matteo Museum.

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THE R I V ER A R NO A LWAYS DICTATED THE R ITHM IN PISA CONNECTING IT TO THE SE A A ND THE W E A LTH

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Lungarno Mediceo

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n the Lungarno Mediceo there are many noble buildings. You should not miss Palazzo Toscanelli, a white building with a 16th century facade ascribed to Michelangelo himself.

Looking for a ghost? Well, Lord Byron lived here in 1821-22. The legend says that he would climb the stairs riding his horse and that he spent hours writing in the dark underground rooms. Now it is home to the National Archive.

Nor should you miss Palazzo Roncioni: it was one of the most 68 | TRIPPINGMAG

powerful Pisan families’ home. Looking for more ghosts?

Isabella Roncioni, loved by Foscolo, lived here. Their sad love story inspired the character of Jacopo Ortis. Not happy yet?

Then you should also look for Vittorio Alfieri’s (he was a guest in this palace and he played his famous Saul here in 1795) or Madame De Stal’s ghosts (she was a guest here in 1815-16). The Roncioni family had their own dock: you can still use it to go on the riverboat tour!

Suggestive view of Arno River surrounded by the noble buildings and the ashtoning Church S.M. Spinna

Lungarno Sonnino

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few steps past the gothic church is Ponte Solferino (Solferino Bridge) which marks the beginning of Lungarno Sonnino. This stretch of Lungarno between the bridge and the Porta a Mare City Gate (literally Gate leading to the sea), hosts two of the most interesting buildings in Pisa: the former Benedictine Monasteries with the little church of Saint Benedict, 1393, which now belongs to the bank Cassa di Risparmio di Pisa, and the beautiful church of

San Paolo a Ripa d’Arno standing in a tree lined square and a very nice garden. This is one of the most beautiful places in Pisa, and every traveler should stop here. Legend says that on the riverbank here, Pier delle Vigne, a very famous poet, committed suicide after the false accusation of betrayal by his lord Frederick II. San Paolo a Ripa d’Arno was founded in 803 and it is also known as Duomo Vecchio (Old Cathedral).

The inside of the church is very simple and suggestive and we recommend that you stop to admire the Roman Sarcophagus.

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Torre Guelfa offers a pretty view of Pisa

The ellegant Palazzo Mediceo hosts some masterpieces of the Museo Nazionale

Torre Guelfa Palazzo Reale

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his red brick building with the high tower (from which you can enjoy an amazing view over the centre of Pisa) is what remains of the old Republican Arsenal of Pisa originally called Tersanaia. This tower is lit on the day of the Luminara by a fall of red fireworks as if it was on fire to remember the Florentine assault. The white statue in the garden is called “la porta della Sapienza” (the Knowledge Gate) and was put there on the 650th anniversary of the founding of the University of Pisa.

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he very simple but huge building is located on the Lungarno, between Piazza Carrara and Via Santa Maria, the street which leads to the Leaning Tower and home to many Humanistic Faculties. The palace was built between 1583 and 1587: Francesco I of the Medici family had it designed by Buontalenti for his family, who spent much time in Pisa to escape the hot weather in Florence. Since the Medicis spent so much time in Pisa, the Palace hosted many important events and famous people. This tradition continued under the Savoia family’s reign. The Royal Palace has a tower, called Torre della Verga d’Oro. It is said that Galileo used this Tower to show the stars to the Granduchi. Now the Royal Palace is home to the Soprintendenza

The red brick building is one of the oldest and best preserved in Pisa

Palazzo Agostini dei Beni Culturali, the national institute responsible for the preservation of archaeological and artistic treasures but also for the preservation of the city structures and buildings.

The Palace is also home to a beautiful gallery, which features important works of art including some paintings

by Raffaello and Canova.

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ransformed into a palazzo by joining several medieval buildings together, at least four lofts, four workshops and a tower, this palazzo was built between the late 14th century and early 15th centuries, but was only acquired by yhe Agostini, silk merchants, in 1496, who gave it its name. The façade, totally clad in Gothic terracotta mouldings, in the shapes of plants, human heads and heraldic designs, with double and triple mullioned windows, and the open loggia on the top floor, make it one of the most important examples of domestic Gothic architecture in Tuscany. The use of terracotta is probably due to the trade of the Astai family, brickmakers, who owned the palazzo until the 15th century. At street level is the Caffè dell’Ussero founded in 1775; it was

the meeting place of famous scientists and erudite Italians. In 1839 the first Congress of Italian Scientists was held in the Caffè, and it is still the seat of the Accademia Nazionale dell’Ussero.

Among the most famous of visitors was Carducci.

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Torre Guelfa offers a pretty view of Pisa

Borgo Streatto

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orgo Stretto is the most elegant, and the most expensive street in Pisa. A popular pedestrian zone, the street starts at Piazza Garibaldi. At the beginning of the street there is a gorgeous wooden sculpture of the Holy Virgin.

Further along, you’ll find Pisa’s most expensive boutiques, a few trendy bars, and a popular pastry shop called Salza. Don’t miss Galileo Galilei’s birthplace, at Caffè Settimelli. If you happen to be in Pisa before Christmas, there is a very popular season market on Borgo Stretto that you shouldn’t miss.

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Torre Guelfa offers a pretty view of Pisa

Piazza delle Vettovaglie

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rom Borgo Stretto you can reach the medieval heart of Pisa, the part I prefer. Piazza delle Vettovaglie hosts many nice shops and the vegetable market, so colorful and lively!! There are many nice restaurants such as Il Campano and Osteria Santomobono, and look up! The buildings are amazing examples of real Middle Age architecture. The little streets suffocated by the tall buildings bear witness of the long history of Pisa. Continue towards Il Campano (the big bell) a high tower where there is a bell that used to mark the time of the University lessons.

