Is Rome still "The Eternal City"?

At the other end of the avenue lies the Capitoline hill, the seat of Imperial power, ,from which Gibbon viewed  the ruins of the  Forum,  getting the inspiration to write one of the most beautiful and readable history  books ever written, "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire".

The rivalry between the sculptors and architects Bernini and Borromini (who hailed from Switzerland) is visible throughout, and the source of stories, some true,  others well-invented, still told with relish by those who love the city. Their works still constitute some of the most beautiful sites the city has to offer, from Piazza Navona to the majestic colonnade adorning the  access to St. Peter's basilica.

Almost every street name in Rome evokes a slice of ancient, medieval, Renaissance or modern history: one of the main shopping avenues is named after Cola di Rienzo, a man of humble origins, whose meteoric rise to fame and leadership in the fourteenth century, seemed destined, for a while, to change the history of the entire Italian peninsula. He called himself a "Tribune" and  had  huge popular support, only to be finally  unseated and killed by those very masses who had hailed him as a saviour.

One intriguing aspect of Rome  lies in the "intimate" or "cosy" nature of its beauty. There are few of the impressive vistas offered by Paris or London, nor does one find the unique, contagious, intellectual ferment typical of Berlin.  Yet one feels that this has long been the world's capital, or one of the world's capitals,  and its beauty lies in stupendous corners,  narrow streets, ancient ruins, the fountains and of course the enormous number of Churches and monuments.

Also the Romans, in spite of  the vast number  of new generations, appear to have retained their intriguing combination of placid indolence and fiery temperament. It is not difficult to imagine them chasing a Pope into exile,  murdering a tyrant, assassinating the Emperor's emissaries, only to return to the warmth of the family to enjoy a steaming plate of "maccheroni  al cacio e pepe", washed down with copious draughts of the white, deceptively light  "vino dei Castelli".

Walking through Rome one is indeed surrounded by illustrious ghosts, and once one gets that feeling one understands that Rome is still "Caput Mundi" and, indeed, fully deserves its title as the "Eternal City"

Carlo Ungaro

Next Page  1  |  2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).