Day 12: Roman Art
Borghese Gallery ~ Bernini, The Rape of Proserpina, 1622
When we entered the Borghese Gallery for the first ticket time of the day we didn't expect to end up first in line, but we did, and it was one of the best things to happen to us on our trip. We entered the first gallery they directed us to and this was the only statue in the middle of a gorgeous room! We stepped through the doorway to this beautiful sculpture, all to ourselves, and it literally took my breath away. It was just the 3 of us with this masterpiece. As my breath caught while I marveled at its beauty. I remember thinking to myself how I needed to remember that moment, keep it in my mind's eye, for the rest of my life. WOW!
The Borghese Gallery is a beautiful villa set in some surrounding gardens. The art we saw was commissioned for the rooms they are in by the luxury-loving, cardinal and pope producing, Borghese family. Cardinal Scipione Borghese (1576-1633) created the villa as a place near the city where he could showcase his fine art while schmoozing with the VIPs of his age. Now that I've seen it, the Borghese Gallery really is a must-see in Rome.
Pro-Tip: Book your timed entry ahead online (all the details are in Rick's Rome book), but make sure to start checking far ahead of the day you need so you don't miss them and they sell out on you. I start checking at least 6 months ahead to get a feel for how far ahead of any given date tickets go on sale, but it isn't always on an exact time table, especially in Italy:) As you get closer to your date start checking more often.
National Museum of Rome
The National Museum of Rome gives a good overview of the Roman empire. It has the best collection of ancient Roman statuary. They were Greek originals preserved by Roman copies. The museum follows Rome's history as it changes from a republic to an empire, then through the empire's slow decline, and ends with frescoes and mosaics.
Baths of Diocletian/Santa Maria Degli Angeli
The Baths of Diocletian were the granddaddy of all the grandest structures the Romans built. They were built by the Emperor Diocletian around 300 AD and sprawled over 30 acres! The impressive remnant left of the bath complex was transformed with the help of Michelangelo into a church, and what a church! Most of it occupies the central hall of the bath which is the size of a football field. The eight red granite columns are five feet in girth and truly gigantic. It is also home to La Meridiana which was imbedded in the floor in 1702 in the right transept. It acts as a sundial from a tiny hole high in the wall. The zodiac panels in the floor are wonderful, make sure to take a look if you visit.
La Bottega Ristorante
This restaurant is listed in Rick's Rome guidebook with 3 others along Via Flavia. With where we were staying it was only a 10 minute walk, and so was attractive to be able to just walk to and from the hotel quickly. With 3 of us we got a bottle of wine and ordered a sausage and cheese board to share before the main meal.