DOCSLIB.ORG

Virgin Water

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Virgin Water Rome, Caput Mundi, the Eternal City, the Queen of the Waters, are all tributes which refer to the perpetuity of this city deriving from her capacity to continually renew herself. Rome breathes life into her ruins, which conti- nue to live and breathe that uniqueness of both the past and present, that aside from historic pauses, continues to flow in this great outdoor museum which remains very much a part of our contemporary world. Roman citizens as well as tourists speak, bre- athe, eat and sleep surrounded by the warm tones of the palaces, roaming the streets, in the golden light of sunset and in the soft pati- na of Rome's architectural monuments, without ever suffering a “time warp syndro- me”, because Rome belongs to herself. It is as though we, in the year 2000, are able to live in the Rome of the Caesars'. In keeping with this theme, the “Guided Tours of the Imperial Waters of the Caesars” seek to radia- te throughout the urbs mirabilis following as a tangible sign the dynamic story of Rome's fountains, true urban SPRINGS, festive epi- phanies. They are their own permanent art exhibits which, through art and culture, bring us closer to that natural element of which Rome was once, and still remains, queen. The key to properly understanding the symbolism of the water and fountains lies within the fact that the water derives from the same spring. It is an invisible underground path that we will trace above ground by follo- wing a route marked by Roman fountains. It is both a physical and allegorical journey created by our forefathers, depositories of symbols and signs that are universal and do not belong only to Rome, but to the entire world. Tourism Office Municipality of Rome VIRGIN WATER Guided Tours of the Imperial Waters Caesars According to ancient done this to me,” the spring wailed in des- rally above ground on arches of stone, many legend Marcus peration, “his soldiers drank me and then of which still stand today. Only in very few Vipsanius Agrippa, imprisoned me. This is all the fault of that locations does the water actually break the great sea admiral meddlesome young girl who revealed my through to the surface. In order to be certain who created the existence to them.” The god, infuriated by of creating an aqueduct which would stand powerful Roman such a blatant offense, swelled the spring the test of time, the engineers carefully chose fleet and also the and mounting his chariot stormed Rome, the terrain the water would cross with the end hydraulic engineer of setting off a citywide panic. Neptune's tri- result being that the aqueduct takes an extra Caesar Augustus, decided one day to tons, dolphins, and seahorses unleashed long route around the city before reaching its build a temple to Neptune as well as crea- the might of their fury in a square of the city, final destinations. This however was the defi- te free public baths. He proceeded to flooding it and terrorizing the citizens. ning characteristic which allowed the aque- send out his sappers to hunt for a spring to That square, recounts Malpica, is the duct to survive until the present day. consecrate in honor of the sea god and to square where the Trevi Fountain now sits, When the Barbarians who conquered Rome carry water into the city. While in the pro- and is actually the main fountain where the cut off the water supply by sabotaging the cess of searching for this spring near “Virgin Water” flows. Many centuries have aqueducts, (a relatively useless move since Tribium (the present-day town of Salone) passed since that day, and the old gods the Tiber River runs through Rome, and was the soldiers encountered a young maiden, gave way to the new Christian God, but far less polluted than it is today) the “Virgin most probably a shepherd girl, who direc- evidently a distant echo of Neptune's wrath Water” duct survived, even if damaged. This ted them towards a spring of clear water. survived. isn't to say that the invaders did not know of They tasted the water and discerned that In this manner, when various popes betwe- its existence, in fact, they tried to enter Rome indeed this was the water they had been en the 1500s and the 1700s, decided