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Capitoline Hill
Rome, Italy

 

Ancient Santa Maria in Aracoeli church, Capitoline Hill, Rome, Italy

Santa Maria in Aracoeli, on the top of Rome's first base, the Capitoline Hill.

This Santa Maria - and there are many Santa Marias in the city - is an exquisitely different form from the rest. Built around 1260 the wonky steps were added in 1348 to celebrate the end of a plague. Emperor Augustus later had an altar constructed called Ara Coeli, the Altar of Heaven, thus the church's name.

The interior is also fine, with huge columns, a gilded ceiling and impressive frescos, if you can make it up the 124 steps.

 

Museums, Capitoline Hill, Rome, Italy

The Capitoline Museums, also on the Capitoline Hill.

 

 

The Capitoline offer a couple of museums replete with extraordinary sculptures including giant body parts, a porky Venus, a young and effete Hercules, Medusa and her snake hair, an Etruscan bronze of the she-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus (the founders of Rome), varied centaurs, kids playing with snakes and much more, but also some fine Renaissance paintings.

Apart from the terrific art and historic, central location the museums are cool and uncrowded, an excellent place to chill, literally and metaphorically.

 

Romance on  Capitoline Hill, Rome, Italy

A narrow view from the Capitoline Museums over the Forum.

And in case you were wondering, the brides and grooms we have featured in some of these photos were separate, unconnected to Bugbog and just happened to be around on a sunny Rome Saturday when the BugForce were shooting pictures.

 

 

Triumphal Arches, linking to Pantheon, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain pictures, Rome, Italy

Another view of the Forum and two of the three remaining triumphal arches, those of Titus and Septimus Severus.

 

 

Triumphal arches were a Roman concept built to commemorate a great military victory, bearing bas-reliefs scenes of the conflict and the victorious heroes. The returning army would march through the arch dragging the spoils of war and captives while the grateful population cheered in welcome.

 

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