Overview of Roman History

Ar ch ite ct: Fr an ce sco d e S an ct i s ( 16 79 1 73 1) Da te , L ocat ion , an d De s cr ip t ion : C om p l eted in 17 25 , th e Sp an i sh Step s for m th e w id est sta ir c as e in Eu r op e , th i s m on u m en ta l s ca l in ata con s is ts o f 1 38 step s c l i m b in g th e s teep s lop e b etwe en th e P i azz a d i S p agn a an d th e Tr in it a d ei M on t i ch u r ch . Fu n d s f or th e p r oj ect wer e p r ov id ed b y a Fr en ch d i p lom at to l in k tw o str u ctu r es at th e top of th e h i ll sp ec if ic a ll y , th e B ou r b on Sp an i sh E m b as s y an d th e ch u r ch b es id e it wh ich wa s u n d er th e p atr on ag e o f th e B ou r b on k in gs of Fr a n c e to th e Ho ly S ee in Pa la zzo M on ald esc h i b e low . W ith it s e le g an t b u t ter f l y p lan , th e s q u ar e at th e b a se o f th e Sp an i sh Step s h as b een a con gr e g at in g sp ot for t ou r i sts s in ce Ren a is s an ce t im es . It c on ta in s a fou n t a in attr ib u ted to th e fath er of Gi an Lor en zo B er n in i . Th e in ter sec t i n g r am p s an d fan s o f th e s ta ir ca se cr ea te a b r i ll i an t tr an s it ion to a vi al e wh ich in tu r n r a m p s u p to th e P in c io , an im p r e ss i ve l y lan d sc ap e d h i l ltop .

In lat e sp r in g , th e Sp an i sh Step s ar e co ver ed w i th p ots of a za le as , b u sk er s , an d tou r is ts r est in g in th e su n . Th e in com p ar ab l e En gl i sh p o e t Jo h n Ke at s sp en t th e la st m on th s o f h is l if e ( 18 21 ) in th i s n e i gh b or h ood , Ten n e ss ee W i ll i am s u s e d it as th e se tt in g for h i s n o ve l la The Rom an S p ri ng of M rs . S tone , an d B ob D y lan m en t ion s it i n th e so n g W h en I P a in t M y M a st er p ie ce.

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Ar ch ite ct: Ni col a Sa l v i ( 16 97 1 75 1) Da te an d L ocat ion : Co m p le ted in 17 62 , th e Tr ev i Fou n t ain i s th e lar g est B ar oq u e wa ter wor k in Ro m e (ei gh ty -th r ee fee t h i gh b y 16 1 feet l o n g ) an d i s p r ob ab l y th e m os t f am ou s con str u c ti on o f its kin d in th e wo r ld . It i s loca ted at t h e ter m in a l p o in t o f th e V ir go Aq u ed u ct in th e Qu ir in a l Di str ict , wh ich i s n am ed fo r o n e of Rom e s se ve n h i l ls . De scr ip t ion : In sp ir ed b y th e An c ien t Ro m an tr iu m p h a l ar ch (s ee p a ge 1 1) , th e Tr e v i fou n t a in is f lam b o y an t an d th e atr i cal . Th e cen tr a l f i gu r e i s th e go d Nep tu n e f lan k ed b y two m i n or aq u a t i c d e it ies kn o wn as Tr iton s , o n e o f wh o m r e str a in s a r ear in g se a h or se wh i le t h e oth er st an d s b es id e a m or e d o ci le cr ea tu r e . T h i s p r esu m ab l y r ep r e sen t s th e two ex tr em e m ood s of th e sea . Th e fou n t a in s of Ro m e wer e g if ts to th e Ro m a n p u b l ic ov er th e c en tu r ie s fr om Pop e s an d n o b lem en co n cer n ed to p r o v id e a er ated , p o tab le wa ter s u p er ior to w h at cou ld b e d r awn fr o m we l l s. A s an u r b an d eve lop m en t sch e m e , t h e p r o l i fer at io n o f su ch m on u m en t s , r an g in g fr om th e or n ate to th e r u st ica ted , wit h w ater ou tp u t r an gi n g fr o m c as cad e s t o tr ic kle s , p r om o ted b o th h e al th an d c iv ic p r id e. Th e Tr e v i Fou n ta i n h as b een u sed a s a b a ckd r o p in m an y fi lm s , m o st m em or ab l y L a Do lc e Vi ta b y Fed er ico Fe l l in i ( 19 20 - 19 93 ). Tr ad i ti o n h o ld s th at i f a tou r ist to sse s a co in in to th e Tr e v i, h e i s gu ar an te ed a r etu r n v is it t o Ro m e.

