Pictures of Rome (2008)

I was sent to Rome in June 2008 for work (Cassini meeting there). Here are some of my pictures (4 GB total!) from Rome.

The Vatican

A nice picture taken down the nave of evening light streaming in through the cupola.	Shot up the cupola of light streaming through the windows
Bernini's famous window behind the apse

Ostia Antica

We (Colin, Angela, Carolyn, and I) took a day-trip to Ostia Antica, Rome's ancient port (long since silted up and and only relatively recently uncovered again). It's a much better look at Roman architecture and city-design than Rome itself since it's relatively intact and undisturbed by time. I highly recommend it.

A columbarium, a set of niches where funerary urns were placed, outside Ostia's walls	Mask outside the theater I rather liked
Most Romans dined out; this was a fast-food place, akin to modern tavola caudas in Italy	View of Ostia taken from atop the remains of an apartment building
View of Ostia taken from atop the remains of an apartment building	Ostia's forum taken from the grand temple. The temple of Augustus is opposite.
Drain in the Forum Baths I rather liked.

Gatti (Cats)

There were oodles of cats in Rome, especially in the sunken area in the Largo Argentina, which now houses a cat hospice (as well as a bunch of semi-random Roman ruins). Turns out, I used my telephoto lens more for taking pictures of cats than anything else. I like cats, go figure.

Couple of cats exploring Roman ruins in the Largo Argentina	Also in the Largo Argentina... there's a message about the ephermality of human constructs, but never mind: it has cats.
Lazy kitties lounging about the Largo Argentina	Three-legged cat in the Largo Argentina
Cats napping in the ruins	More cats lazing about the Roman ruins in the Largo Argentina
Cat resting on one of the Largo Argentina's marble blocks	Cats napping on a wall in the Roman ruins

In the National Museum of Rome

Naturally, the Romans have moved most of the artwork into safe, indoor locations. The National Museum of Rome has a lot of these pieces.

A rather nice all-room fresco	One of dozens of impressive mosaics
A piece of another fresco	Another whole-room fresco

General Pictures Around Rome

The occulus of the Pantheon letting light into the building.	I kind of liked these animal heads on the bases of the light posts
Shot inside the Baths of Diocletian, now Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri. Original floor was about 30 feet lower and the church has re-oriented at least once.	Tomb inside San Pietro Invincolo that I really liked. The marble-work is very well-done.
Another tomb inside San Pietro Invincolo, although not quite as cool as the last one	Michaelangelo's Christ with the Cross inside Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. Tombs of first two Medici popes are more or less behind Christ.

Rome at Night

One evening, right after dinner, we took a walk around Rome from the Campi di Fiori to the Spanish steps. We also were out and about quite often after dark. Here are some of those pictures.

Ad projected onto the side of the Colosseum. Disturbing, isn't it? (It's for a charity, but still.)	Pantheon at night (I have so many shots of the Pantheon and the fountain the foreground...)
See, it's the fountain up close and the Pantheon behind it	Trevi Fountain, west side
Trevi Fountain, east side	Spanish Steps at night, fountain in the foreground.

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John Weiss

Last modified: Mon Jul 14 12:16:09 MST 2008