The Pantheon was a pagan temple dedicated to all gods, commissioned by Marcus Agrippa. It was meant to impress by its unprecedented dimensions and shape and was heavily decorated, in contrast with the austere interior we see now. It was probably very colorful, with stars painted on the ceiling, statues in every niche and golden […]

The forum was the most important public place in ancient Rome, an open space surrounded by columns and statues of revered historic figures, in which the local elite could meet to discuss politics, raise popular support, take part in elections and make commerce. Temples and political institutions surrounded the forum. A term somewhat misleading for […]

Though he appears only briefly in the Iliad, the Trojan priest Laocoon comes to represent the voice of reason. He is the one that warns the Trojans of the wooden horse trick that would lead to the destruction of the city. The Trojan war is the most important and most complex myth of ancient Greek […]

The majestic monument of reunification is at the end of one of the most important boulevard, Via del Corso, close to the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, Capitoline and Palatine Hill, the most important historic hill of ancient Rome. Thousands of years of history surround us here and this impressive masterpiece rises up to the task […]

Garibaldi is the most celebrated Italian historic figure, with monuments, streets and public squares in almost every city of the country. Giuseppe Garibaldi is the artisan of Italy’s unification in today’s borders, or the Risorgimento, as the process was known. The reunification started in the aftermath of the defeat of Napoleon. The reactionary monarchs of […]

The conquest of Dacia by the Romans was such an important event for the empire, that Trajan payed for a nonstop party of 123 days at the Colosseum. Following the Latin motto “bread and circus”, the show was on a grandiose scale: 10.000 gladiators fought 11.000 wild animals during it. To put it in today’s […]

Not as famous and rich as Madame Tussauds, the wax museum in Rome (Museo delle Cere) has some interesting exhibits, of which you can see some here. Francis of Assisi: is the founder of the Franciscan order, a numerous community of monks that follow the lifestyle of this Italian saint. He gave up what was […]

Johann Wolfgang Goethe was not only the foremost German writer, but also a European spirit, who invented the concept of universal literature, due to his interest in foreign writings. Goethe stayed in Italy for two years in his 30′ and was greatly influenced by his experience throughout the peninsula. He was especially conquered by the […]

Along with Piazza di Spagna, the Colosseum, the Vatican or Victor Emmanuel Palace, Fontana di Trevi is a major tourist attraction that is not to be missed when in the eternal city of Rome. The name of Fontana di Trevi does not come from a specific character as one might think, but from two Italian […]

The Biopark, or the Zoo Garden, is a fraction of the vast park called Villa Borghese, the second largest green area o Rome. The zoo garden was established a century ago and a decade ago was reinvented as a natural reservation with as little fences as securely possible. By a clever system of ditches and […]