Torre Guelfa offers a pretty view of Pisa

Piazza Garibaldi

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his square is very popular. It is in the exact centre of the city, and in fact the bridge opposite the square is called Ponte di Mezzo, the middle bridge. The statue in the square is of Garibaldi. The square is always very crowded and it is one of the gathering points in Pisa: from April to July it is packed with students going to the bars that open onto the square and sitting on the Lungarno walls. Moreover, in this square you can find the best icecream shop, La Bottega del Gelato: don’t miss it! Here Borgo Stretto starts: this street is the continuation of Corso Italia on the Tramontana side of the river and which is shared by the historical quarters of Santa Maria and San Francesco. Don’t let the beautiful wooden sculpture of the Holy Virgin at the beginning of Borgo Stretto go unnoticed. The light orange building is called Casino dei Nobili, and it was the place where nobles used to gather, “to kill time” in the 18th century.

Torre Guelfa offers a pretty view of Pisa

Piazza Dante

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his large open square is the heart of the University life in Pisa. Most students choose the bars opening on this square for their lunch break. Moreover on the day of the Luminara, this square becomes the heart of the Street Party after the fireworks.

From Piazza Dante, go back to Piazza Carrara and from there continue to Via Santa Maria walking under the bridge that connects the Royal Palace to the Church of San Nicola. This 14th century church is worth seeing. It leans heavily and it has a beautiful bell tower. You are now on Via Santa Maria.

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Palazzo del’Orologio and the imponent Palazzo della Carovana, now Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa

Piazza dei Cavalieri

Statue of Cosimo I de Medici

by Pietro Francavilla

THIS WA S THE SECUL A R HE A RT OF PISA A S CON TR A STED BY THE SPIR IT UA L CEN TER AT PI A ZZ A DE MIR ACOLI. THE K NIGHTS SQUA R E IS NA MED A F TER THE CRUSA DING OR DER OF K NIGHTS OF ST. STEPHEN W HO ONCE H A D THER E HE A DQUA RTER S HER E.

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his is an amazing square, probably designed

by Vasari. This is as worth visiting as Piazza dei Miracoli and home to the most prestigious University in Italy: Scuola Normale Superiore. Stand in the middle.

This square was also known as Piazza delle 7 Vie (Square of the 7 streets) because of the many streets conflating to this square. This was the location of the old Roman Forum and heart of the political power during the Pisan Republic. The square was renovated in the 16th century by the Medici family after the Order of the Knights of Saint Stephen was created. Cosimo I of the Medici family wanted this square to be wonderful and a symbol of strength and power. The statue in the middle (1596) represents him and it is located on the Fontana del Gobbo. The beautiful building behind the statue is called Palazzo della Carovana.

It was built by Vasari in 1562 and it’s home to the Scuola 12 | TRIPPINGMAG

Normale Superiore created by Napoleon. The building with the arch on the left is Palazzo dell’Orologio (the Palace of the Clock). It is the library of the Scuola Normale Superiore, but it is interesting especially because it was built connecting two medieval towers, Torre della Giustizia and Torre dei Gualandi.

This latter, on the right, is also know as Torre della fame (Tower of hunger) or Tower of Count Ugolino. The legend says that he was left to starve here with his children, whom he ate. The building was built by the Vasary as hospital. On the right-hand side of Palazzo della Carovana there is the beautiful church of Santo Stefano dei Cavalieri. In the church there are several flags conquered during fights with pirates. Interesting also is a statue by Donatello. Opposite the church there is Palazzo della Canonica, which used to be the residence of the Knights and beside it is the Palazzo dell’Ordine dei Cavalieri.

Next to this latter building there is the Collegio Puteano and the little church of the Oratorio di San Rocco.

Church Santo Stefano dei Cavalieri

Palazzo dei Templari and Church of San Sepolcro

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f you are looking for the atmospheres of the DaVinci Code, you have to visit this mysterious and beautiful church. The architect Diotisalvi built it for the Templars according to what was believed to be the shape of Christ’s sepulcher. If you go there, take a look at the well by the vestry: the tradition says that this was the well from which Saint Ubaldesca got the miraculous water. Moreover, on the floor there is Maria Mancini’s tombstone: she was the Sun King’s lover.

... and, of course, the e

expected Gran Finale!

The popular square was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Campo dei Miracoli THIS WA S THE SECUL A R HE A RT OF PISA A S CON TR A STED BY THE SPIR IT UA L CEN TER AT PI A ZZ A DE MIR ACOLI. THE K NIGHTS SQUA R E IS NA MED A F TER THE CRUSA DING OR DER OF K NIGHTS OF ST. STEPHEN W HO ONCE H A D THER E HE A DQUA RTER S HER E.

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ampo dei Miracoli is the most popular place in Pisa since it contains the Leaning Tower among other things. Next to the tower are the Pisa Duomo, which dates from the 11th century, the Baptistry, and Campo Santo.

The influence brought home by the city’s thriving international trade is evidenced on all these structures, which are architecturally unique and interesting. The Leaning Tower, which dates from 1350, actually looks a bit smaller in real life than what you would expect. You can climb up the worn steps in all 7 stories to the 78 | TRIPPINGMAG

belfry at the top for about 18 Euros. The Duomo is very long and its interior is composed mainly of marble. Inside you can see paintings and sculptures in addition to some very old Byzantine-style icons. The Baptistry’s interior is somewhat identical to the Duomo’s, and although Campo Santo is very large, it doesn’t receive as much attention as the other buildings. If you do choose to visit it, then you can view some frescoes, which go back to the 1300s. When visiting Campo dei Miracoli, try to view more than just the tower itself because the cathedral is equally impressive.

