Today we headed over to Piazza Navona, one of my favourites, and then south to the river. On the way we took in the galleria Spada, a fairly average gallery of sculptures and paintings with an overwhelming smell of cabbage, or was it coleslaw? The most interesting feature is in the courtyard though, a forced perspective visual illusion designed by Borromini. One of those things where the floor walls and ceiling all narrow to a point giving the impression of it being longer and bigger than it really is. Not spectacular but if you’re in the area it’s worth a visit.
After that came the main purpose of today, a walk around the area called Trastevere on the other side of the river, south of the Vatican. It’s a nice area with many winding streets, small boutique shops and cafes. At the centre is a very nice church Santa Maria in Trastevere one of the oldest churches in Rome going back to about 220.
After this we headed up the river and wandered around the Castel Sant’Angelo, originally built as a Mausoleum for Hadrian and his family and now better known from Dan Brown books and films.
Tomorrow is a tour of the Vatican gardens, Vatican Museum and St Peters.
Vatican Museum
http://i.pbase.com/g3/67/871967/2/121821674.rNxEHw8x.jpg
St Peters
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Clementina_Sobieska
Maria Clementina’s Tomb by Bracchi in St Peter’s Basilica, Rome.
for the Poles in your family ;)
Is that the Tiber?
Yes it is the Tiber.
pbase url is forbidden :( Are you allowed cameras in the Vatican. I thought aI read somewhere once cameras are not allowed. Hope that was wrong.
Here is a 360degree tour
http://www.vatican.va/various/basiliche/san_giovanni/vr_tour/index-en.html
Cameras are allowed in the Vatican museum and gardens as well as St Peters, as you will see. They do not allow them in the Sistine Chapel though and they are very thorough in enforcing the rule.
Guest, we actually found a Sobieski in the Vatican museum, he has a whole room of his own!