to through its underground passages. The seeking. They named the spring Aqua restore the ancient Roman aqueduct that Byzantine General Belisarius, who was in Virgo, in honor of the young girl who gui- carried the “Virgin Water”, which inciden- charge of defending the city, had the passa- ded them to the site, and after having tally never ceased to function, they wanted ges guarded. When enemy torches were constructed a long path of subterranean to construct 18 fountains marking the sighted by the sentinels, they were initially mis- canals made of tuff rock, they finally water's path through the city and accen- taken for the eyes of wolves. In order to avoid brought the water to the temple in the tuate them with statues of Neptune, tritons, being discovered, the barbarians had to retre- square where the Pantheon still stands dolphins, seahorses and other creatures at back through the passages. The following today. from the sea god's court. Perhaps this was day, the general sent guards back to explore What the imprudent Agrippa should have a small tribute to placate the wrath of a divi- the duct. They found traces of ashes and bits known was that the spring was already nity, though already gone, never comple- of wood from the torches, thereby clarifying sacred to Neptune, as were all freshwater tely forgotten. the misunderstanding of the wolves. The pas- springs in the world. However, Neptune sage was immediately sealed off. also considered the Aqua Virgo a lover and So far on our journey we have seen the the god did not appreciate her capture by A FEW WORDS ON THE ACQUADUC mystery of Neptune and his tritons as well as the Romans. Cesare Malpica, an erudite As previously stated, Agrippa constructed his the mystery of the “wolf in the water duct”. poet specializing in mythology who lived in aqueduct entirely underground in the tuface- However, these aren't the only enigmas The Strange Story of the “Virgin Water” the 1800s, narrated that one day Neptune, ous terrain which was quite different from the surrounding the most ancient functional accompanied by his tritons, dolphins, and typical Roman aqueducts constructed gene- Roman aqueduct. Guided Tours of the Imperial Waters Caesars the rest of his entire court, went to find his love and found her a prisoner. “Agrippa has 2 3 1 2 FOUNTAIN OF PIAZZA DEL POPOLO LOCATION: PIAZZA DEL POPOLO AUTHOR: GIUSEPPE VALADIER NYMPHAEUM AT VILLA GIULIA YEAR: 1823 Villa Giulia COMMISSIONED BY: LEONE XII LOCATION: VILLA GIULIA AUTHOR: BARTOLOMEO AMMANNATI The point of departure of the “Trident” is pay homage to the fountains with water YEAR: 1555 without a doubt Piazza del Popolo, and divinities, especially if one no longer ris- COMMISSIONED BY: GIULIO III Piazza del Popolo right here, is the first of the eighteen ked being sent to the stake? The fact fountains planned by the popes for this remains that the fountain was too small aqueduct, built by architect Giacomo for those tritons, which would have been Dalla Porta. too heavy for the structure. They were Our journey on the discovery of the Michelangelo, and Ammannati, this last It was the year 1572, when Pope Pius V therefore stored in a warehouse and “Virgin Water” begins at Villa Giulia, very one being the author of the arcade of decided to definitively restore the aque- later used for the Fountain of the Moor in near to the Via Flaminia. the Nymphaeum. What would prompt a duct, after his predecessor Pope Pius IV Piazza Navona. But that's another story. Pope Julius III (1550-1555) had this Catholic pope to venerate a virgin water had the ancient springs of Salone rejoi- Next to the fountain, in the center of the complex expressly built above the con- source to such a point, especially since ned, at the eighth mile of the Via piazza, an obelisk was erected. ducting canals of the “Virgin Water” this “Virgin” had nothing to do with the Collatina, in the Trivium area of the city. In 1823, Giuseppe Valadier was com- spring piercing it (illegally) to create a Celestial Mother, is the first of the enig- The task was assigned to the Camera missioned to renovate the piazza, and magnificent, yet mysterious mas of this mysterious spring. Capitolina (Capitoline Administrative for starters he dismantled Dalla Porta's Nymphaeum, the