Inspired by the architecture of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem

Baptistery

The Pulpit of Nicola Pisano

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taly’s largest baptistery (104m/341 ft. in circumference), begun in 1153 and capped with a Gothic dome in the 1300s, is built on the same unstable soil as the Leaning Tower. The first thing you will notice is a decided tilt—not nearly as severe as that of the tower, but the round structure leans noticeably towards the cathedral.

The unadorned interior is considered to be where the Renaissance, with its emphasis on classical style and humanism, began to flower, in the pulpit created by Nicola Pisano (1255–60). The sculptor had studied sarcophagi and other ancient Roman works that the Pisan navy had brought back from Rome as booty, and the classic influence is obvious, nowhere more so than in the presence of a nude

Hercules standing next to statues of St. Michael and St. John the Baptist.

In scenes of the life of Christ, figures wear tunics and Mary wears the headdress of a Roman matron. If the baptistery is not too crowded, stand near the middle and utter something loudly; the sound will reverberate for quite awhile, thanks to the structure’s renowned acoustics.

he hexagonal pulpit is set just inside the northwest columns

and pillar of the circular Baptistry.

Five of the upper outer surface are rectangular marble bas reliefs, while the sixth is the entry. The five subjects are: the birth of Jesus, the Three Magi, the Circumcision, the Crucifixion and Judgement Day. On the next level below at the lateral edge of each side are carved the Disciples and the Evangelists on the corners .The central areas are delicate arcades. Below this extend 6 round columns, three ending on the backs of lions. There is also a central round co;umn at the base of which are animal and human figures.

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The Gothic elements of the bell-chamber are harmonic with the Romanesque style of the tower

The Leaning Tower ONE OF THE WOR LD’S STR A NGEST A RCHITECT UR A L ODDITIES, THE LE A NING TOW ER IS W H AT EV ERYONE COMES TO PISA TO SEE, ONE OF THE MOST K N WON ITA LI A N S Y MBOLS A ND A TRULLY A RT A ND ENGINEER ING M A RV EL

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onstruction began on the bell tower of Pisa Cathedral in 1173, but three stories into the job, architects Guglielmo and Bonnano Pisano called off the work when it became apparent the structure was leaning distinctly. A century later Giovanni di Simone resumed the job, having quite literally gone back to the drawing board, and tried to compensate for the lean by making successive layers taller on one side than the other, creating a slight banana shape.

Over the centuries engineers have poured concrete into the foundations and tried other solutions in vain, and by the late 20th century the tower was in serious danger of collapse. The tower was closed and braced with cables as crews removed more than 70 tons of earth from beneath the structure, allowing it to slightly right itself as it settled. With lean of 80 | TRIPPINGMAG

just 4m (13 ft.), compared to a precarious 4.6m (15 ft.) before the fix, the tower has been deemed stable for now and safe to climb once again. But before you do, take time to notice just how lovely the multicolor marble tower is, with eight arcaded stories that provide a mesmerizing sense of harmony as you look up its height.

The only way to climb the arcaded tower is to book a visit in the office on the north side of the piazza—or for peak season, online well in advance. Visits are limited to 30-minutes, and you must be punctual for your slot or you’ll lose your chance to climb the 293 steps. Children under 8 are not permitted to climb the tower, and those aged 8 to 18 need to be accompanied by an adult (8–12s must hold an adult’s hand at all times). Leave bags at the cloakroom next to the ticket office behind the cathedral.

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Galileo Galilei is said to have dropped two cannonballs of different masses from the tower to demonstrate that their speed of descent was independent of their mass

The Romanesque facade holds the precious Giambologna’s bronze doors

The DUOMO

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isa’s magnificent cathedral will forever be associated with Galileo Galilei (1564–1642), a native son and founder of modern physics.

Bored during church services, he discovered the law of perpetual motion (a pendulum’s swings always take the same amount of time) by watching the swing of a bronze chandelier now known as the “Lamp of Galileo.” (It’s also said, and the story is probably apocryphal, that Galileo climbed 82 | TRIPPINGMAG

The apse is decorated with a huge 13th-century mosaic of Christ by Cimabue

THE GR A NDIOSE M A STER PIECE OF ROM A NESQUE ST Y LE WA S BUILT TO DISPL AY THE ENOR MOUS W E A LTH ACHIEV ED BY THE POW ER FUL SE A R EPUBLIC OF PISA

the adjacent Leaning Tower, dropped two wooden balls of differing sizes that hit the ground at the same time, proving that gravity exerts the same force on objects no matter what they weigh.) The cathedral was the largest in Europe when it was constructed; its breathtaking proportions were designed to demonstrate Pisa’s domination of the Mediterranean. The exuberant structure, with its tiers of arches and columns, is quite remarkable in its own right; it was heavily influenced by Pisa’s contact through trade with the Arab world and has come

The precious Cappella del Santissimo Sacramento

to be the prime example of Pisan Romanesque architecture.

It was paid for with spoils brought home after Pisans attacked an Arab fleet entering Palermo in 1063. Begun a year later, the cathedral, with its striking cladding of alternating bands of green and cream marble, became the blueprint floor for Romanesque churches throughout Tuscany. The elliptical dome, the first of its kind in Europe at the time, was added in 1380. Giovanni Pisano, whose father, Nicola, sculpted the pulpit in the Baptistery. Its main facade – not completed until the 13th century – has four exquisite tiers of columns diminishing skywards, while the vast interior, 96m long and 28m high, is propped up by 68 hefty granite columns in classical style. The wooden ceiling decorated with 24-carat gold is a legacy from the period of Medici rule. Considered to be among the great masterpieces of Gothic sculpture,

Another view of the Cappella del Santissimo Sacramento

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Art masters as Cimabue, Pisano, Giambologna, Andrea del Sarto, Tacca, Il Sodoma and many more made it famous

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PIAZZA DEI MIRACOLI a monumental tribute to glory, power and wealth

ITALIAN MUSEUMS

Palazzo Leoni Montanari Intesa Sanpaolo’s Gallerie d’Italia

Discover a trully treasure of 18th century Venetian paintings by trained artists and a exquisite collection of Russian icons in a extraordinary baroque palace in the very heart of Vicenza.

