Rome, A Variety of Interesting Buildings

Here is a photo that shows a variety of interesting buildings, but is almost as interesting for the buildings that are hidden behind the ones we can see.

The white structure on the lower-left is Arch of Septimius Severus, which sits at the bottom of a stair case that leads to Piazza del Campidoglio, on Capital Hill the site of Rome’s City Hall, with the small tower with a window on each level. Michelangelo designed the present square containing an equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius. The dome in the middle is the church Santi Luca e Madina, and the white marble structure on the right is the Victor Emmanuel Memorial.

Hidden behind the brick building in the foreground, is the church of San Giuseppe dei Falegnami (St. Joseph's of the Carpenters), which is built on top of the Chapel of the Crucifix, which in turn is on top of the Mamerine Prison. (It is reported that both St. Peter and St. Paul were imprisoned here.)

Hidden between the brick building in the foreground, and the Victor Emmanuel Memorial (or just out of sight of the photo) are several places of interest, including The Forum of the Caesars (Foro di Ceasare), and another church, S Maria in Ara Coeli.

By the way, just beyond the Victor Emmanuel Memorial is Piazza Venezia where Mussolini stood on the balcony of the Venezia Palace to make his famous speeches.

If I turned around I would see the Roman Forum and the Coliseum, just a few blocks away. As stated elsewhere, “… and churches and monuments with a frequency found only in Rome.”