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Da te an d L ocat ion : B et ween 17 7 5 an d 1 81 4 / T h e F lor en ce M u seu m of Zoolo g y an d N atu r a l H i s tor y Th i s ven er ab le in st itu t i o n i s b e tter kn o wn to l oca ls as L a Spe co la , or Th e Ob s er v ator y , b ase d on an astr o n om ica l r e se ar ch c en ter e st ab l i sh ed th er e b y Gr an d Du ke P ietr o - L eop old o o f L or r a in e (1 7 97 18 7 0) an d a T ri bun a d i Ga l il eo ad d ed b y G iu se p p e M a r tel l i ( 1 79 2 - 1 8 76) Ar t is ts an d De scr ip t io n : Per h ap s th e m o s t b i za r r el y b e au t i fu l p ar t of L a Spe co la s od d co l lec ti on con s i st s o f a p p r ox im ate l y si x h u n d r ed wa x an a to m ica l m od el s h ou sed in ten g al ler ie s , a l l c op i ed fr om r ea l co r p se s b y scu lp to r s wo r kin g in t an d em w ith p h ys ic i an s . Th e m ost f am ou s w or ks in th is u n u su al m ed iu m , r em ar kab le fo r th e ir sc i en t if ic accu r a cy an d u sed for t each in g m ed i cin e , wer e e xecu ted b y Gaet an o Z u m b o ( 16 5 6 17 01 ) an d C lem en te Su sin i (1 79 6 18 14 ). A lth o u gh La S pe co la h a s a lw a ys b een d ev o ted to h i gh l y sp ec ia l i zed as p ects of sc ien t if ic in q u i r y , it co n ta in s th e old es t p u b l ic ga l ler ie s o f it s k in d an d f or m or e th an on e cen tu r y w as th e on l y p u b l ic ly acce ss ib le n atu r a l h isto r y m u seu m in th e wor l d . I m ys el f loo k for w ar d t o see in g th e in st itu te s stu ff ed h ip p op ot am u s, a S ev en te en th Cen tu r y M ed i ci fam i l y p et wh ich u se d to r o am fr e el y in th e n e ar b y B ob o li G ar d en s .

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Da tes : 15 28 - 1 87 0 Loca ti on : Th e Cap u c h in Cr yp t b en e ath th e ch u r ch o f S an t a M ar i a d el la Con c ez ion e d e i Cap p u c cin i o n th e V ia V en eto n ear th e Pi az za B ar b er in i in R om e De scr ip t ion : In se ver al sm a l l ch ap e ls th e ske le ta l r em a in s of ap p r ox im at el y 4 ,0 0 0 m on ks ar e n a il ed to th e wa l ls in (m o st ly ) in t r ic ate p atter n s , b y a n d l ar g e d is as sem b l ed an d gr ou p ed in wr e ath s o f ver t eb r ae , etc . Th er e a r e a lso h eap s o f u n sor ted b on e s an d u n exp ec ted l y fu n ct ion al u se s o f b on e s ( e.g . , as c h an d e l ier s ). Ar t is ts : Th e m on k s wh o est ab li sh ed th is ch u r ch in 1 63 1 b r ou gh t 30 0 w a gon s fu l l o f d ecea sed fr iar s fr om th eir p r ev iou s m on as te r y. Pop e Ur b a n VI I I ( 15 68 1 64 4) or d er ed s oi l to b e sh ip p ed fr om Jer u s a lem for th e in ter m e n t o f th ese sk el eton s . No cof f in s wer e u sed . Th r ou gh t h e la te Nin e teen t h Cen tu r y, ea ch ti m e a m on k d i ed , h e took th e p l ace in th e cr yp t s h o l y so il of th e o ld e st b u r ied m on k , wh os e s ea son ed b on es wer e th en in cor p or ated in t o th e over al l d es i gn p l an .