Palazzo Leoni Montanari in Vicenza is a cultural and artistic hub. The galleries are set up in a seventeenth-century villa and are characterized by exuberant Baroque-style decorations. The bank has three permanent art collections and they are open to the public. A rotation of a core group of vases selected from a rather large collection from Attica and Magna Graecia is presented in two rooms on the piano nobile. This project, called Il Tempo dell’Antico (A Time for Antiquity), currently proposes an exhibition called Il viaggio dell’eroe (The Hero’s Journey) which explores the theme of heroes and their mythical stories, which are depicted in paintings on the twenty vases from Magna Graecia. In other areas on the first floor, there is a corpus of Venetian paintings from the eighteenth century, starting with Pietro Longhi’s small canvases portraying anecdotal Venetian society with irony and taste and ending with vedute. Capricci and vedute by Canaletto, Luca Carlevarijs, Francesco Guardi, Michele Marieschi, Francesco Zuccarelli bring back the natural and architectural splendour of Venice and other cities. La caduta degli angeli ribelli enriches the collections on the first floor. It is a stunning pyramid of sixty figures carved from a single piece of marble from Carrara. It was realized in the mid-eighteenth century by Agostino Fasolato. The last floor houses the Russian icons that, with the powerful colours and loyalty to antique models, between faith and beauty, take the visitor on a historic, artistic and spiritual journey.

The Palazzo The elegant palace holds an awesome decoration

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he history of Leoni Montanari Palace begins in 1678, when Giovanni Leoni Montanari decided to have a large residence built on the same site where his family already owned some buildings.

The Leoni Montanari family had reached a solid financial status by producing, and trading in, fabrics. In those years, they were seeking a higher social rank, and repeatedly asked the municipality of Vicenza to be admitted to the nobility. The building of the palace was therefore intended as eloquent evidence of their aspirations, and of the new role they were seeking in the city’s life. This situation was a determining factor for the peculiar style of the palace, which is the only baroque residence in Vicenza – a city otherwise faithful to the classicist teaching of the architect Andrea Palladio. While the choice of an architectural style so foreign to Vicenza was intended 90 | TRIPPINGMAG

to shock the public with its originality, it also marked a break with the definitely conservative taste of the local aristocracy.

While the documentation found so far in the archives has not allowed to identify the authors with certainty yet, we know that the construction was carried out in two distinct phases, and was completed during the second decade of the seventeenth century. It has been suggested with good reason that the Borrella construction firm from Vicenza, and the Lombard architect Marchi, were active participants in the project.

The Leoni Montanaris’ wish to take a distance from the orientation of the aristocracy is shown among other things by the decorations inside the palace, the work of mainly foreign artists. The Paraccas, a family of stucco workers and painters, were from the valley called Valsolda, near Lake Lugano; the painter Giuseppe Alberti was from Trent; Louis Dorigny was French; and the sculptor Angelo Marinali was from Bassano

del Grappa. The themes of the decorations are primarily drawn from Greek and Roman mythology. The recurring representations of the feats of Apollo (a symbol of Art) and of Hercules (a symbol of Virtue) are aimed at extolling the clients. The Leoni Montanaris had managed to reach their solid position not by birthright, but by practicing Virtue – in their case, the profitable trade in fabrics. In 1808, the palace became the property of Count Girolamo Egidio di Velo, an amateur archaeologist and enthusiastic collector of Greek and Roman antiques. The count had the main-floor decorations enriched with stuccos and frescos in the neoclassical style, partially distorting the original baroque conception. After a number of further conveyances, in 1908 the prestigious property became the property of Banca Cattolica Vicentina which established its headquarters there. The building was almost hit by the heavy and repeated bombing of the

neighborhood during War World II, but miraculously escaped destruction. During the late 1970’s, the palace underwent an important restoration.

The architectural details and the rich decorations were brought back to a large extent to their original aspect. As Banca Cattolica del Veneto merged with Banco Ambrosiano Veneto in January, 1990, the building was freed from its operational and public-relations functions, and became the exclusive headquarters of the Bank’s cultural activities. During the 1990’s and to this day, Leoni Montanari Palace has hosted many cultural events such as exhibitions, conferences, and concerts. Banco Ambrosiano Veneto has become by now a part of Intesa Sanpaolo. The opening of the Galleries of Leoni Montanari Palace brings to completion the cultural mission of the Palace, a mission which has been redesigned and refined over the last couple of decades.

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The ceramics collection from Attica and Magna Graecia

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journey back in time and into history, though images painted on Greek ceramics: 522 pieces, part of the Intesa Sanpaolo collection, are displayed at the Palazzo Leoni Montanari Galleries. One of the world’s most important collections, it is able to delineate an exploration of the female figure in classical

antiquity.

The sensual brides, the hetaeras; cultured “courtesans”; the legendary Amazons and Maenads; the itinerary on the representation of woman in ancient times passes through these subjects as offered by the exhibition “Women’s hours.

Following the section on women is a section exploring the male figure, love, work, the sacred, death and legend in classical Greece and in the centers of Magna Graecia, though the spaces and the rhythms that marked daily life. “The exhibit 92 | TRIPPINGMAG

relates,” reads the exhibit’s presentation note, “the space and rhythms that marked female life in Athens and in the areas of Magna Graecia, the woman queen, or prisoner, of the oikos, the home she would leave only for special occasions such as religious festivals; the woman at work within the domestic walls, an entrepreneur in organizing the entire chain of operations of textile production; the woman who lives in separate apartments from her husband, and who meets up with him in the thalamos, the wedding chamber. There were two moments in a woman’s life when she acquired, even in the depictions on the vases, the same dignity as men: upon marrying, when she reached the socially respected status to which the Greek woman aspired, and in death.”

