The wonderful Triton fountain is another of the many Roman masterpieces by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. It was built between the end of 1642 and the first half of 1643. As in the Fountain of the Bees, several curious stylized insects also appear here. Find out why. The fountain is in fact located in the current Piazza Barberini and is fed by a branch of the Felice aqueduct, which passed in the immediate vicinity. It best expresses the new Baroque architectural and artistic conception of space. In fact, the sculptural part completely includes the same architectural structure. The four dolphins with i ..read more

The memory of the Testaccio carnival is linked to the Ludus Testaccie: it was a celebration of the carnival genre, the first traces of which date back to 1256, when he was Pope Alexander IV. The games lasted until 1466 and were particularly cruel: the party participants enjoyed throwing the animals from the mountain; pigs, wild boars and bulls were sacrificed which the lusores then pierced, to kill and eat them. It was a closely contested race to be the first to get hold of the beasts’ flesh. The Testaccio district develops around Monte dei Cocci, an artificial hill born from the accumulation ..read more

Most of the recipes of Roman cuisine originate from peasant culture. Ciambellette al vino are a dessert typical of the castles of the province of Rome in Lazio and date back to the customs of the ancient Lazio countryside. It was prepared with makeshift ingredients by very poor families, and then became very popular thanks to the lucky flavor, enriched by the pungent taste of the wine. In the Lazio region there are several variations, including the one that involves the use of the must, which returns a sweeter flavor or the use of citrus fruits, cinnamon or fennel seeds. They tend to be cons ..read more

After talking about the Porta Latina and the origin of the word Lazio associated with it, we dedicate our article to one of the most impressive and best preserved of the gates of the Aurelian Walls in Rome. The name is due to the fact that it is located near the exit for the Basilica of San Paolo outside the walls. The Gate has two huge towers with a circular base and originally two arches, it once took the name of Porta Ostiensis because the via Ostiense starts here and reaches the sea of Ostia between via Marmorata and viale Aventino. Over the years the port of Ostia lost its significant r ..read more

The gladiatorial activity was abolished in 404 by Honorius I. Already the emperor Constantine did everything possible to put an end to the barbarism of the Colosseum, however it was only in 404 that the shows ended completely. The battles were abolished following an accident in which the Greek monk Almacchio (or Telemachus) was killed, who went down to the Arena to protest against these abominable tortures. But who were the gladiators really? What really happened in the Colosseum in Rome and in the other amphitheaters of the Roman Empire and why did these shows get abolished after so many deat ..read more

Start our journey to get to know the Gates of Rome one by one. In fact, the city is surrounded by imposing protective walls that delimited its borders and by 14 access gates. An important anecdote is linked to one of these. Latina Door For each door, there are hundreds of associated anecdotes. When you cross these doors it seems to cross not only a frontier and therefore space, but to cross time. One of these fourteen gates is the Porta Latina, whose name derives from the name of the Via Latina in the perimeter of Lazio and belongs to the Aurelian Walls. Unlike other gates that have undergone ..read more

The Pope Ratzinger was 95 years old and in the last few days his condition had worsened. Pope Francis had asked the world to pray for him. Pope Benedict XVI With pain I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 am, in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican”. With this press release, the Director of the Press Office of the Holy See, Matteo Bruni, announced the death of the pontiff who preceded Pope Bergoglio. Pope Ratzinger was 95 years old and in the last few days his conditions had worsened. Pope Francis had asked the faithful to pray for him. Benedict X ..read more

Did you know? The Dome of St. Peter’s Square was made from a drawing by Michelangelo. The most famous “Er cupolone” in the world has dominated the skyline of the Roman panorama for centuries, surprising every time with its majesty. Without a doubt, the dome of St. Peter’s Square is one of the symbols of Rome. It forms the cover of the cruise of St. Peter’s basilica in the Vatican. It is one of the largest masonry roofs ever built; it has an internal diameter of about 42 meters and brings the overall height of the basilica, from the base to the top of the lantern, to over 130 meters. The dome o ..read more

The neighborhood develops around Monte dei Cocci, an artificial hill born from the accumulation of discarded Roman amphorae. The shards were neatly arranged in various layers; if you find yourself on the hill, know that under your feet are the remains of more than fifty million amphorae that contained oil and other commodities. The hill has a perimeter of about one kilometer and is about 50 meters high. Why were these amphorae thrown away? Testaccio Hill Did you know? It took 50 million amphorae to form the Testaccio hill: why were they thrown away? Monte Testaccio (Mons Testaceus, in Latin ..read more

Imposing, magical, in the heart of Rome, with 1,200 rooms and nearly a thousand employees, the Quirinale is one of the symbols of Italy and of the capital. It sits on the highest of the city’s seven hills, and is the official residence of our President of the Republic. Covering an area of 110,500 square meters, it is the seventh largest building in the world and is 20 times the size of the White House. Since 1583, when it was built, it has hosted 30 popes and 4 kings. And 12 presidents, including Sergio Mattarella). Imposing, magical, in the heart of Rome, it has 1,200 rooms and almost a thou ..read more