first “water theatre” of Office) , which then hired Giacomo Dalla fountain (reconstructed after World War II THE TRIDENT Rome, where for the first time we have Porta to design the fountain. It was to be in Piazza Nicosia) installing in its place sculptural depictions of sirens. This The adjacent Via Flaminia is the ideal a large basin with two smaller basins and four Egyptian style lions resting on pyra- spring was so important to the pope, “handle” for what in Rome we common- four dolphins placed in the center of the midal supports constructed around the that we can say that the rest of the ly call “The Trident” - as it turns out, the piazza. Dalla Porta appointed four obelisk. Once again a “tribute to complex was built as a corollary to the weapon of Neptune. The “Trident” con- Florentine sculptors to create the tritons Neptune” is not lacking, with Giovanni Nymphaeum.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 1-Day Rome City Guide a Preplanned Step-By-Step Time Line and City Guide for Rome
    1 day 1-day Rome City Guide A preplanned step-by-step time line and city guide for Rome. Follow it and get the best of the city. 1-day Rome City Guide 2 © PromptGuides.com 1-day Rome City Guide Overview of Day 1 LEAVE HOTEL Tested and recommended hotels in Rome > Take Metro Line A to Ottaviano San Pietro station 09:00-10:10 St. Peter's Basilica Largest Christian Page 5 church in the world 10:10-10:40 Piazza di San Pietro One of the best known Page 5 squares in the world Take Metro Line A from Ottaviano San Pietro station to Termini station (Direction: Anagnina) Change to Metro Line B from Termini station to Colosseo station (Direction: Laurentina) - 30’ in all 11:10-12:40 Colosseum Iconic symbol of Page 6 Imperial Rome Take a walk to Arch of Constantine - 5’ 12:45-12:55 Arch of Constantine Majestic monument Page 6 Lunch time Take a walk to Piazza Venezia 14:30-14:50 Piazza Venezia Focal point of modern Page 7 Rome Take a walk to the Pantheon - 15’ 15:05-15:35 Pantheon The world's largest Page 7 unreinforced concrete Take a walk to Piazza Navona - 10’ dome 15:45-16:15 Piazza Navona One of the most Page 7 beautiful squares in Take a walk to Trevi Fountain - 25’ Rome 16:40-17:10 Trevi Fountain One of the most familiar Page 8 sights of Rome Take a walk to Spanish Steps - 20’ 17:30-18:00 Spanish Steps Rome's most beloved Page 8 Rococo monument END OF DAY 1 © PromptGuides.com 3 1-day Rome City Guide Overview of Day 1 4 © PromptGuides.com 1-day Rome City Guide Attraction Details 09:00-10:10 St.
    [Show full text]
  • A Political Interpretation of a Proscenium Arch Designed by Francesco Romanelli for the Opera “San Bonifazio” (1638) Leila Zammar
    ISSN 2421-2679 146 A political interpretation of a proscenium arch designed by Francesco Romanelli for the opera “San Bonifazio” (1638) Leila Zammar description might ft in part to the character as some of its attributes are usually associated to the personifcation of Justice, I will propose another ome years ago, while I was looking for reading, which better matches the programmatic information about the artists who were meaning the Barberini family wanted to convey hired by the Barberini to stage their operas with the opera San Bonifazio for which his arch Sin Rome for the Carnival season 1638, I found was very likely designed. Romanelli was in fact an interesting drawing by the painter Giovanni one of the artists chosen by the noble family to Francesco Romanelli (c.1610-1662). Te drawing, design works of art that could be a good means held in the Metropolitan Museum of New York, of conveying their political propaganda (about shows an incomplete proscenium arch of a stage the role of Francesco Romanelli see Oy-Marra with the crest of the Barberini placed at the centre 2007: 303-16). of the architrave. Born in Viterbo, Romanelli, also known as Il Viterbese, from his birth city, or Il Rafaellino, afer Rafaello, was trained in Rome where he studied with Il Domenichino (Domenico Zampieri, 1581-1641) frst, and then with Pietro da Cortona (Pietro Berettini, 1596-1669). It is probable that the latter introduced him to the court of the Barberini family since Romanelli was his collaborator in painting the frescos for the chapel inside Palazzo Barberini (1631-32).