The exhibit closes with a section dedicated to the legendary women: the Amazons, warrior women, and the Maenads, followers of Dionysus, god of wine.

Veduta ideale di Vicenza by FrancescoZuccarelli

The Venetian 18th Century Painting Collection

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n the main floor of the building is visible the fine collection of Venetian art of the eighteenth century.

The core consists of the 1 Falca Peter (1702-1785), Longhi said, and his workshop and school, shows a clear thematic unity: the representation of scenes of everyday life of Venice of the time. The realism becomes almost photographic recording.

You can also see two other works of the first period Venetian

artist representing the shepherds.

The glorious season of Venetian painting is also in the sights of the city of Venice and the whimsical architecture of Antonio Canaletto (1697-1767), Michele Marieschi (1710-1743), Francesco Albotto (1721-1757), Luca Carlevarijs (1663- 1730) and Francesco Guardi (1721-1793), the latter also known for the landscape genre.

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“Extraordinary frescos and stucco work on ceiling take the breath away”

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The last floor exhibits the biggest collection of Orthodox Catholic Icons of the Western

The Russian Icons Collection

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he second floor of Palazzo Leoni Montanari houses an exhibition of one hundred and thirty ancient Russian icons, part of the prestigious collection of about 500 tables.

The collection of Palazzo Leoni Montanari, formed in the course of a few years through the acquisition of an Italian private collection enriched with targeted purchases on the international market auction, is the most important collection of Russian icons in the West, to the total number of works and for the presence of the rare examples of fine vintage. The works range from the thirteenth to the nineteenth century. The different faces of Russian icons are represented through the wide variety of regional schools.

Alongside works from centers such as Moscow, Novgorod, Vladimir, Tver ‘and Pskov, examples from workshops of the

provincial areas of central and northern Russia.

The collection is also distinguished by the ample space given to works created in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the period following the reforms of Tsar Peter the Great. The tables show a great variety of style and vivacity of expression that restores dignity and value to times undervalued.

The itinerary for submitting icons intend to return some of the underlying themes of liturgical practice adopted by greekorthodox Slavs after accession to Christianity.

The large number of icons dedicated to the Mother of God shows the centrality of Marian devotion to Russian Orthodoxy. The models inherited from Byzantine art were quickly transformed and adapted to the Slavic religion. The tables depict the characters of the Holy Scriptures, the saints of the undivided Church of the first millennium and figures exclusively of veneration of the Russian people.

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TOURISM TIPS

DRIVING IN ITALY

MA DOVE VAI WHERE DO YO

I? OU GO?

SO you’re ready to go. You’ve booked your flight, arranged your accommodation and organised a hire car. Awaiting is a week of motoring through Italy’s magical countryside. But what’s it really like to drive in Italy? Is it as nervewracking as it’s made out to be? Do you need the skills of a Formula One driver to cut it on the nation’s dog-eat-dog superstrade?

Certainly, driving in Italy’s main cities can be a white-knuckle experience but head out to the country and you’ll find that the pace slackens and the roads are a lot less stressful.

However, it is extremely pleasant to cross a place so beautiful with diverse landscapes only reacheable by car. Italy is a relative small country, compared to USA, Canada or Russia. In few hundred kilometers, we can reach one coast leaving the other. Arrive to the northern frozen Alps or get a sunbath at a tropical beach at south.

The views are incredible. Everywhere, there are gas stations and nice restaurants. And, of course, good food and history for all.

To help you on your way here are some insights based on years of experience and tens of thousands of kilometres.

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any expats and foreigners have a somewhat negative attitude towards driving in Italy, as Italians are stereotyped as rather aggressive drivers. This is not necessarily true. If you are a safe driver, you will find that driving in Italy is not as daunting as it’s made out to be.

True, some Italians tend to break more road regulations than they follow, and yes, you should always be aware of motorcycles, mopeds, bikes, and pedestrians. However, if you avoid peak rush hour traffic and the center of larger cities, you will find that driving in Italy can be quite pleasant. There are, of course, alternatives to driving.

Public transportation is less stressful and can take you to your inner-city destination for little cost.

A car will be especially useful for driving in Italy’s beautiful countryside. Be sure to avoid driving directly through small towns, as this can be rather confusing and the roads may be extremely narrow. When visiting small villages and towns, you’d better leave your vehicle on the outskirts of the village and tour it on foot. Maneuvering through the narrow alleys will be difficult, and parking is next to impossible!

If you are planning a sightseeing trip on a weekend, make sure to bring plenty of patience. Many Italians tend to stream out of cities on Friday afternoons and back in on Sunday evenings.

Road Rules I know at times you will think that there aren’t any road rules in Italy by the way some people drive, but there are.

One thing that is mandatory when driving in Italy, is that if you change direction at any time when you are driving, you have to use your indicators to do so. This includes overtaking, turning or even stopping. If you have broken down, you must take out the red triangle and place

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it at a safe distance from your car. Carrying a red triangle is compulsory.

Of course the most important point of all is that in Italy people drive on the right hand side of the road. As a result, when you come to a 4-way stop, you give way to people coming from the right.

Many roundabouts and intersections have directional arrows for you to follow. Make sure that you do, because if you don’t, you will incur the anger of your fellow drivers.

And Italian drivers are not shy in letting you know just how annoyed they are with you.