M an y f am ou s v is ito r s ( a s d if fer e n t in t em p er a m en t a s th e M ar q u i s d e S ad e a n d M ar k T wa in ) h a ve le ft wr it ten im p r e s si on s o f th eir v i si ts to th i s u n iq u e, b u t n ot in ten t ion al l y m or b id s ite . In th e ch ap el p i ctu r ed a b o ve , a s i gn in f i ve lan g u ag es r ead s , Wh at you ar e n o w w e u s ed to b e; wh at we ar e n o w you w i l l b e . I m ag es o f d ea th - in -th e - m id st -o f - l i fe st i ll ser ve m em b er s of m an y r el i g i ou s or d e r s as m ater i al for m ed it at i o n o n th e tr an s ito r y n a tu r e o f Na tu r e .

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Ar ch ite ct: G iu se p p e Sac co n i (1 85 4 19 05 ) Da te an d L ocat ion : 1 9 1 1 / Th e V itto r io Em an u e le M on u m en t i s s itu at e d b etw een th e P i az za V en ez ia an d th e C ap ito li n e H i ll . De scr ip t ion : A l so kn o w n as th e A lt ar o f th e F at h er l an d , or m or e f am i li ar l y as I l Vi ttor ian o , th i s m o n u m en t h o n or s V itto r io Em an u e le (1 82 0 1 87 8 / K in g o f Ita l y fr om 18 61 an d K in g o f a Un i f ied It al y fr o m 18 70 ). A s t h e in tr ep id le ad er o f th r ee wa r s f or i n d ep en d en ce , E m an u e le b ecam e th e p r in c i p a l sy m b o l o f th e R iso r g im en to . Th e m on u m en t i s b u i lt o f w h i te m ar b l e fr o m B ottoc in i, B r es ci a , an d s t an d s in st ar k co n tr a st t o th e m ar b l e o f th e For u m b e h in d it . M an y I ta l ian s f in d th i s con tr a st vu lg ar an d h a ve n i ckn a m ed th e str u c tu r e Th e Wed d in g C a ke . T h e b u i ld in g s o d d p r op o r tion s , com b in ed w ith i ts m an y st ep s an d Cor in th i an co lu m n s accou n t f o r an o th er d er o g ato r y n ickn am e , Th e T yp e wr iter . Th e gr ou n d f loor co n ta i n s a M u s eu m o f th e R is or g im en t o. An e le vat or to th e top p r o v id e s a cc ess to an exce l len t 3 60 d e gr ee p a n o r am a .

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Architect: Armando Brasini (1879 1965) Date and Location: 1943 / The Convent of the Buon Pastore, Rome Description: Brasini is one of the least-acknowledged geniuses of Twentieth Century Italian Design, and the NeoBaroque movement within which he worked is also underappreciated. This is an easily-explained historical phenomenon: the simplicity and sleekness of most Twentieth Century architecture combined with its who cares? and/or shock value aesthetic -- virtually eclipsed the achievements of those who continued to pursue the unrealized possibilities of the Classical Tradition. Brasinis impressive body of work convincingly argues that the ideals of Renaissance and Baroque Art were neither exhausted by centuries of repetition and variation nor irrelevant to the modern world. His meticulously symmetrical vision, translated into highly-varied and almost sculptural massings, deserves to be better known. Brasinis Convent of the Buon Pastore (above) was transformed a short time after it was completed during World War II to serve first as an orphanage, then as a hospital, and ultimately as a series of military clinics for checkups, mental health counseling, physical therapy, and a variety of outpatient procedures. This patchwork history of use seems oddly perfect for an oddly perfect cluster of building s; Baroque Art, after all, is nothing if not busy. At the present time, three different magnet high schools are housed within the Complex.

