Revealed Rome

Can You Guess Where, and What, These Little Bits of Roman Antiquity Are?

It's no secret that Rome is a city chock-full of the ancient past. Reminders of a city, and empire, of 2,000 years ago aren't just rife in the Forum, Palatine and Colosseum, but beneath churches like the Basilica of San Clemente and San Nicola in Carcere, acting as the main event in open spaces like the Park of the Aqueducts, and even serving as forums for everything from ballet and opera to light shows and displays. In short, ruins are everywhere.

Maybe that's why some of my favorite ancient ruins in Rome aren't the big, famous monuments. They're the little bits of antiquity that you simply stumble across: an ancient column sunk into the wall of an otherwise-unassuming apartment building, a still-running fountain with a wornaway face that you just know must be 2,000 years old. These can be tough to find. That's part of the fun.

Here, I'll share with you my favorite "secret" bits of antiquity, tucked into street corners and buildings all across the city.

Can you guess where—and what—they are?

I've now published all of the guesses in the "Comments." To see how close you were, scroll to the bottom of this page for the answers!

Ready? Set? ...Go!

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The Tombs of the Scipioni Reopen in Rome

Excellent news: After being closed for 20 years, the 2,300-year-old tombs of the Scipio family have been reopened to the public. More over at my post for the New York Times here.

Yes, You Can Buy Colosseum Underground Tours Online. But It Remains Closed

In mid-October, the Colosseum announced it would keep the hypogeum and third level open through the end of December. And then, just a few days later, it announced that, actually, the underground was closing—thanks to the flooding of the delicate underground area.

Let's make one thing clear: Since late October, the Colosseum underground has remained closed. There has not been any announcement about when, or if, it will reopen this winter.

But if, having done some research online, you're confused about if that's actually the case, I don't blame you. Here's why: You can still "buy" the underground tour online.

Different tour companies offer tours of the Colosseum underground. The first, Walks of Italy—which I freelance for—immediately stopped selling its VIP Colosseum tour, which included the underground as well as the third tier, Forum and Palatine, as soon as the Colosseum's underground closed. In other words, you can no longer book the Colosseum underground tour on their site.

Confusingly, however, Dark Rome is still selling the Colosseum underground tour—and in their tour description, there isn't any mention of the fact that the underground is currently closed (and has been for weeks). (Like Walks of Italy, their tour also includes the Palatine, Forum and the rest of the Colosseum). Even when I clicked all the way through to the checkout to buy the tour, there was no mention that the underground is closed.

The Colosseum Underground, Now Open Through December

The Colosseum has just announced—already!—that it's keeping the underground and third tier open through December.

That's particularly surprising news (in a good way), since some of us, myself included, thought they'd close the underground over the winter, as they did last year. Or close the areas temporarily while they started restoration work. But no... which is good news for all of those excited to see the hypogeum and third level!

[Update: I spoke too soon. Please see this Nov. 27 post about the closure of the Colosseum underground from Nov. 27 2011 for a full update.]

The new details:

From Oct. 30-Dec. 31, English tours will run at 9:40am, 12:40pm, 1pm, and 2:20pm. If you go with a tour with an official Colosseum guide (a 2-hour tour that includes only the Colosseum, with the underground and third level), the price is €21.50, including the €1.50 booking fee. The maximum group size for each tour is 25 people. Call +39 06 39967700 to book; here's a Q&A on how to book with the Colosseum and what the underground tour includes.

Since the Colosseum guides can be quite dry, remember that you also have other options, including underground Colosseum tours with livelier guides from Walks of Italy or a tour with Dark Rome.

Any questions? Ask away in the comments!    

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Twelve of My Favorite Churches in Rome

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Twelve of My Favorite Churches in Rome

Rome's churches aren't just holy sites. They're treasure troves of painting and sculpture, mosaic and relics, even ancient ruins. Oh, and they're free.

Of course, there are also hundreds of them. Literally. Which can make it a little tough to figure out which ones you should visit.

Here, my list of 12 that, whether because of their ancient ruins or 12th-century mosaics, happen to fascinate me the most. And just to make everything even easier for you, here's a Google map of all of the churches' locations. Just make sure to double-check the opening times: There's nothing more disappointing than arriving at a Rome church midday, only to find it (or a key part of it) closed!

Basilica of Santa Sabina: A 5th-century church that still has its original, elaborately-carved wooden door and mosaic dedication, a cell belonging to St. Dominic that was turned into a chapel by Bernini, and underground 4th- to 2nd-century B.C. ruins. What more could you want?

San Lorenzo fuori le Mura: A 5th-century church with vibrant Byzantine mosaics, the remains of St. Lawrence, St. Stephen and St. Justin, 13th-century frescoes on the exterior (below), and the slab on which Lawrence was ostensibly grilled to death in the 3rd century.