One situation where you don’t give way to traffic from the right is when you see this sign When driving in Italy with children make sure that they are buckled up at all times. Children under four cannot travel in the car at all unless they are strapped into a car seat. Children between four and 12 cannot travel in the front unless using a suitable restraint system. And by suitable this doesn’t mean a seat belt at the age of 4, as this is not a suitable retraining device at that age. Renting car seats from car rental companies is possible.

Not only do children have to buckle up, but all your passengers do too. Seat belts are compulsory for front and rear-seat passengers.

If you are driving a motorcycle you must wear a helmet and your motorcycle must have 2 review mirrors.

Using your horn to avoid an accident is acceptable, but using your horn in a built-up area is not. In fact it is officially banned.

If you are driving in Italy and decide to have a couple of glasses of wine or beer for lunch, or stop off at some wine estates for some wine tasting take care. Despite Italy being a wine producing country, they are stricter than most countries regarding blood/alcohol levels. In Italy you are only allowed to have 0.5 milligrams of alcohol per 1

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with white lettering. There are national, provincial and municipal roads.

Driving in Italy comes at a price, though: Most autostrade are toll roads. Italy has implemented an electronic card system, where toll expenses are automatically charged to drivers’ accounts. This is quite useful for drivers that often take toll roads, as it minimizes traffic jams at toll booths.

The speed limits

milliliter of blood, so take care.

Road Infrastructure Italy was the first country in the world to build motorways and therefore has a well-established system of expressways (autostrade). There are approximately 488,000 kilometers of roadways in Italy. 6,400 kilometers of them are autostrade. As some parts of Italy are very mountainous, you will find yourself driving through tunnels and across bridges more often than not when driving in Italy’s north.

Motorways are indicated by the letter “ A “ followed by a number written in white on a green background. They are almost all subject to tolls, except for some brief stretches, especially approaching urban areas.

The main a secondary roads are indicated by blue signs

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There are built-in speed cameras on many of the national roads, both on the freeways and on town roads. To know what they look like, they are grey in color and look like a metal pillar, some are about 10 inches wide, others can be wider, and about 3 and a half feet tall.

However, in Italy you can also find mobile speed cameras as well, and the fines for speeding are stiff. Most of the time you won’t even know that you have a fine until you get home and the car rental company contacts you.

Or worse still, you will get a hefty on-the-spot fine, which could eat into your holiday budget. The traffic police are highly visible and often do spot checks on cars, so take care.

The speed limits for driving are as follows: - On the autostradas or motorways, it is 130 km per hour when dry, 110 km per hour when wet - On four lane highways or main roads outside of urban areas it is 110 km per hour when dry, 90 km per hour when wet - On single lane roads or secondary roads it is 90 km per hour when dry, 80 km per hour when wet - In built up areas it is 50 km per hour wet or dry.

When traveling on the autostrada, kept to the right and pass on the left. Get back into your lane using your indicator and do not stay out in the left hand lane if you are

some regions. There are two options for enforcing the LEZ guidelines. In some cities, your vehicle may be required to have a stamp that explicitly states it meets the standards for low emissions zones. Alternatively, your license plates may be photographed while you are in an LEZ equipped with cameras.

The European Union’s site on LEZs advises which cities in Italy have these zones and how you are to comply with them. Fines for driving in an Italian LEZ without a proper vehicle, or at the wrong time, can result in as much as €450. The severity of the fine depends on how critical the implementation of the LEZ is and thus on the intensity of the environmental hazard.

Road Safety

not going the speed of the traffic.

If you do you will get smartly flashed out of the way by some irate Italian who will tailgate you until you move over. It is also compulsory to drive with your lights on when traveling on the autostrada during the day.

When you are traveling on the autostrada be aware of some of the signs in Italian that you will need to know the meaning of: - Uscita means Exit - Entrata means Entrance - Tangenziale means an Orbital Road

Low Emission Zones Italy has jumped on the EU bandwagon and has begun implementing so-called Low Emission Zones (LEZ) in

Driving in Italy is still somewhat risky: Italy still has one of the highest accident rates in the European Union.

However, the national accident rate decreased sharply, e.g. by 63% from 1999 to 2008. This is thanks to the improvement in the quality of infrastructure and the advanced road work and materials used. The Autostrade per l’Italia takes care to improve safety conditions for road users driving in Italy.

The Gas Stations Don’t get caught without any gas when you are touring, and it can easily happen if you don’t know when they open.

Gas stations in the main are open from 7:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 3:30p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Most stations are closed on Sundays. Where you will find 24 hour stations is along the autostrada.

When they are open they are often self-service. All grades of unleaded petrol (benzina), diesel (gasolio) and LPG are available as well as lead substitute additive. Leaded no longer exists.

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Credit and debit cards are not always accepted, and they probably won’t work at automatic pumps, which are often the only pumps open out-of-hours and at lunch-time (from noon to 3pm) away from the Autostrada. And getting foreign currency accepted will be a tall ask.

The Toll Roads The roads in Italy aren’t too bad, and the toll system allows you to get from A to B more directly. However, you need to make sure that you have Euro coins and small notes on you so that you can pay for these roads if you are going to pay by cash.

Each toll is different and you can never be sure what will happen, unless you have traveled through these tolls several times and you get to know how they work.

Depending on which toll you use, there are 3 different scenarios. Sometimes you just have to collect a ticket at the toll and you pay when you exit, submitting your ticket to get the fee. Sometimes the toll road is free, depending on the time you go through the toll. Other times it is a set fee and you pay as you enter the toll and don’t need a ticket.

When you come to a toll entrance you will see a toll plaza with one or more drive-in gates. Always go to a gate marked Biglietto (ticket) or drive to an unmarked gate. Do not enter gates marked only Viacard or Telepass, unless you have one. Take a ticket from the automated machine at the entry gate.

After you pass through the toll plaza you will see signs directing you to the possible destinations for the autostrada. Always know which larger city you are heading towards, and know the city names in Italian (e.g. Milano for Milan or Firenze for Florence).

