14 July 2011

Final Favorite Photos of Rome

It's had to describe the richness that is Rome given its history, architecture and art but here are some of my favorite snapshots of my last visit offered with the exhortation to add it to your "bucket list" if you haven't already.

First of all, you have to love a city that has such beautiful ticket stubs!




Piazza Navona is a magnificent square, one of Rome's showpieces with three fountains and artists' stalls everywhere. It's a great place to sit and people- watch and soak up the vibrant energy and atmosphere.




Here's one of the sculptures in Piazza Navona that's considered a "lesser" fountain to Bernini's marvelous central fountain, the Fountain of the Four Rivers. This is the Fountain of Neptune.




And finally, the church of Sant'Agnese in Agone with the Brazilian Embassy next to it in the same piazza.




The Trevi Fountain with its marvelous sculpture is considered the most beautiful of Italy's many fountains.




I like the whole shabby chic vibe going on here.




The Pantheon is one of the best preserved ancient buildings not just in Italy but in Europe. It's largely unchanged in almost 2000 years and where I found that statue of St. Anne (2 posts ago) that I love so much. It was originally a temple devoted to all the gods and later converted into a Catholic church in AD608.




Just one of the details inside are these gorgeous columns and the various kinds of marble used.




Speaking of columns, I like this sculptural staircase in the Palazzo Barberini which houses the National Gallery of Antique Art.




More columns outside the Palazzo framing it's fountain.



Art can be from the over-the-top unbelievable very ornate school of art like this church ceiling (not even one of the major churches),




to the more whacky down to earth school of art, the gargoyles in hidden places all over the city. This is my favorite and I named her the grandmother gargoyle. Haven't you had days where you felt like this?


Shall we give her a name, too?

15 comments:

  1. Love this!
    Yes, so much to see, such amazing art!
    No wonder I'm homesick!

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  2. Rosaria, It's a wonderful home. Do you like the grandmother?

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  3. Gosh - I really don't know what to say about hte "grandmother" - she looks more like an ancient wetnurse.

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  4. Grandmothers usually look happy. They get to cuddle and play with the grandchildren, and then send them home.

    I'm thinking she's not a grandmother at all, but a mother with about eight too many children. That would explain the look on her face as well as... well, the other thing.

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  5. Ha! That grandmother gargoyles is a hoot.

    The columns and fountains and palazzos are amazing but I find the shabby chic features especially fascinating, too. Thanks for letting me visit vicariously!

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  6. The grandmother gargoyles is interesting to say the least. You have really treated us to the grand tour. Thanks!

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  7. Lou, She made me laugh as did you!

    Patti, But it's a gargoyle, made to have grotesque features. They're to scare off and protect from evil or harmful spirits (another grandmother function) and she would do that!

    Lisa, Found lots of that shabby chic and liked it, too.

    Sally, I guess I'm the only one who really liked her!

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  8. Such gorgeous pictures! I would love to visit Rome someday.

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  9. MZ, Do it, you owe it to yourself.

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  10. I loved all your sights of Rome! We had hard times getting photos of Trevi Fountain because of all the tourists and vendors that were all around it :0) The Parthenon is an amazing building. One of my favorite places in Rome is Castel Sant'Angelo.

    Grandmother gargoyle is pretty scary! She definitely needs a bra...lol

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  11. Oh I remember those Italian ticket stubs! The Pantheon is my favourite place in rome - not the most beautiful but the one that makes me realise how amazing the ancient Romans were.

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  12. You just posted some of my favorite sights in Rome....
    We spent so much time at Piazza Navona....I loved it! On the opposite end of the piazza from the fountain on the corner was a store with wonderful dishes, etc. in the most beautiful bright colors. I bought so many gifts there and had them shipped home. It was like Christmas when my box arrived......
    Such good memories.....I love Rome!

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  13. Just thought of something else. When we were in the piazza they were doing some construction on one side and they had a screen on the side of the buildings with paintings on it like the buildings look....covering the construction up...it was so remarkable.

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  14. What a wonderful post! Thanks for sharing all those beautiful pictures. I'm so excited to find your blog through Retired English Teacher and to hear about your adventures retiring to a new country!

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  15. Pat, No one seems to love her like I do!

    Jenny, Welcome to my blog. It's all pretty amazing!

    Nanny, I've seen that in other places in Rome as well. It is remarkable.

    Kathy, Welcome! I'm having a great time. Are you thinking about moving?

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