Italy Day 3: Colosseum
Katherine and I had a big day planned for our second full day in Rome. We started by going to the Colosseum. We got there shortly after they opened and started off walking around the thing 20 times. Then we took a tour which allowed us to go down into the lower level (where they kept the animals and gladiators) and then up to the third ring. Both the lower level and the third ring were off limits to the public without a tour, which is why we opted for the tour, and it was completely worth it, especially for the spectacular views. We also got to learn some history from our tour guide which was a nice insight since we didn't know a whole lot. We then made our way to the Roman Forum area just after lunch time. There was a huge line at the entrance right next to the Colosseum, but someone told us about an entrance that was empty about a quarter mile away. We decided to take our chances and the person was right! we walked right up, showed our tickets, and we were in the Roman Forum just like that! After wandering through the Roman Forum for several hours, we made it to a place to have dinner and then back to the hotel for some rest before going back out with my tripod in the evening to the Vatican for some night photography. Katherine was really nice about letting me take night photos every evening I had a place in mind to shoot.
Walking into the Colosseum
This was one of the first photos I took at the Colosseum after we got in.
Top of a Column
This is one of the columns to the Colosseum that was on display at ground level.
Replica Seats
This was setup by modern people to give tourist an idea of what it looked like. This, being the first ring, would have been reserved for important people like the emperor and officials. The marble slabs would have names carved into them.
Katie in the Colosseum
We made it to the third ring and I started taking photos! It is so big and complicated that I found it hard to take a good photo (because most photos either had harsh shadows, sun glare, or the photo was just too busy). Hopefully I have shared a few good ones in the post!
Outside Facade
This is the outer ring of the Colosseum. It is the facade that is only still half-intact. The other half fell a long time ago and this is what is left. The left side of the photo is pretty straight because modern engineers had to reinforce the edges to prevent it from falling down more.
Fourth Tier
This is the seating for the fourth tier, the place where the least important citizens got to sit. The fourth ring has completely collapsed, which is why there isn\'t much to see her.
Under the Arena
The floor to the arena is long gone because it was made out of wood. The wooden floor was covered in sand and they had an elevator-like structure to deliver the gladiators and animals. The pits were an addition to the Colosseum after it was built. Before they made the pits, they could use the Colosseum for naval battles by filling the Colosseum with water.
Touched
Italy was very different from the United States in a lot of ways, but one significant thing we noticed was the lack of protection around historic things. For instance I leaned up against, touched, and sat on several fallen columns that are part of historic landmarks in Italy. I\'m not complaining that there wasn\'t a glass box around everything, but it was just different than what I\'m used to and what I expected.
From the Floor
This photo was taken from the modern wooden floor that we got to walk on to. Looking down the Colosseum with no floor you can see all the animal and gladiator pits
Gladiator\'s View
This photo was taken from the arena floor of the Colosseum.
My Gladiator
Katie is ready to fight as a gladiator at the Colosseum.
Front
This is one of the four major entrances into the Colosseum. On only the East side of the Colosseum there is this sign above the entrance.
Arch
Our tour guide pointed this arch out to us. This arch is not reinforced in anyway. The friction of the blocks keeps them in place suspended above our heads (at the time that she was telling us this). For thousands of years these bricks have stayed in place by friction and gravity.
Still Intact
It\'s incredible that arches like this are still in tact
Reinforced
Only half of the original outer ring is still in tact. The part that is still in tact had to be reinforced on the ends to keep it from collapsing. I thought it was interesting so I took a picture of it!
Bell Tower
Through the Trees
From the Colosseum\'s third ring we had quite the view of not only the Colosseum but also the surrounding area.
Oval
Part of our tour got us onto the third tire of the Colosseum. It had spectacular views that we were able to get some good photos from.
Wall of the Colosseum
The wall in the left is the outside structure holding up the Colosseum. The arch is the Arch of Constantine.
At the Top
This is Katherine as far up as they would let us go. Since being higher up meant a lower social class, I think we were okay spending most of our time in the lower tiers.
Down the Ring
Brick Work
The brick work is just amazing at the Colosseum!
Disorganized Brick
I\'m not sure why there were sections of the Colosseum that had the bricks disordered like this. If anyone knows, let me know!
H. Lowe
Our tour guide pointed this out to us - the carving in the brick. She said that in Ancient Rome people would carve things into the brick, and that\'s how people today know what happened. This carving, however, is likely an American solider stationed in Italy in 1944 who carved their name into the Colosseum. Who knows, maybe H. Lowe is still alive and can take credit for this!
The Arch from the Arch
Katherine found this shot, and I copied it. We were walking around the ring and she just stopped, took a few steps back, and started taking photos. I was wondering what she was doing so I took a look.
Double Arch
On the 2nd Ring
Katherine hanging out on the edge of the second ring of the Colosseum in Rome, Italy.
Falling Apart
The Colosseum really looks like it\'s falling apart. It made me wonder how safe it was walking around this building. But it didn\'t fall down while we were there so I\'ll take that as a good thing.
Detailed
I can\'t imagine how long one column would have taken someone, let alone all the columns in the entire Colosseum. It\'s an incredible feat of art!
One Last Shot
This was one of the last photos I took before we exited the Colosseum.
Outside
I have this photo with Katherine not in the photo and the Colosseum in full focus, but Katherine has such a great smile that I had to post this one instead!
Arch of Constantine
This is the Arch of Constantine just North of the Colosseum.
Our Next Apartment!
