AURELIAN'S WALLS - Part I

As soon as you come back crossing the bridge, just passed the right baluster, take the narrow path going downhill towards the outer ring of Villa Borghese's riding track. For about 250 metres the walls will be partially out of sight because of some bushes. Along this short stretch, the walls surround the east side of Villa Medici (read more about it in Legendary Rome, page 3). Keep following the path, until you come to a barrier: just beyond this point you will notice a post with a red "M" sign; this is one of the many accesses to Spagna subway station. Follow its underground passage, turning right, then left (a detail is in the red square of the map): at the top of the stairs you will find yourself on the other side of via del Muro Torto, very close to the wall. Notice the protruding towers with a rectangular base, still standing along many stretches of Aurelian's walls; they were built at a short distance one from the other, so that anybody attacking the city would have been within the range of one or even two of these placements.	one of the towers along the wall

As soon as you come back crossing the bridge, just passed the right baluster, take the narrow path going downhill towards the outer ring of Villa Borghese's riding track. For about 250 metres the walls will be partially out of sight because of some bushes. Along this short stretch, the walls surround the east side of Villa Medici (read more about it in Legendary Rome, page 3).
Keep following the path, until you come to a barrier: just beyond this point you will notice a post with a red "M" sign; this is one of the many accesses to Spagna subway station. Follow its underground passage, turning right, then left (a detail is in the red square of the map): at the top of the stairs you will find yourself on the other side of via del Muro Torto, very close to the wall.
Notice the protruding towers with a rectangular base, still standing along many stretches of Aurelian's walls; they were built at a short distance one from the other, so that anybody attacking the city would have been within the range of one or even two of these placements.

one of the towers along the wall

The road keeps gently climbing for about 200 metres or yards, before reaching the second gate, Porta Pinciana, enclosed between two stout round towers.

Porta Pinciana has the typical shape of a 5th century gate	In the early 5th century, when the city of Rome began to be frequently sieged by barbarian populations, this gate, as well as several others, was faced with a thick layer of white stone, in order to strengthen the old brick wall; before the actual archway, a portcullis was fitted, operated from a chamber located above; its rails ran on both sides within the thickness of the stone layer. By Porta Pinciana, the aforesaid structural elements are still clearly visible. Move to the inner side: from this spot starts via Veneto, the street that became worldwide famous after Federico Fellini's film "La Dolce Vita". The noble Ludovisi family once owned this area: here the family's villa stood, with its vast private gardens (30 hectares, or 74 acres!); its avenues were decorated with about 80 ancient statues and reliefs, some of which rather important. When the Italian state acquired whole estate (c.1880), the villa was dismantled for the making of a new residential district, which was given the name of the family.

Porta Pinciana has the typical shape of a 5th century gate

In the early 5th century, when the city of Rome began to be frequently sieged by barbarian populations, this gate, as well as several others, was faced with a thick layer of white stone, in order to strengthen the old brick wall; before the actual archway, a portcullis was fitted, operated from a chamber located above; its rails ran on both sides within the thickness of the stone layer. By Porta Pinciana, the aforesaid structural elements are still clearly visible.
Move to the inner side: from this spot starts via Veneto, the street that became worldwide famous after Federico Fellini's film "La Dolce Vita".
The noble Ludovisi family once owned this area: here the family's villa stood, with its vast private gardens (30 hectares, or 74 acres!); its avenues were decorated with about 80 ancient statues and reliefs, some of which rather important. When the Italian state acquired whole estate (c.1880), the villa was dismantled for the making of a new residential district, which was given the name of the family.

The collection of statues was then housed in the National Roman Museum, where it is still held.

the Casino dell'Aurora (↑) and Belisarius' bust (→) are scarce remains of the no longer extant Villa Ludovisi	Only a pavillion was left standing, called Casino dell'Aurora after a famous fresco by Guercino (1621) representing the goddess of dawn on a flying chariot; regretfully, the site is not open to visitors. Very few remains of Villa Ludovisi can still be seen along Aurelian's wall: opposite via Marche, an oval niche encloses a huge marble bust, said to represent the famous Byzantine general Belisarius, who lived in the 6th century (but probably featuring the Greek king Alexander the Great), while opposite via Abbruzzi a small public fountain bears the Latin inscription Fons Ludovisia ("Ludovisi Fountain").