    [Show full text]
  • Art of Rome, Florence & Paris
    11 or 13 days ART OF ROME, FLORENCE & PARIS FACULTY-LED INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS ABOUT THIS TOUR Europe’s renowned centers of Renaissance art and architecture come alive as you discover Italy and France. Admire amazing frescoes and craftwork at the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City and the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, and enjoy an art-themed walking tour in Florence. End in elegant Paris, where you’ll have the chance to explore the masterpieces that line the halls of the Louvre. Through it all, you’ll return home prepared for whatever path lies ahead of you. Beyond photos and stories, new perspectives and glowing confidence, you’ll have something to carry with you for the rest of your life. It could be an inscription you read on the walls of a famous monument, or perhaps a joke you shared with another student from around the world. The fact is, there’s just something transformative about an EF College Study Tour, and it’s different for every traveler. Once you’ve traveled with us, you’ll know exactly what it is for you. DAY 3: Colosseum DAY 4: St. Peter’s Basilica DAY 5: Basilica of St. Francis DAY 6: Florence DAY 3: Taking a break at the Pantheon ART OF ROME, FLORENCE & PARIS 11 or 13 days INCLUDED ON TOUR: OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS: Round-trip airfare Caravaggio Art Tour • Giverny or Auvers-sur-Oise Land transportation Optional excursions let you incorporate additional Hotel and night train accommodations sites and attractions into your itinerary and make the Breakfast daily and select meals most of your time abroad.
    [Show full text]
  • GREAT SAINTS and SACRED SITES December 26, 2021 - January 6, 2022
    Join Fr. Ray Schmidt and St. John ’ s Summer Program pilgrimage to CHRISTMAS PILGRIMAGE TO ITALY'S GREAT SAINTS AND SACRED SITES December 26, 2021 - January 6, 2022 $3,169 per person from Washington D.C. (IAD) (based on double occupancy) With Spiritual Director: Fr. Ray Schmidt For more information or to register visit: www.pilgrimages.com/francisregis Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians St. Peter’s Square SAMPLE DAY BY DAY ITINERARY Day 1 | Sat, Dec 26: Depart Dulles Chaplet before heading to the NAC for a Holy Hour, International Airport Confessions and fireworks. Late morning pilgrim Mass at St. John's, then travel to Dulles by charter bus. Fly overnight with meals Day 7 | Fri, Jan 01: Rome - Nettuno - Monte served on board. Cassino - Mugnano del Cardinale - Pompei Depart Rome by 7:30am. Bus to Maria Goretti in Day 2 | Sun, Dec 27: Milan - Turin - Milan Nettuno and then bus to Monte Cassino to visit Ben- Arrive in Milan. Visit the grave of St. Gianna Barret- edict and Scolastica, then to Mugnano del Cardinale ta Mola at the Cemetery of Mesero (based upon ear- to see St. Philomena, then to Pompei to the Madon- ly morning arrival) and then bus to Turin and see na del Rosario Sanctuary and Bl. Bartolo Longo. Frassati, Bosco, Savio. Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians in Turin. Bus back to Milan Day 8 | Sat, Jan 02: Pompei - Pagnani - Saler- for dinner. no - Materdomini - San Giovanni Rotondo Begin the day with St. Alphonsus Liguori in Pagnani Day 3 | Mon, Dec 28: Milan - Pavia - Bologna and then travel to see St.
    [Show full text]
  • THE FOUNTAINS Roma Ti Aspetta PIEGHEVOLI Definitiviinglese6antmodif Layout126/11/1008.49Pagina2 Their Namesandmemory
    PIEGHEVOLI DEFINITIVI INGLESE 6 ant MODIF_Layout 1 26/11/10 08.49 Pagina 1 Call number We have reached the road along by the we can make our way up to the Tiber. So now we resume our itinerary, Fontanone del Gianicolo, or, to give it its 060608 heading for Piazza Navona. It is in this real name, the Fontana dell’Acqua or visit marvellous Baroque piazza that you can Paola, which was built for Paul V (bet- www.turismoroma.it admire Bernini’s Fontana dei Fiumi ween 1608 and 1612) by Flaminio For tourist information, (Fountain of the Four Rivers). Ponzio, while the semicircular basin was cultural events and entertainment offered in Rome Surmounting the rocks are four figures, added by Carlo Fontana in 1690. Its [Roma tiaspetta personifying rivers symbolizing the con- structure is simple, inspired by Roman tinents known in past ages: the triumphal arches. At the top, the inscrip- LIST OF T.I.P. (Tourism Information Points) Danube, the Ganges, the Rio de la Plata tion celebrates the merits of Paul V, who • G.B. Pastine Ciampino and the Nile. According to tradition, the brought the Trajan aqueduct back into International Arrivals – Baggage Collection Area (9.00 - 18.30) Fontana dei Tritoni dei Fontana poses of the statues of the Nile and of operation. The semicircle of the fountain • Fiumicino International Airport "Leonardo Da Vinci"- Arrivals the Rio de la Plata, as also that of the looks onto a panoramic terrace from International - Terminal T - 3 (9.00 - 18.30) statue of S. Agnese in the church of which the whole of Rome can be seen: • Ostia Lido [Having come to Piazza Mattei, cho- that name (Sant'Agnese in Agone) truly a sight not to be missed.
