Rome, Piazza del Campidoglio

(2 photos)
On top of Capitol Hill, which symbolized the power of ancient Rome, the city administrative offices now stand. Long and steep, a 122-step staircase leads from Piazza Venezia up to Piazza del Campidoglio, partly designed by Michelangelo. It is framed by three palaces and a balustrade, and an equestrian statue of Marcus Aurélius. The Palazzo Nuovo (New Palace) houses the Capitoline Museum, filled with sculptures, portraits, and mosaics. One day when we visited, the plaza was filled with chairs and a stage for a performance of some kind, and in and near Rome’s city hall several weddings appeared to be under way, undeterred by the slight rain.
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From Rome’s City Hall, as we head down the wide staircase toward Piazza Venezia, we can’t miss the ostentatious immensity of the marble monument to Victor Emmanuel II, towering off to our right. The white marble building looks as if it belongs on top of a wedding cake.