Rome's Historical Districts - X

the Temple of Saturn (497 BC) is one of the most ancient buildings in the Roman Forum	BOUNDARY Piazza di San Marco; via di San Marco; vicolo degli Astalli; via dell'Aracoeli; via Margana; piazza Margana; via dei Delfini; via Cavalletti; piazza di Campitelli; via Montanara; via del Teatro di Marcello; via di Monte Caprino; vico Jugario; piazza della Consolazione; via dei Fienili; via di San Teodoro; piazza di Santa Anastasia; via dei Cerchi; piazza del Circo Massimo; via di San Gregorio; via dei Fori Imperiali.

MAIN FEATURES (the black numbers in brackets refer to the map below) Campitelli is probably the most "touristic" among the rioni, and the least inhabited, because it includes the Roman Forum [1] and the Palatine Hill [2], archaeological sites which, together, cover about 60% of the district's surface.	view of the Roman Forum from its eastern side

	Originally, in pre-Roman times this was only a swampy valley. Then, when the tribes who lived on top of the surrounding hills around the 9th century BC, during the Iron Age, began to meet and hold their market here, this area gradually became the very heart of the ancient city's public life. Even the name Forum probably comes from the archaic Latin word foras ("away from home, out"), as this neutral ground was for all the early people who came to the market.

During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, most of its many temples and statues collapsed, and were buried under rubble, so that up to the 19th century this area was used as Rome's cattle market, with the name Campo Vaccino ("cattle field"). In 1921 Campitelli lost a part of its original territory, which became an independent rione, Celio (R.XIX). Campitelli's crucial spot is the Capitolium [3], the smallest among Rome's seven hills, but the most important one for the political and religious life of the ancient city. It has two peaks, one slightly taller (properly called Capitolium), where in Roman times stood the city's main temple, sacred to Jupiter, Juno and Athena, and a peak called Arx, just lower than the first one. They are connected by a saddle, now corresponding to Capitolium Square. Still now this hill is considered the urban centerpoint: all road distances to and from Rome are measured from this spot.	Campo Vaccino before the excavations, etching by G.B.Piranesi

the Vittoriano	On one side of the Capitolium, what catches most the tourist's eye is the Vittoriano [4], (built from 1885 to 1911), an enormous memorial monument dedicated to Victor Emanuel II, king of Italy, under whose reign the unification of the country was carried out (1870). After WW I, it was also chosen as the site of the Unknown Soldier's Tomb (war memorial). The monument, though, was soon strongly criticized for obstructing important views such as the same Capitolium and the adjoining Roman Forum; its bright white mass also makes a rather sharp contrast with the warm colours of Rome's buildings. Its style is not Therefore, it was soon given several nicknames, such as "the wedding cake", "the typewriter", "the inkpot", and others.

Projects of removing it have been drafted in the past, but now Rome seems to have finally accepted this bulky monument as it is. The memorial's dimensions are incredibly large; for instance, the mounted statue of the king is so huge that before the works for its making were finished, a banquet was held inside the horse's body, attended by 21 high officers and by the same king Victor Emanuel III (grandson of Victor Emanuel II). A historical museum is housed inside the monument, while beautiful views over Rome can be enjoyed from the uppermost terraces and from the gallery, closed by very high columns. the towering monument of Victor Emanuel II, overlooking the city →

bronze head from a giant statue of emperor Constantine the Great	The two buildings on the opposite sides of the square house the Capitolium Museums, the first museum of antiquities in the world open to the general public (since 1734), and whose collection had been started by pope Sixtus IV in the late 1400s. The museum holds one of the most important collections of works of art of ancient Rome, particularly statues; some of the halls, decorated by distinguished artists of the 1500s, provide the exhibits with a lavish setting. In the courtyard of the left building is the leaning figure popularly known as Marforio, one of the so-called 'talking statues', see Curious and Unusual, page 2).	Marcus Aurelius (a faithful replica); the original, endangered by pollution, is in the museum

The large building with the tower at the bottom of the square, instead, is Senator's Palace, the see of Rome's Town Hall. In the center of the square stands the shining bronze statue of emperor Marcus Aurelius on horseback, replaced by a copy after pollution and bad weather had damaged the original Roman one, recently restored. In ancient times it was gilded, but quite soon most of the thin layer of gold came off, only a few patches remaining here and there. During the Middle Ages, the common people began to believe that it was slowly turning gold again. This gave origin to a very popular legend, by which when all the statue would have been covered with gold, the 'owl' (actually, a tuft of hair on the horse's head) would have sung, announcing the end of the city of Rome.	the inside of the ancient Senate

The large building with the tower at the bottom of the square, instead, is Senator's Palace, the see of Rome's Town Hall.

