Stu played hooky today, so we decided to take a quick day trip up to Rome to see a few sights we haven't been to together....
First up, the Spanish Steps. I couldn't believe the amount of people that were there on a Wednesday afternoon at the end of October! I guess they were playing hooky too!
If you look really, really close you can see me in the middle of everyone waving... Very Audrey Hepburn...well almost!
At the base of the steps is the fountain called Fontana della Barcaccia ("Fountain of the Old Boat"), built in 1627-29. According to an unlikely legend, Pope Urban VIII had the fountain installed after he had been impressed by a boat brought here by a flood of the Tiber river.
The monumental stairway of 138 steps was built in 1723–1725.
Time for a gelato break!
UMMMMMMMMM!
The Trevi Fountain (Italian: Fontana di Trevi) is a fountain in the Trevi rione. Standing 85 feet high and 65 feet wide, it is the largest Baroque fountain in the city.
The backdrop for the fountain is the Palazzo Poli. Taming of the waters is the theme of the gigantic scheme that tumbles forward, mixing water and rockwork, and filling the small square. Tritons guide Oceanus' shell chariot, taming seahorses.
In the center is superimposed a robustly modelled triumphal arch. The center niche or exedra framing Oceanus has free-standing columns for maximal light-and-shade. In the niches flanking Oceanus, Abundance spills water from her urn and Salubrity holds a cup from which a snake drinks. Above, bas reliefs illustrate the Roman origin of the aqueducts.
It was a beautiful day and of course we tossed our coins into the fountain to ensure a return visit!!
No comments:
Post a Comment