Why is Rome the eternal city?

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

To finally understand why Rome is called the eternal city, you need to not just visit it in transit, but be sure to spend at least a few days full of excursions. In a modern municipality, ancient antiquity and a high-tech present are wonderfully intertwined and linked together.

Contrasts of Ages

Take at least the remains of the walls of the imperial baths, which literally crowd the pompous facade of the main railway station of the metropolis. The station was built in the middle of the 20th century, and the baths functioned during the reign of Diocletian.

Behind the Colosseum, which fascinates with its grandeur and silence, motorcycles and cars roar and whistle. And in the place where the stadium was located in ancient times, today city boys play with din and shouts, chasing a soccer ball.

That's why Rome is called the eternal city in history and philosophy. After all, there are more than enough such contrasts here. The ancient capital continues to live, but already in the guise of a dynamic metropolis. This does not interfere with his current life, but on the contrary, brings a bit of authentic flavor to his life.

Dawn hours

Italian morning wakes up to the measured chime of church bells, which comes from everywhere. There are hundreds of cathedrals in Rome. Half an hour later they are joined by lonely cars and single passers-by, hurrying about their business. The eternal city of Rome and its inhabitants wake up today to the cacophony of car horns, the hubbub of unfamiliar dialects and the spicy aroma of coffee.

The first pedestrians on the pavements - cleaners and janitors. Scrupulously and carefully they collect in huge bags and carts the "legacy" of the past day. Cafes and eateries open one after another, tables waiting for guests.

Ancient genius

They say that time erases everything, but then it was forgotten. And this is one of the reasons why Rome was called in ancient times the eternal city. On its streets and squares, all eras are imprinted, which are forever inscribed in the historical annals. Ancient ruins in it alternate with luxurious palazzos built during the Renaissance. Ornate baroque palaces and ensembles replace bulky buildings built at the very beginning of the 20th century.

So, for example, the monument to Emmanuel II, erected on the central square by our contemporaries, is adjacent to the architectural composition of the Capitol.

Trying to match the master Michelangelo, Italian architects not only did not surpass the legend, but, on the contrary, once again emphasized his genius. The monument to the ruler who united the country came out too bulky and massive. Against its background, the palace buildings of the Capitol Hill look elegant andminiature.

Michelangelo achieved a special visual effect of the scale of the ensemble not due to the physical dimensions of his offspring, but thanks to a well-thought-out layout. If you look at the composition from a bird's eye view, it becomes obvious that all the elements form a trapezoid, the basis of which is the Senators' Complex. Isn't it amazing? That's why Rome is called the eternal city!

Realities and contradictions

Located in the very center of the Capitol Square, the monument to Marcus Aurelius attracts admiring glances. Due to the special landscape of the area, it is located on a hill, which is complemented by a platform. The current municipality also extends nearby, under the windows of which protesters gather every now and then against the unfair policy on housing and communal services. Many of them pitch tents and spend weeks on stone pavements. Is the question of why Rome is the eternal city still open?

To get a good view of the Roman Forum, you should go around the Senatorial Complex. At one time, it played the role of the main square, where the citizens of Ancient Rome crowded. Political speeches were conducted on it, old acquaintances met, and brisk trade was conducted. Until now, the inhabitants of the modern municipality feel genuine pride, looking at the basilicas and temples surrounding the Forum, arches and statues.

At the origins

The quarters stretching down from the Capitoline Hill are a vast area where the breath of ancient times is felt to this day. It is full of ruins of columns,lavishly decorated with intricate plaster motifs and balusters.

The outlines of porticoes and thick walls are immediately visible. Many of them in the eternal city of Rome are practically destroyed, but there are those that still have not lost their original appearance. This is a triumphal arch, the construction date of which dates back to the 3rd century BC. It was erected in honor of the numerous victorious campaigns of Septimius Severus.

Hills and hills

The colonnade of Troyan's forum looks relatively good too. It symbolizes the unconditional victory of the Romans over the recalcitrant Dacians. Its height reaches forty meters. It consists of eighteen blocks, each of which is made of snow-white marble. Together they are united by a massive stone belt decorated with frescoes. These paintings illustrate the life of people of those times. The urn with the ashes of Troyan is kept at the foot of the colonnade, it is decorated with a statue of the Apostle Peter.

Palatine Hill is another attraction of Rome. On its hill are the ruins of the terms and palace complexes, which once belonged to the kings. The best painters and masters of mosaic laying were invited to finish their interior decoration. Some of the ruins that are located in this part of the metropolis have yet to be studied by historians and archaeologists. That is why Rome is an eternal city and will remain so forever.

Rome in facts and figures

The fifties of the VIII are considered the date of foundation of the ancient settlementcentury BC. The first buildings appeared on the left bank of the full-flowing Tiber River. Despite its status, this settlement cannot be considered the oldest in the world. In fact, the eternal city of Rome is a juvenile compared to the municipalities that sprang up in the Middle East.

Birthday of the metropolis is April 21st. The most magnificent festivities fall on this date. The authorities arrange gladiator fights, hold stylized processions and parades. The celebrations are completed with colorful fireworks.

The Eternal City of Rome is unique not only because of its ancient architecture. It is the only metropolis on Earth, on the territory of which an independent state is located. The Vatican is a typical monarchy, which has all the necessary regalia: flag, coat of arms, anthem. There is a regular army, an academy, a radio station and a television tower. It operates its own railway line.

The largest church in the world is located in the Vatican. This is St. Peter's Basilica. Its height is approximately 140 meters, and its capacity is 60 thousand believers. Carlo Maderno, Michelangelo and Raphael had a hand in its construction.

Revived history

The true name of the Colosseum is the Flavian Amphitheatre. It owes its present name, adopted in Rome, the eternal city, to its colossality. After all, the word "colosseum" in Latin means "giant". The height of the walls of the structure reaches 50 meters, and the total length is 524. The ingenious layout of the building allows you to simultaneously accommodate up to fifty thousandvisitors who can leave its walls in just five minutes.

At the moment, tourists and residents of the city can visit the Colosseum by purchasing a ticket at the museum's box office. In the old days, entry was free. The first musician who was allowed to perform in the ancient arena was the former lead singer of the Beatles. Four hundred freebies were sold for his concert.

In mid-December, the eternal city of Rome and its inhabitants plunged into a festival dedicated to the god of fertility. It was one of the most important events in the life of the townspeople. Saturnalia took several days and was famous for the fact that the slaves received, albeit short, but long-awaited rest. In addition, they were allowed to the master's table. They also had the opportunity to shamelessly criticize their owners.

Non-touristic Rome

To the ignorant tourist, the eternal city of Rome can present a whole series of surprises that can be at least unpleasant. Enticing travelers with impeccable decor and the splendor of the ancient era, he leads lost guests to the modern Pakistani outskirts.

Like any large municipality, the metropolis consists of two parts. One is its promotional cover. This is that Rome, walks through the eternal city, which are usually described on the pages of booklets. His philistine side is by no means so attractive. It only takes a few kilometers of polished streets to turn into dirty and godforsaken favelas.

Colorful souvenir shops as if by magicsticks replace shabby fruit stands and grocery stores. Behind the carved turrets of the basilicas, it hides graffiti-painted bridges, broken sidewalks, gypsy neighborhoods and local lunatics. And let the romantics call Rome the eternal city, yet it is a very poor European metropolis.

To be fair, it should be noted that the local carabinieri know their job. It only takes them a few minutes to eliminate another alien from the "dark" side of the non-tourist outskirts.