Ettore Roesler Franz and Bygone Rome |
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Still in the 1800s only poor houses of fishermen were to be found here and, despite being located within the city walls, the place really looked as a suburban district. Roesler Franz's painting shows the desolated yet picturesque riverside. Its unpaved road was almost at the same level of the water [1], with no protection; in the case of high tide, the slums in the background [2] would have easily been submerged up to the first floor, or above. |
Senator's Palace and Milizie Tower |
Far away in the distance two towers [3] rise above the low skyline: they are (from the left) the one belonging to Senators Palace, i.e. Rome's Town Hall on Capitolium Hill, and the medieval Milizie Tower at the back of Trajan's markets. Today the district is still scarsely inhabited, but much busier than once, and the overall look of the place is much more lively. The street level has considerably risen, after the making of the protective walls, which keep the actual river bank separated, about 8 metres below. Despite the trees, the two towers are still visible in the distance: after all, despite the many alterations, at least Rome's skyline has luckily never changed much. |
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