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Ar t is t: Au r e l io M i str u z z i ( 18 9 0 1 96 0) Da te : In 19 39 , Pop e Jo h n XXI II (1 8 81 19 6 3) e s tab li sh ed th e P iu s XI M ed a l a s a b ien n ia l aw ar d b y t h e Co u n c i l o f th e Pon ti f ic a l Aca d em y o f Sc ien c es t o a you n g sc ien t i st (u n d er th e ag e o f 45) wh o h as d is ti n gu i sh ed h im - o r h er se l f at th e in ter n a tio n al l ev el . In 19 75 , for e xam p le , St ep h en H awk i n g wa s th e r ecip ien t o f th e m ed al an d th e in cen t i v iz in g r e sear ch s tip en d wh ic h ac com p an ie s it . De scr ip t ion : L eon ar d o , M ich e lan ge lo , an d A les san d r o Vo lt a ( 17 45 - 1 8 25) an o d d tr io , ch r on olo g ica l l y - - ap p ear on on e s id e o f th e m ed al . Am b r o g io Da m i an o Ach i l le R att i (1 85 7 19 39 ) s er ved th e Ch u r ch as Po p e P iu s X I fr om 1 9 22 an d wa s th e f ir st Pop e to p r es id e o v er th e Vat ic an Ci ty a s a n in d ep en d en t st ate ( fr om 1 92 9) . As th e Pop e wh o r ei gn ed b etw een th e t w o Wo r ld W ar s , h e w i l l b e r em em b er ed b y p o ste r it y a s a fi gh t er a g a in st th e asc en d an t id eo lo gi es o f C o m m u n i sm an d F asc i s m , f le xin g h i s m u sc le s t h r ou gh th e tr eat ie s h e n ego ti ated an d r a i sin g h i s vo ice in p r o test wh en e ver ter m s wer e v io la ted . He r efo u n d ed th e Po n t i f ica l Ac ad em y o f Sc ien c es in 19 36 w ith t h e a im of tu r n in g it in to th e sc ien t i fi c sen a te o f th e Ch u r ch , ap p o in t in g e i gh t y r en o wn ed in ter n at ion al sch olar s to th e Ac ad em y s facu lt y , r eg ar d l es s o f e th n i ci ty an d r e l ig io n (o r la ck th er eof ). As a for m er l ib r ar i an , P iu s XI wa s p r ed i ctab l y m eth od ica l an d e f f ic ien t in h i s r eor g an iz at ion of th e Vat ic an Ar ch i ve s. An ar d en t m ou n ta in cl i m b er in h i s yo u t h , m an y p e ak s in th e Alp s ar e n am ed for h im , b e cau se h e w as th e f ir st to sca le th em .

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Architect: Angiolo Mazzoni (1894 - 1979) Date and Location: 1935 / The Power Station and Observation Platform of Florences Santa Maria Novella Train Station Description: The Main Terminal (to which the above structures were added) was designed in 1932 by the Gruppo Tuscano under the leadership of Giovanni Michelucci (1891 - 1990) and Italo Gamberini (1907 - 1990). In deference to tradition, the use of pietra forte for the stations stone frontage was intended both as a response to and a contrast with the nearby Gothic architecture of the church of Santa Maria Novella. By contrast, the interior of the station features a dramatic metal and glass roof with large skylights over the main passenger concourse, which is aligned perpendicular to the tracks and acts as a pedestrian street connecting one side of the city with the other. Near Platform 08 is a memorial plaque honoring the trainloads of Jews who were deported from Florence to Nazi detention, work, and death camps during World War II. Mazzoni, a leading figure in Italys Futurist movement, completed the station with the annex illustrated above. His work, in general, relies on straightforward geometric forms yet exhibits a dynamism which is absent from the designs of the Tuscan Group (who had consciously imitated international Medieval and Modern trends). The rationalism and originality of Mazzonis contribution to this important public commission marks the beginning of an original and distinctively Italian style. The greatest commission of Mazzonis career, Romes Termini Station, came to a halt during World War II, and as soon as the Fascist Party was dissolved, the job was given to another architect. Even though he voluntarily exiled himself to South America, Mazzonis early, enthusiastic advocacy of Mussolini made him a persona non grata in his newly democratized homeland.