In the center of the square stands the shining bronze statue of emperor Marcus Aurelius on horseback, replaced by a copy after pollution and bad weather had damaged the original Roman one, recently restored. In ancient times it was gilded, but quite soon most of the thin layer of gold came off, only a few patches remaining here and there. During the Middle Ages, the common people began to believe that it was slowly turning gold again. This gave origin to a very popular legend, by which when all the statue would have been covered with gold, the 'owl' (actually, a tuft of hair on the horse's head) would have sung, announcing the end of the city of Rome.

the inside of the ancient Senate

Behind the Town Hall, a small balcony overlooks the whole Roman Forum and one side of the Palatine; on the other side of the hill, not seen from this spot, are many remains of considerable interest, such as emperor Augustus' palace. In fact, ancient Rome's rulers dwelt on top of the hill, whose Latin name Palatium also meant "palace".

Adjoining the Capitolium's square, though also reachable via a separate flight of 124 steps from the bottom of the hill, is the 14th century church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli [5]. Its name means "Altar of Heaven", after the legend by which emperor Augustus was told that the altar of God's son would have stood here.

Santa Maria in Aracoeli	More likely, it derived from a corruption of arx (in archaic Italian arce, "stronghold"), which is the name of the lower peak of the Capitolium Hill, over which the church rests. Its coffered ceiling, covered with finely carved wooden panels in colour, was made to celebrate the naval victory of admiral Marcantonio Colonna in the Battle of Lepanto, fought against the Turkish fleet in 1571. Among other noticeable art works found in this church are a chapel covered with frescoes by Pinturicchio (1486) and the tombs of Luca Savelli (partly built using a frieze from an ancient Roman sarcophagus) and of his son Iacopo, who became pope Honorius IV (1285-87), both of which bearing the family's coat of arms in Cosmatesque style (mosaic).	Pinturicchio's frescoes in San Bernardino's chapel

At the end of the left transept of the church, in another chapel, a small figure carved in wood dating to the 15th century used to be on display. It featured the Baby Jesus and was popularly known as the 'Aracoeli's Child'. The faithful believed that the figure, which was richly dressed and adorned with jewels, had a healing power over every disease, up to the point that, in the past, an order of friars used to hold processions and carry it to the houses of sick people who suffered from any serious illness. But the enormous popularity of this statue did not help it from being stolen, only a few years ago. While the original is still being sought for, a faithful copy has been made. And just as the old statue did, it keeps receiving offerings and letters from many cities, some of which are on display in the same chapel.	the double staircase leading to the Town Hall (right) and to Santa Maria in Aracoeli (left), in an etching by G.B.Piranesi

At the end of the left transept of the church, in another chapel, a small figure carved in wood dating to the 15th century used to be on display. It featured the Baby Jesus and was popularly known as the 'Aracoeli's Child'. The faithful believed that the figure, which was richly dressed and adorned with jewels, had a healing power over every disease, up to the point that, in the past, an order of friars used to hold processions and carry it to the houses of sick people who suffered from any serious illness. But the enormous popularity of this statue did not help it from being stolen, only a few years ago. While the original is still being sought for, a faithful copy has been made. And just as the old statue did, it keeps receiving offerings and letters from many cities, some of which are on display in the same chapel.

piazza dell'Aracoeli - etching (late 1700s)

the double staircase leading to the Town Hall (right) and to
Santa Maria in Aracoeli (left), in an etching by G.B.Piranesi

the 'Aracoeli's Child'