Avoid the heavy traffic on corso d'Italia, and follow the quiet via Campania: here you can see how the inner side of the wall has a walkable passage, which connected the many defensive towers. Once you have reached via Romagna (easily told, because of a rather modern building by the corner), pass again on the outer side, where the wall features a curious memory of the harsh battle fought in 1870 by the Italian army besieging Rome, still under the pope's rule. Crossing the broad thoroughfare corso d'Italia, and looking more or less towards the centre of the second tower, you will easily notice a breach [map ref. d] made by a cannon shot. Look carefully: the cannon ball is still there, tightly stuck in the wall!	the inner passage by Porta Pinciana

Avoid the heavy traffic on corso d'Italia, and follow the quiet via Campania: here you can see how the inner side of the wall has a walkable passage, which connected the many defensive towers.
Once you have reached via Romagna (easily told, because of a rather modern building by the corner), pass again on the outer side, where the wall features a curious memory of the harsh battle fought in 1870 by the Italian army besieging Rome, still under the pope's rule. Crossing the broad thoroughfare corso d'Italia, and looking more or less towards the centre of the second tower, you will easily notice a breach [map ref. d] made by a cannon shot. Look carefully: the cannon ball is still there, tightly stuck in the wall!

the inner passage by Porta Pinciana

the cannon ball, stuck in the tower	Keep following via Campania, and when the street comes to an end, by via Lucania, turn again along the outer side, up to a large square, piazza Fiume, where the wall is now missing [map ref. 3]: this was the site of the third gate, Porta Salaria. After being damaged by the gunning in 1870, the gate soon became a problem for the rapidly growing traffic, so by the end of the 19th century it was simply taken down; it is now poorly remembered by a large plaque, in the middle of the road's paving. This gate stood along via Salaria, leading to Sabina region, in the north-east (see map of ROME'S ANCIENT SURROUNDINGS): along this road the Romans traded salt (sal, in Latin, whence its name) with the local population. Still today the road is called Salaria, and follows its original direction. On the opposite side of the road, where the wall starts again, you will notice a small area [map ref. e] enclosed by an iron railing, between via Piave and via Sulpicio Massimo.

the cannon ball, stuck in the tower

Keep following via Campania, and when the street comes to an end, by via Lucania, turn again along the outer side, up to a large square, piazza Fiume, where the wall is now missing [map ref. 3]: this was the site of the third gate, Porta Salaria.
After being damaged by the gunning in 1870, the gate soon became a problem for the rapidly growing traffic, so by the end of the 19th century it was simply taken down; it is now poorly remembered by a large plaque, in the middle of the road's paving. This gate stood along via Salaria, leading to Sabina region, in the north-east (see map of ROME'S ANCIENT SURROUNDINGS): along this road the Romans traded salt (sal, in Latin, whence its name) with the local population. Still today the road is called Salaria, and follows its original direction.

On the opposite side of the road, where the wall starts again, you will notice a small area [map ref. e] enclosed by an iron railing, between via Piave and via Sulpicio Massimo.

*Quintus Sulpicius Maximus' memorial stone*	On this spot stood the tomb of Quintus Sulpicius Maximus, a gifted young boy of the late 1st century AD; despite his age, he was the winner of an important poetry contest, but died soon later, aged 11. The ancient memorial stone, in white marble, once incorporated in the lost Porta Salaria, and now standing over some remains just behind the iron railing, is inscribed with the young poet's composition. Just round the corner, almost at the top of the wall, a small structure, in the shape of a half cylinder supported by short stone brackets, bulges from the brick texture [map ref. f]. This was a *necessarium*, actually... a toilet for the soldiers on guard! Once there were many of these along the original walls, but now this is probably the only one left in place.	the necessarium; note how also here the artillery in 1870 left evident damages