    [Show full text]
  • EGYPT in ROME (AND BEYOND) JC Zietsman University Of
    ACTA CLASSICA LII (2009) 1-21 ISSN 0065-1141 CHAIRPERSON’S ADDRESS • VOORSITTERSREDE CROSSING THE ROMAN FRONTIER: EGYPT IN ROME (AND BEYOND) J.C. Zietsman University of the Free State ABSTRACT A coin issued by Octavian in 27 BC, when he became the Emperor Augustus, pro- claims AEGYPTO CAPTA, ‘Egypt has been captured.’ In actual fact Egyptian culture, architecture, art and religion crossed the Roman frontier and captured the imagination of the Roman world. Apart from Greece, no other country had greater influence over the Romans. The most distinctive evidence of Egyptian presence in Rome is the obelisks. Several of the obelisks exalted the military victories of the pharaohs to whom they were originally dedicated. The Roman emperors, as rulers of Egypt, identified with this use for their own imperialistic and propagandistic purposes. This article will look at the afterlife of some of the most famous obelisks in and beyond the Eternal City after the fall of Rome. Introduction In 264 BC Rome became involved in the First Punic War against Carthage. By the end of this war (241 BC) the Romans found themselves in possession of Sicily, which became the first Roman province. The Third Punic War ended in 146 BC, when the defeated Carthaginian territory became the pro- vince of Africa. Macedonia and Achaea became Roman provinces in the same year. Cunliffe argues that ‘the rise of Rome in the Mediterranean did not lead to a confrontation with Egypt, although the internal quarrels among the mem- bers of the Egyptian dynasty did give Rome some say in the internal matters of Egypt.1 Under the Ptolemies economic and political decay had set in and by the time that Egypt was drawn into the Roman political arena in the second half of the first century BC, the country was in a state of near collapse.’ 1 Cunliffe 1978:232.
    [Show full text]
  • Lesson Four: Zoom in on Italy Factsheet on Naples
    Lesson Four: Zoom in on Italy Factsheet on Naples Name in Italian: Roma Region located in: Lazio Population: 2,840,000 Historical background Rome is known as the Eternal City. This means it has always been a major city in world history. Rome began as an Etruscan City. However, Roman legend tells us that the founders of Rome were the twins Romulus and Remus. Rome City is built around seven hills. The Romans are one of the most famous civilisations in the world and the city grew to its peak under their command. Roman rule lasted nearly 500 years. Most famous tourist sights Rome is the capital city of Italy. It is known as an ancient city and millions of tourists visit the city to see the famous Roman artefacts. The most popular places to visit are the Colosseum, The Forum, Spanish Steps, The Pantheon, St. Peters Basilica, Piazza Navona and Sant’Angelo Castle. The Vatican City is extremely popular, not only because this is where the Pope lives, but because it is its own independent city state. City economics Rome is the capital city. Tourism forms an important part of the economy of the city. However, although it is the capital of the country, most of the businesses and banks in Italy are located in the northern cities. The Comunes in Rome are trying to attract international businesses to the city, such as banking, insurance, printing, publishing and fashion. Italy makes a lot of films, and the offices for these films can be found very close to Rome. Other information The Comunes of Rome want to develop the city.
