Rome wasn’t built in a day

Although I have set the Pantheon apart in yesterday’s blip, it would be wanton to not include some of the other monumental buildings in Rome.  The obvious example of course is the Colosseum – the ancient Play Station for the plebs to play the war games and sacrifice a few slaves.  But I decided to consign ‘Colesseo’ to the Extra Photos gallery in favour of featuring ‘Il Vittoriano’.

Il Vittoriano is sometimes called the “Typewriter” or “Wedding Cake” - the latter nickname works best for me evoking images of fussy white icing with adornment’s poked in the top and around the edge. Il Vittoriano’s palisade of columns are stunning up close, especially in fierce sun (1st Extra Photo). More pleasing is the view out from it rather than towards it, IMO (2nd Extra).

Il Vittoriano sits in the centre of Rome and symbolises the unification of Italy. It is named after their first King, Victor Emmanuel II of Savoy. It also cradles their Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to honour those that sacrificed their lives for what we now recognise as Italy. The architects of Il Vittoriano apparently wanted to evoke feelings of a modern-day Forum.  There could not be a bigger contrast than the rather stolid and plain-looking Roma Senate building sitting on the edge of the forum (third Extra photo) – that’s where the politicians unified an empire for centuries – who needs to be showy when you have that strong a grip on power?

There are scores of other amazing buildings elsewhere in Rome, and that’s not even including those built for God and that other great powerhouse, the Roman Catholic Church (St Peters Duomo is last in the Extras gallery).