ROME
DEVONSHIRE Our reach is truly exceptional!
The PANTHEON An impressive piece of architecture and structural engineering. We owe so much of our culture to the ancient Romans (not forgetting the Greeks) - take the lettering for example - looks familiar? The Pantheon still to this day, has the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. The Pantheon was completed by Hadrian, but it's on the site of an earlier building commissioned by Marcus Agrippa (27BC - 14AD) and retains his inscription as above.
Photography CNigel Jones
Devonshire magazine visits the Eternal City Here in Devon things undoubtedly get fresher once we hit the months of October and November, but if you're suffering from a touch of wanderlust it's the perfect time to visit Rome because temperatures are down to a more bearable level. Rome has a magnetic pull that cannot be ignored, certainly if you wish to immerse yourself in ancient Rome, not forgetting the glamour, drama, noise, drains, pasta, pizza, ice cream and coffee - it’s a compulsive destination. What's staggering, certainly if you are interested in ancient Rome, are the robust historic remnants of the once mighty Roman metropolis that refuse to wave 'arrivederci', even after some two millennia.
Flying from Devon, it seems that Bristol's your best bet - because all the flights I found scanning online for Exeter involved mid journey stops - avoid these like the plague as the flight time increases from just over 2.5 hours for a direct flight to ridiculous times with mid journey stops. Ancient Rome is inextricably linked with Britain of course, and here in Devon they made their presence known in their usual style by the building of a fort at Exeter, linked up with the Fosse Way. It's been estimated that there are some 70% of the Roman walls still surviving in Exeter, although in many parts the wall's been repaired or heightened in later periods. It's great to be able to pay a visit to what was the cultural and administrative centre of the world, at a time when us Brits were living in mud huts, Romans ruled the roost and pulled the strings.
What's lovely about Rome is that there's been little invasion of the skyline by high-rise buildings, so
when Rome's glimpsed from the many viewpoints across the city, it's relatively unspoilt, and the scale and breadth of remaining architectural heritage is staggering. Rome is interesting on many levels, people from all over the world have Rome on their itinerary, and cafĂŠ culture doesn't get better than sitting in the Piazza della Rotonda, enjoying a cappuccino with the Pantheon towering over the stream of visitors milling in from around the world.
A sight that once would have struck terror through many an ancient Britain's heart, they ruled with brutal and ruthless efficiency - this one's obviously friendly!
A still from the iconic film 'Roman Holiday' starring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn - films today just don't have the charm!
Left - THEY SAY SIZE ISN'T EVERYTHING - WHAT DO 'THEY' KNOW? I'm pretty sure that any self-respecting ancient Roman would violently disagree. Size was everything, as evidenced here by the single stone pillars at the front of the Pantheon. No half measures, penny pinching, machinery or health & safety come to that, just prodigious labour and compulsive incentive schemes. The scale is staggering - in the flesh it's an unforgettable sight, a genuine 'WOW' moment.
Don't forget to take your raincoat, you could experience the odd thundershower in October or November, but there's so much to see that you'll welcome the refreshing drop in temperature that it brings. Even in November, if the sun's out, it can warm up very quickly. Editor
The triumphal arch of Constantine spanning the Via Triumphalis, the route taken by emporers entering the city. The Colosseum lies in the background.
Below - The Forum with the Colosseum in the distance
Pons Fabrcius or Ponte dei Quattro Capi - the oldest ancient Roman bridge in Rome. Built in 62 BC, it has been in continuous use ever since being built. The bridge is still in its original state - it links up to the Tiber Island in the middle of the river. Walking down steps to the river bank, you come across ancient Roman drains also still in use!
Underdressed - a sword!
It's evident that Italians love their uniforms. Rome's seems to heave with officialdom.
I don't doubt that the gun's loaded - styling influences courtesy Mr M. Jackson.
Trajan's Column
The man himself - Trajan
The view out from Trajan's Market to the Piano, otherwise know as il Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II
The Pantheon - the most well preserved building in Rome, it was a temple dedicated to all of the gods of pagan Rome.
The Pyramid of Cestius - standing at a fork between the ancient roads of Via Ostiensis and the Via della Marmorata. The pyramid was built as a tomb for Gaius Cestius, a magistrate.
La Bocca della VeritĂ (the Mouth of Truth), thought to be part of a first century ancient Roman fountain or possibly a manhole cover.
Mamma Mia Roma isa 'd selfie capital anda peeple wachin capital ofa 'd world
Bellissimo!
Enjoying lunch just behind the Colosseum
Smile!
Bella figura A fashion shoot in progress at Trajan's Market
The Rome skyline is extensively peppered with cupolas.
Fountains at Piazza del Rotonda, directly in front of the Pantheon.
The triumphal arch of Septimius Severus situated at the northwest end of the Forum.
Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers) situated in the Piazza Navona, representing the four major rivers of four continents, the Nile, Danube, Rio de la Plata and the Ganges. Piazza Navona is built on the site of the Statdium of Domitian and follows the form of the 1st century stadium. Piazza Navona is a significant example of Baroque Roman architecture.
St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, the headquarters of the Roman Catholic church.
Piazza Navona - eating out's a delight in Rome. Take a coat with you for October and November evenings, but the temperature's comfortable.
The Appian Way (Via Appia antica), you can walk for miles along this once strategically important Roman road that connected Rome to southeast Italy and allowed their armies to be rapidly deployed and supplied with provisions. In 71 BC Spartacus's 6,000 strong captured rebel slave army were crucified along the 120 miles of the Via Appia. Today, it's possible to walk some 10 miles alongs its length from its near start at the Baths of Caracalla.
Teatro Marcello, with residents in place some 2,000 years or so later. In Rome, there's something spectacular round every corner.
Trompe-l'Ĺ“il - there are numerous fascinating museums across Rome housing amazing collections, you can literally spend days milling about inside museums.
The PANTHEON at night
St. Peter's Basilica - it looks fairly modest in size, but looking at the figures at the base of the pillars, the true scale of this magnificent building becomes apparent.
Fontana de Trevi - The Trevi Fountain, probably the most famous fountain in the world. The position of the fountain marks the point where three roads converge. Begun in 1732, the fountain was completed 30 years later by Nicola Salvi who initially lost the commission to a Florentine, but such was the outcry in Rome that it was passed to Salvi.