Below the staircase are the remains of an ancient four-storey Roman house (insula, in Latin) datable to the 2nd century AD, resting at a ground level much lower than the present one. Among the fragments of Roman age mingle the even fewer traces of a 14th century church, i.e. a small badly preserved fresco and traces of a belltower, which had been built over the remains of the house in the late Middle Ages.

fresco of the medieval church built over the roman house	the tomb of Bibulus

Instead on the other side of the huge Vittoriano memorial are the remains of the tomb of Gaius Publicius Bibulus, an aedile (officer in charge for the maintenance of public buildings), who lived in the 1st century BC. The owner's name can be read at the back of the monument, along the top part of the base, which is still interred for most of its height. Tarpea (centre) being slain by Sabine soldiers, part of a relief in the Roman Forum	the Tarpeian Rock

Instead on the other side of the huge Vittoriano memorial are the remains of the tomb of Gaius Publicius Bibulus, an aedile (officer in charge for the maintenance of public buildings), who lived in the 1st century BC. The owner's name can be read at the back of the monument, along the top part of the base, which is still interred for most of its height.

Tarpea (centre) being slain by Sabine soldiers, part of a relief in the Roman Forum

the Tarpeian Rock

On the opposite side of the Capitolium Hill is a particularly steep and rough spot, called the Tarpeian Rock [6]: here in Rome's early days, convicts sentenced to death for treason were tumbled down. Its name comes from Tarpea, the mythical daughter of the Capitolium's warden, who in the 8th century BC betrayed her people, by showing the way to the fortified hill to the Sabine soldiers, in war with Rome; but the same soldiers killed her after having been given the information.

Two churches that stand along the north-eastern boundary of Campitelli district are Santi Cosma e Damiano [7] and Santa Francesca Romana [8]. The first one features a wonderful 6th century mosaic; the sight of its deep blue background inspires a sense of awe, also because in the 1600s the church was largely refurbished, and its floor level considerably raised, so the mosaic is now looked at from a much shorter distance than in the original building.			↑ above: the inside of the Temple of God Romulus; ← left: apsidal mosaic of Santi Cosma e Damiano

At the opposite end of the church, i.e. where the façade should normally be, a large glass panel closes the nave, revealing the inside of the Temple of God Romulus (4th century), some 5-6 metres below the ground level; in fact, the temple, whose front part belongs to the Roman Forum, was annexed and used as a vestibule by the early church.

A mosaic and other interesting works of art are also found in Santa Francesca Romana, another church built at the southern end of the Roman Forum in the 10th century, originally called Santa Maria Nova.

via dei Fori Imperiali - Santa Francesca Romana's church

Its name was changed in the mid 1400s, when one of Rome's most popular saints was buried there (further notes about Francesca Romana de' Ponziani can be found in The Ancestors Of Rome's Dialect, part III). She is now considered co-saint patron of Rome, together with St.Peter and St.Paul, and also saint patron of all vehicle drivers, the reason for which on March 9, the day of her death, a crowd of cars crams by the church, to receive a special blessing.

features from the church of Santa Francesca Romana ← left late medieval tomb of cardinal Marino Vulcani (1394); right → the body of the saint, on display in the crypt

On the opposite side of the district, facing the Capitolium Hill, is Tor de' Specchi monastery, where the saint spent the last years of her life as an abbess; it is a long 15th century complex, whose visit is allowed very few times a year, on the saint's day (March 9) and on the two following Sundays. It includes two halls covered with stunning fresco paintings of the late 1400s, which painter Antoniazzo Romano is credited for, featuring many episodes of the saint's life. More details about these paintings can be found in The Ancestors Of Rome's Dialect, part III.	Tor de' Specchi monastery

On the opposite side of the district, facing the Capitolium Hill, is Tor de' Specchi monastery, where the saint spent the last years of her life as an abbess; it is a long 15th century complex, whose visit is allowed very few times a year, on the saint's day (March 9) and on the two following Sundays. It includes two halls covered with stunning fresco paintings of the late 1400s, which painter Antoniazzo Romano is credited for, featuring many episodes of the saint's life. More details about these paintings can be found in The Ancestors Of Rome's Dialect, part III.

Tor de' Specchi monastery