I got to see some of Rome's most famous fountains and piazzas. (A piazza is a city square, not related to pizza). It was a long walk in the heat, but well worth it. I started at the Piazza del Populo, where there is an Egyptian Obelisk, and a fountain with four lions. People and kids were climbing all over the lions. I walked along streets packed with shops and people to the Piazza di Spagna where the famous Spanish Steps are. There are always tons of people hanging out on and around the steps. Since it is supposed to be one of the romantic places in Rome, there were street vendors selling roses both day and night. There is a fountain there too, that the Romans call the ugly boat. It's water still comes from an original Roman aqueduct, and you can drink from it. There are actually lots of fountains - small and large that you can drink water from - the water is safe to drink, quite cool, and very refreshing on a hot day.
The aqueduct water is now diverted underground in pipes between the fountains. The water in the Ugly Boat (I don't know its real name) then flows to the Trevi Fountain. On the way though, it is still possible to see a portion of the old aqueduct and the old maintainance door, that was used to check the aqueduct is still in use today.
Next was the famous Trevi Fountain, designed by Bernini. It is spectacular. It was built in a small square, where three roads meet (Trevi - tres via). Neptune is riding in his chariot, which is being pulled by hippocampi (half horse/ half serpent). There are two Tritons (half man/half fish)leading the chariot. There are other figures around the fountain. Supposedly, this fountain or spring was shown to the early Romans by a young maiden. Tradition says that if you throw one coin in the fountain, you will come back to Rome someday. Two coins means you will get married within the year. And three coins means you will get married in Rome. This fountain is crowded at any time of day, everyone is wanting to throw in their coins.
The Pantheon was the next stop, but there was a wedding being held there, so I had to go back later. The Pantheon is over 2,000 years old - and still standing and in use today. It is an miraculous structure. Even today with our technology, we would have a hard time to reproduce a building like this. The outside looks like a normal rectangular temple, but inside it is a perfect sphere. There are no columns on the inside that are holding the temple up, it is a dome - its dimensions are exact. The height from floor to ceiling is exactly the same as from one wall to the other. The lower walls are 20 feet thick to support the weight of the roof - otherwise the roof would collapse. In the center of the ceiling there is a hole, called the oculus or the eye. It also helps to reduce the weight of the ceiling so it won't fall in. The Christians converted this temple into a church that is still used today. I had to wait for a wedding to go in, then as I was leaving - another couple was going in to be married.
I saw a little piazza named after Minerva - there is another obelisk on the back of a little elephant. The elephant looks fat, so the some call it the little pig, then it became the little chick of Minerva. I'm not sure how pig translates into chick in the Italian, but it is just a nickname for the elephant.
The last stop was the Piazza Navona, which is very long. In the center is the fountain of the 4 Rivers. Each figure represents different continents that were known (during the 1500's): Eurpoa, Asia, Africa, and America (South). There are two smaller fountains on either side of this one.
It was a beautiful and educational journey - there were so many things that I learned about Rome as I looked at its fountains and piazzas.
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