Capitol in Rome: all the most interesting about the main hill of the Eternal City

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

Rome is a city, visiting which, a person will be able to get in touch with time. It was built a very long time ago, and on its territory there are places created more than two millennia ago. One of them is the Capitol. The architectural ensemble located on this hill is the most popular attraction. About the history of the Capitol, how to get there, as well as its significance, read in the article.

What is this?

It is believed that the name of the hill is due to the temple of the same name, located on it. The exact lexical meaning of the word Capitol has not yet been established. A number of art historians believe that it carries the following meaning: a head, something important, the main thing, life or a person.

The Capitol in Rome is called the Capitoline Hill. This hill is the lowest in the city. At the same time, it is the center of culture and politics of Rome, and is also visited by thousands of tourists every year. A large number of architectural monuments that have been preserved since antiquity are concentrated here.

Hill

EnsembleThe Capitol in Rome is located on one of the hills, of which there are seven in the city. Each of them has its own name: Caelius, Palatine, Quirinal, Aventine, Viminal, Esquiline and Capitol.

All kinds of temples dedicated to the gods have risen on the last hill since ancient times. The geese that lived in the temple of Juno Moneta warned the Romans that the Gauls were preparing to attack them. The first yard was also built here, on which money was minted. They began to be called coins in honor of the goddess Juno, the wife of Jupiter. The seven hills are known throughout the world. The Capitol is famous for the fact that a large number of signs took place here. In addition, this place is considered sacred. All sorts of churches and basilicas are still located here.

There is no traveler in the world who does not know that seven hills lie at the foundation of Rome. However, few people understand that it was the Capitol that became the hill where the city was born. Since ancient times, this hill has been the political center of Rome. Previously, emperors ruled here, and now the mayor of the city and the municipality work here.

The Capitol is a low hill. It rises above the Roman Forum. Its height is measured forty-six meters.

Temple

The Capitol in Rome is not only a hill. One of the most important temples of the city bears the same name. It is the first religious building built on this hill. It is dedicated to the so-called Capitoline Triad, which includes Minerva, Jupiter and Juno Moneta. Since ancient times, it consisted of three parts dedicated to a particular god or goddess. The center was dedicated to Jupiter, the right side to Minerva, and the left side to Juno. Each part contained an altar.

Here they not only worshiped deities, but also minted coins, held councils. The archive was located in the temple. This architectural monument has forever remained a symbol of power, strength, immortality of Rome.

This building has a long history. Once the center of the city was concentrated in it, but then it lost its significance. In the fifth century it was plundered during the capture of Rome. It is believed that at that time the ensemble lost not only a number of cult objects, but also several ingots of gold, which, according to legend, were stored under the throne of Jupiter, in a specially created niche. The Capitoline Temple, or Temple of Jupiter, was destroyed by time in the sixth century AD. Archaeologists have made every effort to restore it. Thanks to their efforts, part of the foundation and a small fragment of the wall were reconstructed. They can be seen in one of the halls of the Palazzo Conservatori.

History

The Capitol in Rome became the religious, political center of this city right after it was founded. The fact is that it was easier to defend Rome on a hill than in a lowland. He served the Romans for a long time, the top of the hill was never empty. After the temple of the same name was destroyed, the Basilica of Santa Maria in Araceli appeared nearby. It was located in the center of the hill. It not only served as a church, but also held meetings of the people.

Not far from the foot of Arachel are the ruins. They belongancient building - insula, which served as something like a modern hotel. From the first century, Rome was massively built up with similar buildings. At the same time, those people who did not have a lot of money lived on the upper floors, and we althy citizens who managed to pay for housing settled on the first floors and received some amenities at their disposal. For example, sewerage and water supply.

Until the sixteenth century, the buildings of the Capitoline Ensemble were not restored, so many of them were in a deplorable state. However, when the Roman emperor Charles the Fifth of Habsburg decided to visit the city, Paul the Third became preoccupied with the view of Rome. Work on the restoration of the square, around which all the buildings were built, was entrusted to Michelangelo in 1536. Unfortunately, he did not have time to finish the work, and most of them were carried out according to his ideas under the guidance of the Italian architect, sculptor Giacomo Della Porta, as well as other students of Buonarroti. The capitol was preserved as the labors of these men had made it by the end of 1654.

Attractions

Capitol in Rome attracts travelers with its attractions, including:

• Stairs of Cardonata. This is one of the three stairs leading up to the high ground.
• Capitol Square. It is located on top of a hill, being its center. Other sights of Rome were built along its perimeter.
• The equestrian statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, in turn, rises in the middle of the square.
• Symbol of the city -She-wolf, symbolizing justice. Previously, it was located on the street, not far from the entrance to the Palazzo Conservatori, however, it was moved inside the building. Before this statue was found, there was a cage with a live she-wolf in the Capitol.

• Palace of the Senators. For some time, this architectural monument served as a repository, however, now the city hall of Rome is located within its walls. It is because of this that you can not get into all the rooms.
• The Palace of the Conservatives got its name from the fact that it once hosted meetings of senators and judges. They were just called corservators. Now the building serves as a museum, where you can find busts, frescoes. The Pinakothek is also famous, where paintings by the greatest artists are exhibited.
• Palazzo Nuovo is the youngest architectural monument of the ensemble. It exactly reproduces the Palace of the Conservatives. Ancient sculptures are kept here.
• The Basilica of Santa Maria in Araceli was built on the site where the temple of Juno Moneta once stood. A miraculous sculpture of Jesus in infancy is kept here.

Cultural we alth

The Capitol in Rome is not only the religious, political, but also the cultural center of the ancient city. It houses a number of museums, each of which is worthy of attention.

In the walls of the Palace of Senators, built in the first century BC, there is a museum-storage of stone slabs, the inscriptions on which tell about Ancient Rome. From them you can learn how life was conducted here and what was the policy of the rulers.

In the Palace of the Conservatives there is a museum of marble busts created in ancient Rome. In addition, here you can see the frescoes and visit the Pinakothek. This gallery exhibits paintings by such prominent artists as Rubens, Velázquez and Caravaggio. All kinds of artefacts can be found in the Castellani Hall, and rich collections of coins and jewelry can be found in the Capitoline Coin Museum.

Palazzo Nuovo was built to be a museum. And so it happened: there are sculptures not only Roman, but also Greek.

Tours

Rome is the eternal city, always open to everyone. Therefore, a large number of various excursions are held here. The most popular tourist place, concurrently - the heart of the city is the Capitol in Rome. How to get to this place? Easily. This can be done on your own or with a group. However, it is important to understand that Rome is a fairly large city, and you can get lost in it, looking at the masterpieces of architecture.

Almost all tourists who have visited the eternal city visit the Capitol ensemble. Many of the museums that make up it operate on the same schedule. For example, you can get to such places as the Palazzo Nuovo, the Palazzo Conservatori and the Palace of the Senators on any day except Monday, from nine in the morning to eight in the evening.

How to get there?

There are many ways to get to the Capitol. You can get to the hill by taking the subway line B train. In addition, Rome hasan extensive system of buses, the routes of which also run through the hills. You can also call a taxi and get to the Capitol by car.

Hiking is available to everyone. There are three stairs to climb the Capitol Hill in Rome. The left leads to the Basilica of Santa Maria in Araceli. The central one was designed by Michelangelo; it is considered the main staircase of the entire ensemble. The right one is quite inconspicuous, as a rule, the townspeople use it. Therefore, if tourists want to climb the hill in the shade and at the same time not get into the crowd, they can use it.