    [Show full text]
  • Renaissance Gardens of Italy
    Renaissance Gardens of Italy By Daniel Rosenberg Trip undertaken 01-14 August 2018 1 Contents: Page: Introduction and overview 3 Itinerary 4-5 Villa Adriana 6-8 Villa D’Este 9-19 Vatican 20-24 Villa Aldobrindini 25-31 Palazzo Farnese 32-36 Villa Lante 37-42 Villa Medici 43-45 Villa della Petraia 46-48 Boboli Gardens 49-51 Botanical Gardens Florence 52 Isola Bella 53-57 Isola Madre 58-60 Botanic Alpine Garden Schynige Platte (Switz.) 61-62 Botanic Gardens Villa Taranto 63-65 Future Plans 66 Final Budget Breakdown 66 Acknowledgments 66 Bibliography 66 2 Introduction and Overview of project I am currently employed as a Botanical Horticulturalist at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. I started my horticultural career later in life and following some volunteer work in historic gardens and completing my RHS level 2 Diploma, I was fortunate enough to secure a place on the Historic and Botanic Garden training scheme. I spent a year at Kensington Palace Gardens as part of the scheme. Following this I attended the Kew Specialist Certificate in Ornamental Horticulture which gave me the opportunity to deepen my plant knowledge and develop my interest in working in historic gardens. While on the course I was able to attend a series of lectures in garden history. My interest was drawn to the renaissance gardens of Italy, which have had a significant influence on European garden design and in particular on English Gardens. It seems significant that in order to understand many of the most important historic gardens in the UK one must understand the design principles and forms, and the classical references and structures of the Italian renaissance.
    [Show full text]
  • The Soundscape of the Trevi Fountain in Covid-19 Silence Received Jul 15, 2020; Accepted Sep 28, 2020 1 Introduction
    Noise Mapp. 2020; 7:212–222 Research Article Enza De Lauro*, Mariarosaria Falanga, and Laura Tedeschini Lalli The soundscape of the Trevi fountain in Covid-19 silence https://doi.org/10.1515/noise-2020-0018 Received Jul 15, 2020; accepted Sep 28, 2020 1 Introduction Abstract: This paper is devoted to the analyses of sound- This paper is about the soundscape of the famous Piazza scape at fontana di Trevi in Rome (Italy) with the aim to Fontana di Trevi in Rome. The piazza itself is a culturally compare its characteristics during the Italian lockdown important place, so that a study of the "sound signature" due to the (Sars-COV2) Covid-19 sanitary emergency and its of the fountain is important for heritage studies. In this pa- characteristics before and after such time. The lockdown per we address the differences that can be objectively mea- has represented an exceptional environment due to the sured in very different situations regarding background silence everywhere, never occurred in centuries, offering noise. the opportunity to recognize the "signature" of the sound At the end of December 2019, in a market of Wuhan in the emitted by the famous Fontana di Trevi and recognize Hubei Province (China), there was a first documented case how it interacts with other features. The signature is im- of anomalous pneumonia, thereafter denominated Covid- portant for preservation issues and cultural heritage. The 19 disease. On January 9, 2020, the Chinese CDC reported soundscape was documented in a field survey by means of that this anomalous pneumonia was due to a new coro- hand held microphones, which acquired simultaneously navirus that was responsible of a Severe Acute Respira- the acoustic wavefield all around the fountain.
