look into open doors and other Rome, Italy Off The Beaten Path Tips

Walking along the streets of Rome it pays to look into open doors. Very often there is a nice thing behind this huge open doors. Sometimes it is statue, sometimes a fountain, or just a wonderfull courtyard.

Do walk the streets and keep your eyes open!

This picture is taken in the Via Panesperna, a small not very special street.

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At the other side of the streets we discovered this courtyard with a nicely lit fountain. Just like the previous tip it was a complete surprise to find something so beautifull behind an open door in a very dull street.

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When in Rome you have to visit some churches. Rome is the center of the catholic church and there are many really beautifull churches around. Ofcourse one must visit St Pauls in the Vatican, and some others like Santa Maria Maggiore. But also have a look inside some of the smaller ones. They mostly turn out to be hidden gems.

This is the Basilica di Santa Pudenziana (390 AD) , at the Via Urbana 160, a dead end street. It is one of the first parish churches of Rome.

According to legend it is standing over the house of the Roman senator Pudens. It has a 6th century doorway with medieval frieze and, in the apse, 4th century mosaics.
Rome's early-Christian mosaics show the progression from the naturalism of Roman art to the symbolism of Christian art. In this church Christ is enthroned between the apostles (who are dressed as Roman senators) and his magisterial air reminds of Jupiter.
Connected to the church is the Oratorium Marianum, with 11th century frescoes depicting the legends of the martyrs.

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This little round church dates back to the 6th century, it is dedicated to the Greek soldier martyr St Theodore of Euchaita, who lived in the 4th century.
The mosaics in the aps are from the 6th century. The florentine dome is from the 1400's.
Because of the round shape it is thought that the church was built on the ruins of a temple.

The church is rebuilt and restored several times. And when we visited another restoration was in progress. And we could not go into the church.

Normally the church is closed to the public. But if you are lucky you will find the church open on sunday morning for Mass.

Address: 7 Via de San Teodoro

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This little church is situated opposite the Trevi fountain. That is why everybody is looking in the other direction. But if you visit the fountain it is worth to turn around and see this church.
The facade is baroque style with a large shield of cardinal Raimondo Mazzarino, who ordered this church to be built.
The church was built in 1650. In the aps are some remberance plaques. The are indicating that the Praecordia (a piece of the heart) of several popes are kept here behind the walls. This macabre tradition ended only in the beginning of the 20th century when pope Pius X ended it.

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The facade of the Santa Maria in Trivio(1570-1580) is beautifull incorporated in the facade of the building behind it.
This church is standing very close to the Trevi fountain, just around the corner. And again worth visiting if you are at the fountain.
Inside the church are some frescoes at the ceiling made by Antonio Gherardi (1644-1702). They depict scenes from the new testament.

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This church is the Lombard national church. It was built in 1612 by Onorio Longhi and dedicated to Saints Ambrose and Charles Borromeo. The architect died before the work was completed. In 1684 the facade was finished by Gian Battista Menicucci and Mario da Canepina. The interior was designed by Martino Longhi, son of Onorio, in 1642. It was a little altered by Pietro da Cortona in 1651. He also erected the dome and apse in 1668.
The interior was renovated in 2001.

On the outside is a façade which can't be overlooked, it is very large. It has a single story divided into three parts by pilasters with Corinthian capitals.

Address: 437 Via del Corso

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Phone: 06 68 19 171

A small piazza, but worth looking for. The Piazza is dominated by the Palazzo Viminale, home to the Ministery of Internal Affairs.
Giovanni Giolitti, prime minister in the 1910's, decided to build a monumental construction joining together the two offices of the Prime Minister and the Minister of the Internal Affairs.
Giolitti wanted to build the new Ministry near the Quirinale and the Parliament. So Viminal Hill was choosen. Architect Manfredo Manfredi got the asignment.

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Phone: 06-46538114-5-6
Website: http://www.interno.it/sezioni/viminale/s_000000031.htm

In the old times it was not allowed to burry death within the citywalls. The rich roman citizens had their monuments along the major roads into the city as close to the citywall as possible. Just behind the Porta Maggiore is one such tombe still standing. It is the tombe of a baker, Eurysaces and his wife Atisia, dating back to 30BC. The tombe has the form of a bakeroven and reliefs on it show scenes of a bakery. Eurysaces was not always a rich man. An inscription on his tombe tells proudly about him being a freed slave. Slaves used to save money to buy themselves free. He did so and started a bakery which made him rich.

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The university of Rome has more buildings, but this building at the Via Eudosiana 18 is extremely beautifull. The palmtrees in front complete the picture of the beige yellow building with its nice pictures on the facade. The pictures depict the faculties as mathematics, fysics and so on.

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