104 | TRIPPINGMAG

Using the Bypasses There are a number of bypasses that you can use to avoid going through the major cities. Taking these is advisable if you don’t want to spend hours in traffic unnecessarily.

Parking Woes Parking in towns and cities around Italy can be a nightmare if you don’t have the right paperwork and are not aware of the zoning system.

In blue zones, a parking disk, obtained at tourist offices, ACI offices or gas stations must be displayed on the dashboard. Parking in this zone is limited to one hour.

There is also metered street parking. In these areas, you will see a large sign with the letter “P.” Look for a coin box where you will deposit enough coins to pay for the length of time you wish to stay. The machine will dispense a ticket showing the time of day that you must vacate the parking space. Display this ticket on the dashboard of the car.

Aftermath When it is all said and done, despite the bad driving at times, Italians are courteous on the roads, they are fairly disciplined and will indicate and give way when required.

Driving in Italy as in independent traveler away from organized tours allows you to stop and explore the country at your leisure. You can visit off-thebeaten-track sites and see far more than you would if you went on a whistle-stop tour that allows you to see the main towns but also feeds you into tourist traps and little leeway to explore on your own.

TRIPPINGMAG | 105

Some Tips

Driving styles

Road etiquette

City challenges

Italian drivers are fast, aggressive and skilful. Lane hopping and late braking are the norm and it’s not uncommon to see cars tailgating at 130km/h. Don’t expect people to slow down for you or let you out.

Rather, seize the moment. As soon as you see a gap, go for it. Italians expect the unexpected and react swiftly but they’re not used to ditherers so whatever you do, do it decisively.

Much driving etiquette is dictated by unwritten rules. Flashing, for example, means ‘Get out of the way’ or ‘Don’t pull out ‘coz I’m not stopping’. But if an approaching car flashes you, it’s warning you that there’s a police check ahead.

Similarly, the car horn can mean everything from ‘Watch out’ to ‘Ciao’ to ‘Let’s celebrate, the traffic light’s just turned green’.

When driving in cities watch out for traffic restrictions. Many city centres are off-limits to unauthorised traffic and if you slip into a ZTL (zona a traffico limitato - reduced traffic zone) you risk being caught on camera and fined. City driving also involves dealing with one-way systems, scooters appearing out of nowhere and narrow streets better suited to horse-drawn chariots than modern cars. To escape the worst mayhem, drive in the early afternoon when traffic is at its lightest and parking is easier. Which brings us to...

106 | TRIPPINGMAG

Main Italian Roads

AUSTRIA

SWITZERLAND

SLOVENIA MILANO A4

TORINO A12 FRANCE

GENOVA

CROATIA

VENICE BOLOGNA FLORENCE

LIVORNO

A14 A1

PESCARA

ROMA BARI NAPLES

MAIN HIGHWAIS A1 - MILANO - NAPLES - 777 km A4 - TURIN - TRIESTE - 586 km A12 - GENOA - ROMA - 505 km A14 - BOLOGNA - TARANTO - 750 km

TARANTO

Driving in Italy can be a very picturesque experience, no matter if you are travelling through the Alps or the beautiful countryside in the south.

LETTERS, PHOTOGRAMS & ETC

ALBUMS

“The pairing makes perfect sense considering the group’s sound hearkens back to the widescreen indie rock.”

“This is rich, strange, endlessly fascinating music: a subtle, beautiful triumph”

“A painstaking work of minimalism, Where in Our Woods is defined by its limited palette.”

W

T

V

ith the exception of the brief, fluttering

closer “All Things Run”,

he songs on Where in Our Woods were all written in

2006 and 2007, and while the

iet Cong’s impressive full-length debut consists

of dark, simmering post-

“Breaking the decade of relative silence that followed Sleater-Kinney’s prodigious supposed finale, the girls are back in town.”

S

omehow, from nothing, they’ve pulled off a

surprising but oh so welcome

everything could be the

Elephant Micah albums of that

punk. Their mission is not

return, and this record plays

“single”—the Sidekicks are

period have an experimental,

altogether different from

like a triumphant middle

beholden to huge choruses

homespun charm to them,

that of Women, the short-

finger salute, coolly showing

with carefully constructed

O’Connell was wise to set these

lived and sorely missed indie

everyone how its done… and

lead-ins, warm harmonies,

songs aside until he found the

deconstructionists in which

writing the first line on a

and quotable lyrics about

right setting for them, even

half of Viet Cong previously

thousand ‘album of the year’

relatable topics. Remove the

if that didn’t become clear for

served. This is a record of

lists before January’s even out.

crusty production from their

several years. As the slow time

conflict and contrast, in

Knocking David Bowie firmly

past work and nothing here

vultures sing, “Ours are the

particular, a winter war. The

into touch by pulling off what

should be a major surprise;

spoils and the things that we

sensations of Viet Cong are

is surely pop’s greatest ever

it’s just more polished in every

can find on our own time.”

specific to being bundled

come back announcement,

way, the melodies are less

Maybe those birds are onto

up in the arctic, where

Sleater-Kinney‘s eighth album

jittery, the dynamics are more

something. Often, folk singers

one’s body feels suffocating

has been eagerly anticipated

pronounced, the presentation

are either storytellers, but

warmth and blistering cold

since the whispers began back

is immaculate. Runners in

some of this generation’s best

all at once. But to hear this

in October. The uptempo

the Nerved World, is such an

fall somewhere in the middle.

kind of commitment to craft,

focus is like a fuse of I Wanna

effortlessly enjoyable listen

Elephant Micah stands firmly

particularly rock music that

Be Your Joey Ramone with

that you can miss the tension

in that middle ground, not

maintains the vibrancy and

Little Babies and You’re No

and ambition emanating

shying away from small details.

tension of genuine rock and

Rock n Roll Fun.

from a band that’s chasing

The Sidekicks Runners in the nerved world 41’43’’ US$ 10.69 cd

roll.