This is an apartment building (or so archaeologists believe) in the Roman Forum
San Gregorio Magno al Celio
One of the churches that we could see from inside the Roman Forum.
Partial Wall
Hippodrome of Domitian
This is the area where Romans would exercise their horses. The stables were located nearby.
Looking Up?
I took this photo looking up a brick wall inside the Roman Forum. I thought it was an interesting brick pattern so I got right up against the wall and took a few shots. It wasn\'t until after I was looking at it on the computer that I decided it looked better rotated 180 degrees so that it looks like I\'m looking down.
Nymphaeum and Adjoining Cisterns
This is the Nymphaeum and Adjoining Cisterns (Ninfeo e annesse cisterne) located in Palatine Hill just North of the stadium. I was filled with statues and fountains.
Green Grass
Great View
I was happy to find this spot. When we were standing on the third level I saw people standing where I was standing to take this photo. After that, I was determined to find this location to get a shot.
A Few Clouds
Basilica of Maxentius
The building behind Katherine is the Basilica of Maxentius located in the Roman Forum in Rome, Italy
Two Temples
Both of these buildings are temples located in the Roman Forum in Rome, Italy. The one on the left is the Antoninus and Faustina Temple, and the one on the right is the Tempio del Divo Romolo. This photo was taken from Palatine Hill.
Bell Tower
This is the bell tower on the Basilica di Santa Francesca Romana in Rome, Italy.
Fallen Walls
Front
This is the front side to teh Basilica di Santa Francesca Romana in Rome, Italy.
Good Day for Tourism
Katherine and I had a lot of fun on this day. I think it was the day where I took the most photos and where we walked around the most.
Katie in the Arch of Titus
This is Katherine standing below the Arch of Titus in the Roman Forum in Rome, Italy.
Tall Mounment
This is the Arch of Titus in Rome, Italy.
Roman Sky Line
This is a view from Palatine Hill in the Roman Forum.
Arch of Titus
I took a lot of photos of the Arch of Titus in the Roman Forum.
Arch on her Head
Katherine standing in front of the Arch of Titus in the Roman Forum.
Rolling Clouds
Antoninus and Faustina Temple
This is one of the many temples in the Roman Forum. This is the Antoninus and Faustina Temple.
Tempio del Divo Romolo
This is the Tempio del Divo Romolo in the Roman Forum.
Across the City
This photo is taken looking North from Palatine Hill in the Roman Forum.
Colosseo
I like this photo because you can see the Colosseum (Colosseo in Italian) in the background behind Katherine.
Domes
I believe that the dome on the right is part of the Chiesa SS Nome di Maria Basilica and the dome on the left is Chiesa dei Santi Luca e Martina Basilica. The roof at the bottom is the Curia Lulia.
Through the Rubble
Tempio del Divo Romolo
Statue Row
There were several pillars with no statues on them, so I decided to take stand on it and have Katherine take a photo of me. This photo of Katherine was before I embarrassed her by doing that.
Roman Temple
This is the Ancient Roman Antoninus and Faustina Temple.
Old
The Temple is old, not Katherine. Let me make sure that\'s clear.
Inside a Church
Katherine is standing inside the Basilica Emilia. It doesn\'t look like she is in a church though, because the church had fallen down several years ago.
Dead Grass
While we were out and about walking through the Roman Forum I realized that I should try to take more unique photos that not every tourist would take. The next few photos are just that - me trying to be artsy.
Dying Moss
I don\'t know why I tried to take this photo. The yellow dying moss isn\'t exactly a pleasant color, however I ended up liking this photo quite a bit.
Detailed
The detailed work that the ancient Romans put into their art on the tops of pillars is incredible.
Dark Spot
I\'m not sure what caused this dark spot on the top of this pillar.
Flying High
There were several birds around but I didn\'t get many photos of birds flying. Here is a photo that I caught a pigeon in. These pillars are what is left of the front of Tempio dei Dioscuri.
Saints
Katherine and I went into the Santa Maria Antiqua inside the Roman Forum. There were some pretty well preserved walls (like this one) that I got to take photos of.
Madonna and Child
This is one of the oldest icons of the Virgin Mary in Rome. This was found in the church of Santa Maria Nova which was later renamed the church of Santa Francesca Romana. I recognized this painting as something famous, so I tried to take a photo of it. Because it was behind glass and there was a bright window behind it, I gave up taking a photo of it and continued on. After walking through the church a little I realized I could get a shot of this painting from an angle with no glare.
Tall Dome
This is the Chiesa dei Santi Luca e Martina Basilica in Rome, Italy.
West End
Katherine and I finally made it to the West end of the Roman Forum (we started on the East end). It was quite a slow walk from one end to the other!
Sunshine
The Temple in the background is the Templo de Saturno inside the Roman Forum.
Fallen Columns
Septimius Severus Arch
This is the Septimius Severus Arch located inside the Roman Forum in Rome, Italy.
Chiesa dei Santi Luca e Martina
From Outside the Forum
Katherine and I wandered outside the Roman Forum and made it to a hill where we could take a few photos looking East into the Roman Forum.
Colosseum in the Distance
You can barely see the Colosseum in the distance in this photo.
Flowing
Katherine was really nice and let me take as many photos as I wanted at the Vatican at night.
Ghost of Katherine
This photo was taken as a long exposure with my flash on. After the flash fired, Katherine walked out of the photo and the camera kept exposing. It\'s one of my favorite techniques shooting in the dark.