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Ar ch ite ct: Z ah a Had id ( b .1 95 0 to Ir aq i p ar e n ts / stu d ied in B e ir u t an d Lon d on / n ow a B r it ish cit iz en ) Da te an d L ocat ion : M AX XI , I ta l y s N at io n al M u s eu m of T wen t y - Fir st Ce n tu r y Ar t , op en ed in 2 0 10 . De scr ip t ion : H ad id is th e m o s t f am o u s fem al e a r ch it ect in th e wor ld . In 20 04 , sh e b ec am e th e f ir s t M u s li m an d th e f ir st wo m an to b e h o n o r ed w it h th e Pr i tzk er , ar ch it ect u r e s eq u i va len t to a N ob el Pr iz e . Sh e a lso r ece i ved t h e p r est i g io u s St er l in g Pr iz e in t wo c on se cu t i ve ye a r s ( 20 10 2 01 1) , th e fir st w in b ecau se o f th e b u i ld i n g ab o ve. Ha v in g r ec en t l y b r a n ch ed o u t in to n u m er ou s con su m er -tar ge ted d e si gn ven tu r es w ith in it ia l su cces s , s h e co n s is ten t l y ap p ear s on l i sts of th e m ost in f lu en t i al wom e n al i ve ( e .g ., Fo r b es , Th e New S ta te sm an , an d T im e. ) In o r d er to a vo id a co n t r ast b etw een t h i s g lea m in g wh i te ed i f ice an d th e ye ll ow in g r u in s of A n cien t Ro m e ( see p a ge 0 5) , c it y p lan n er s cr ea ted a sp aci ou s M u s ic P ar k n or th of th e C en tr o Stor ico t o ser ve Had id a s a set ti n g fo r h er tem p le to C o n tem p or ar y M u s es . Ap p r op r ia t el y en ou g h , w ith in M AX XI s in ter d ep en d en t h e av y a n d l i gh t fe atu r e s is a c o n cen tr a t ion on ar ch itec tu r e its el f . Lar ge sc al e , b l eed in g - ed g e e xh ib it s in o th er m ed ia attr act r ecor d -b r ea k in g n u m b e r s o f ar t l ov er s t o th is u n iq u e ven u e .

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Artists: Unknown Date and Location: The graffito at left (enhanced with an overlay for visual legibility) is known as the Alexomenos Graffito, or the Graffito Blasfemo. Initially scratched on a plaster wall circa AD 200, it was discovered during excavations on the Palatine Hill in 1867 and is now housed in the Palatine Antiquarium. The urban street art below was photographed in an alley of the Janiculum last year (2012) by one of my former students, Stephanie Laue , one morning while she was skipping sessions at a business conference in Rome. Description: Admittedly, graffiti is an art crime. Thank G-d for it, though. How would we ever form valid historical perspectives without it? In the Second Century AD, for example, Christianity was clearly much misunderstood and much mocke d in Ancient Rome. The inscription Alexomenos worships his god suggests that a certain Greek immigrant who had probably converted to Christianity in Asia Minor struck his Palatine neighbors as an onolater, or the devotee of an ass. No sooner, however, had Christianity established itself in Rome after the last futile persecutions of Diocletian (see page 13), than it became forever inseparable from most Romans lifestyles and priorities. The contemporary rendition in spray paint of Je sus as the Man of Sorrows testifies in a powerful way to the continuing significance of the Suffering Saviors image and the importance of His Redemptive Mission to contemporary Roman youth who are both aesthetically and socio-politically at cross ends with their cultural past.

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