Elephant Micah Where in our woods 73’11’’ US$ 9.99 cd

Viet Cong Viet Cong 52’12’’ US$ 9.99 cd

Sleater-Kinney No Cities to Love 45’28’’ US$ 29.77 vynil

BOOKS

“A thriller tolds exactly how a newspaper works, a weapon of blackmail, especially political”

“John Grisham has a new hero . . . and she’s full of surprises”

“The feeling that the novel is closely related to contemporary Italy”

“A final surprising that seem to confuse everything. But everything will make sense.”

A

O

M

G

drafting preparing a newspaper intended,

rather than to information, to

ne week ago, Samantha Kofer was a third-year

associate at New York City’s

auro Assante is, before anything

else, a serious man: he has

ioconda aka Gio has thirty-five, a complicated

family history behind it, a

blackmail, the mud machine,

largest law firm. Now she is

always worked with extreme

restless soul by vocation or

low services to its publisher.

an unpaid intern in a legal

care, earning positions of

perhaps out of necessity,

An editor paranoid, wandering

aid clinic deep in small-town

increasing responsibility in

and one big love: Leonardo.

for a Milan hallucinated (or

Appalachia. When Lehman

the institution in which they

But abandoned her. Lost

hallucinated for a normal

Brothers collapsed, she lost her

serve, the authority competent

and desperate, finds himself

Milan), traces the history

job, her security, her future.

to supervise the transparency

living in the home of his

of fifty years in the light

As she confronts real clients

of Italian banks. But the life

grandparents, who died within

of a plan built around the

with real problems, she finds

of Mauro Assante errors were

a few days and a symbol of

sulphurous rotting corpse

herself a world away from her

always bandits; as well as

perfect love. The Valentine’s

of a pseudo Mussolini. And

past life of corporate fat cats

the heartbeat that would be

night, Gio finds a note that

in the shadows Gladio, the

and fatter bonuses.

banned instead he feels when,

his grandmother had written

P2, the assassination of Pope

a few nights later, reunited by

to the Guardian, to thank

Luciani, the coup of Junio

This is coal country. Meth

chance that same blonde girl

him. With the discomfort,

Valerio Borghese, the CIA,

country. The law is different

... The summer progresses,

but also the courage of those

the terrorists red handled by

here. And standing up for the

the temperature rises, the

who have nothing to lose, Gio

private affairs offices, twenty

truth means putting your life

drafting of the report becomes

tries: she writes to her angel.

years of massacres and false

on the line.

more complex and with it the

That, incredibly, the answers.

leads. A corpse that comes in

anxiety of deliver all flawless,

It makes a promise: I will take

suddenly in the closest and

without conditions.

care of you.

La Relazione Andrea Camilleri 177 pages US$ 14.45

Avrò cura di te Massimo Gramellini, Chiara Gamberale 208 pages US$ 16.00

infamous street in Milan.

Numero Zero Umberto Eco 218 pages US$ 14.45

Gray Mountain John Grisham 384 pages US$ 18.700

MOVIES

“Like wine that improves with age dear Master Olmi. If we have to give a vote director should give 10.”

“Secrets, rivalries and new passions will lead women to discover an unexpected and to review its past life.”

“a compelling film, inspired by true events, powerful and exciting, a real inspiration for young and old.”

“An unlikely story driven primarily by the skill of the actors”

I

T

E

G

a few meters away from the

where it is celebrated the tenth

eight years, pretends a Polish

on rivals square and allows

Austrian trenches, “so close

anniversary of the death of

orphan to escape the Nazi

some characters - boyfriends

that you can almost hear their

Xavier Crispo, actor symbol

troops. With the fictitious

uncomfortable, bulky children

breathing.” Around, just snow

of the great Italian cinema

name of Jurek, try in every

- to disappear and reappear in

and silence. Inside, the cold,

and eternal Latin lover. The

way to survive and to be brave,

his liking. What is missing

fear, fatigue, resignation.

ceremony involved her five

through the forest and over,

in the story, as well as the

And foolish orders that arrive

daughters who come from all

looking for a home or a farm

likelihood of many plot twists,

from somewhere distant desk,

over the world, and two ex-wives,

where have food in exchange

is a bit ‘more bite, a little’ more

warm. Orders phoned who

the Italian and the Spanish.

for their work. It will also

courage in mixing the sacred

send soldiers to be impallinare

Secrets, rivalries and new

be handed over to the Nazis,

and profane, north and south,

as thrushes. a film perfectly

passions will lead women to

which luckily able to sneak

authenticity and fiction. As the

centered in the heart of

discover an unexpected and to

away, continuing a painful

film itself, “real life is better”,

darkness of a trench, and a

review its past life.

escape to freedom: in his

if you can tell.

n an outpost high altitude, near the end of World War

I, a group of military fights

he film by Cristina Comencini, Latin Lover,

is set in a small town in Puglia

scaped from the Warsaw ghetto with the help of his

father, Srulik, a jew child of

war, dark and haunted, our

journey, in which alternate

Apocalypse Now, a chronicle

seasons, will come into contact

of a conflict supremely useless,

with men and women willing

and that history would like to

to help him, or he decided to

forget.

kill him, until the end hostility

enovese draws liberally from the lexicon

television, complete with a bar

war.

torneranno i prati Ermanno Olmi 80 minutes 2014

Latin Lover Cristina Comencini.

98 minutes 2014

Corri ragazzo corri Pepe Danquart 108 minutes 2013

Sei mai stata sulla luna?

Paolo Genovese 90 minutes 2014