At—and Under—San Nicola in Carcere, Three Republican-Era Temples

The Basilica of San Nicola in Carcere is way more than just another cool underground site in Rome.

That's because while the church's subterranean ruins are neat—and more on them in a moment—one of the most interesting things about San Nicola is that you don't have to go underground, or even inside, to see the church's ancient origins.

Just look closely at the exterior (pictured above*). See those columns on the left (pictured again below)? Those are from the Temple of Spes, or Hope, built all the way back in 250 B.C. The two middle columns, which blend into the current facade of the basilica? They're from the middle temple, built in honor of Juno in the 2nd century B.C. and rebuilt in 90 B.C. And the columns all the way on the right? They're the remnants of the Temple of Janus, the god of gates and beginnings, dating to a restoration by Tiberius in 17 A.D.

Unlike in other churches around Rome, these columns aren't ancient because they were brought here as part of the basilica construction. Instead, they were here first. And the church was simply built right into them.

Confirmed: The Colosseum Underground and Third Tier Are Open Through October

Update, October 2011: The Colosseum has just announced that the underground and third level will remain open through... Dec. 31!

After weeks of wondering whether the Colosseum underground and third level would be open in October, good news: They are. Colosseum management Pierreci just confirmed the hypogeum and third tier opening through the month.

As before, these areas are open only to those on specified tours, and must be booked in advance. (The official, Colosseum-run tour, which is one of several options that I explain in the next link, is about an hour long. It includes only these new areas, although the guide will of course be talking about the Colosseum in general, and you'll be left in the Colosseum itself afterwards to explore the rest on your own). Here is more information on the different tours available of the Colosseum underground; here are some photos of what to expect of the Colosseum's underground and top tier.

I'll be updating this post with more information as it comes in—such as whether the areas will be open in November—so keep checking back here.

 

Rome's Coolest, Most Cutting-Edge Ancient Underground Site

The (many) archaeological sites in Rome are fantastic. For most, though, you need to use your imagination to picture what those crumbling ruins once looked like. And for those who aren't ancient-history experts -- or who aren't particularly passionate about the whole ruins thing to begin with -- that can be a little tough. Even for sites as amazing as the Colosseum and its underground.

Enter Palazzo Valentini.

You probably haven't heard of the underground ruins beneath this 16th-century palazzo in the heart of Rome. But you should. Not only are they of two opulent Imperial-era villas, still with their gorgeous inlaid marble floors and mosaics, but they've been presented in a way you don't see anywhere else in Rome. As you walk through them, they're actually recreated before your very eyes, thanks to skillfully-done light shows. It's like what Rome does to the Ara Pacis to make it come alive, except with entire ancient homes.

It's all very 21st-century. Very not-what-you'd-expect-in-Rome. And very, very cool. To be completely honest, it blew me away... so much so that, since the exhibition/show/ruin/whatever-you'd-call-it opened last fall, I've been three times.

The Five Best Ways to Beat the Heat in Rome

In case you haven't heard, it is really, very, ridiculously warm in Rome right now; this week, temperatures are hitting 95°F. And even if you're coming in the "fall," don't kid yourself: The heat traditionally continues into September.

Visiting the Eternal City during the hottest months? Here, five top tips for beating the heat in Rome. 

Head underground. It's always much cooler in the subterranean world -- sometimes so much cooler, you'll wish you brought another layer. The best part? Since 60 percent of the ancient city of Rome remains buried underground, some of the best sites in the city are down there! Consider the catacombs, ancient underground cemeteries where thousands of Christians were buried; booking a (super-cheap) visit to the Columbarium of Pomponio Hylas; or the underground of the Basilica of San Clemente (bonus: the church itself is naturally cool, too), among many other sites.

Start going to church. Rome's churches aren't just religious sites: They're treasure troves of art, history, and architecture. Thanks to their thick stone walls and shaded spaces, they're also naturally air-conditioned (yay!). Find cooler temperatures and get away from the crowd by heading to the ancient Basilica of Santa Sabina (complete with 5th-century door); the Gothic gem of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, right near the Pantheon (above); or the Basilica of Santi Quattro Coronati, with its 13th-century frescoes. And that's just for starters.

Sightsee at night. The hottest hours in Rome tend to be from about noon to 5pm -- prime time for sightseeing. So instead of trudging around in the heat, check for any "extraordinary openings" of sites at night:

The Colosseum Opens at Night

We'll add it to the list of cool ways to see the Colosseum: The Colosseum is now open at night.

Every Saturday until September 17, the Colosseum will be open from 8:20pm to midnight. (Last entrance is at 10:45pm). It costs €18 to visit the Colosseum and the Colosseum's "Nero" exhibition, or €23 to also visit the Colosseum underground, with a guide. To book, call +39 0639967700. For more information (in Italian), click here.