    [Show full text]
  • C HAPTER THREE Dissertation I on the Waters and Aqueducts Of
    Aqueduct Hunting in the Seventeenth Century: Raffaele Fabretti's De aquis et aquaeductibus veteris Romae Harry B. Evans http://www.press.umich.edu/titleDetailDesc.do?id=17141, The University of Michigan Press C HAPTER THREE Dissertation I on the Waters and Aqueducts of Ancient Rome o the distinguished Giovanni Lucio of Trau, Raffaello Fabretti, son of T Gaspare, of Urbino, sends greetings. 1. introduction Thanks to your interest in my behalf, the things I wrote to you earlier about the aqueducts I observed around the Anio River do not at all dis- please me. You have in›uenced my diligence by your expressions of praise, both in your own name and in the names of your most learned friends (whom you also have in very large number). As a result, I feel that I am much more eager to pursue the investigation set forth on this subject; I would already have completed it had the abundance of waters from heaven not shown itself opposed to my own watery task. But you should not think that I have been completely idle: indeed, although I was not able to approach for a second time the sources of the Marcia and Claudia, at some distance from me, and not able therefore to follow up my ideas by surer rea- soning, not uselessly, perhaps, will I show you that I have been engaged in the more immediate neighborhood of that aqueduct introduced by Pope Sixtus and called the Acqua Felice from his own name before his ponti‹- 19 Aqueduct Hunting in the Seventeenth Century: Raffaele Fabretti's De aquis et aquaeductibus veteris Romae Harry B.
    [Show full text]
  • Trevi Fountain Rome, Italy Trevi Fountain: Rome, Italy the Architects
    Trevi Fountain Rome, Italy Trevi Fountain: Rome, Italy The Architects The Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) is the most famous and arguably Little of Nicola Salvi’s (1697–1751) work beyond the Trevi Fountain remains the most beautiful fountain in Rome. This impressive Baroque-styled today and relatively little is known of the architect himself. He was monument was completed in 1762 and still dominates the small Trevi admitted to the Roman Academy of Arcadia in 1717 and only became square located in the city’s Quirinale district. an architect after studying mathematics and philosophy. His friend and colleague, the sculptor Pietro Bracci (1700–1773), would eventually go on to complete the fountain. Bracci’s most famous piece of work, the statue of Oceanus, forms the centerpiece of the fountain. 2 History The imposing fountain sits at the junction of three roads, or tre vie, which many believe gave the fountain its name, and marks the terminal point of one of the original aqueducts that supplied water to ancient Rome. Built by Marcu Vipsanius Agrippa in 19 BC, the Aqua Virgo aqueduct was over 13 miles (21 km) long and even then had a fountain at its terminus. The aqueduct and fountain served Rome for over 400 years, but after the invasion of the Goths in AD 537, the aqueduct was cut off and the final portion abandoned, forcing the medieval Romans to draw water from wells and the River Tiber. It would be over 1,000 years, and the advent of the Early Renaissance period, before a fountain would again stand in the location we know today.
    [Show full text]
  • The Baroque Underworld Vice and Destitution in Rome
    press release The Baroque Underworld Vice and Destitution in Rome Bartolomeo Manfredi, Tavern Scene with a Lute Player, 1610-1620, private collection The French Academy in Rome – Villa Medici Grandes Galeries, 7 October 2014 – 18 January 2015 6 October 2014 11:30 a.m. press premiere 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. inauguration Curators : Annick Lemoine and Francesca Cappelletti The French Academy in Rome - Villa Medici will present the exhibition The Baroque Underworld. Vice and Destitution in Rome, in the Grandes Galeries from 7 October 2014 to 18 January 2015 . Curators are Francesca Cappelletti, professor of history of modern art at the University of Ferrara and Annick Lemoine, officer in charge of the Art history Department at the French Academy in Rome, lecturer at the University of Rennes 2. The exhibition has been conceived and organized within the framework of a collaboration between the French Academy in Rome – Villa Medici and the Petit Palais, Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris, where it will be shown from 24 February to 24 May 2015. The Baroque Underworld reveals the insolent dark side of Baroque Rome, its slums, taverns, places of perdition. An "upside down Rome", tormented by vice, destitution, all sorts of excesses that underlie an amazing artistic production, all of which left their mark of paradoxes and inventions destined to subvert the established order. This is the first exhibition to present this neglected aspect of artistic creation at the time of Caravaggio and Claude Lorrain’s Roman period, unveiling the clandestine face of the Papacy’s capital, which was both sumptuous and virtuosic, as well as the dark side of the artists who lived there.
    [Show full text]