Europe Day 20: Ancient Rome

May 3 was full of history - we toured the Forum, Palatine Hill, and the Colosseum.  I was so awe-inspired walking through the ancient ruins that I snapped a lot of pictures.  And though they don't do any of the sights justice, I will likely post a lot below in an attempt to "transport" you there!  On our way to Ancient Rome we stopped in at St. Peter-in-Chains Church and took in the famed Michelangelo statue of Moses.

Michelangelo worked on this statue on and off for 30 years.  The look on Moses' face/eyes was quite impressive in person.

Upon arriving in the area and finding the Colosseum packed, we gladly took Rick Steves' advice to buy the combo-ticket at Palatine Hill.  But first we snapped a few photos...

The Arch of Constantine (A.D. 312) marks Emperor Constantine's defeat of Maxentius and legalization of Christianity.

We entered the Forum/Palatine Hill complex at Palatine Hill, then walked over to the Forum to start.  Note to anyone heading to Rome - the audioguide was interesting, but it was difficult to figure out what it was referring to so it ended up being a bit frustrating.

The Forum is Ancient Rome's "birthplace" and civic center, where important events and transactions took place.  Though in mostly ruins, it was still incredibly fascinating to walk through!

The Arch of Titus, marking Rome's victory over Judea in A.D. 70, guards the entrance to the Forum.

The Column of Phocus commemorated the pagan Pantheon's becoming a Christian church.

After wandering through the Forum for a few hours, we walked back over to Palatine Hill, catching the Colosseum again...

We also got a couple great shots of the Forum from above!

Palatine Hill is where the Emperors chose to live...and from the above overview pictures of the Forum, I can see why.  There were gorgeous views off the hill on every side, and we spent a while wandering through the remaining rubble.

The stadium

By the time we came down the Hill, we were soooo ready for a late lunch.  We sat outdoors and started across the street at the Colosseum while we chowed down.

Then it was time to head over to the famed building itself.  Over 2,000 years old, the Colosseum's actual name is the Flavian Amphitheater.  It was an arena for gladiators, accommodating 50,000 fans, and pioneered the use of rounded arches (and was the first domed stadium).  I found the Colosseum to be fascinating, and though under some reconstruction, it provided very interesting views.  We tried to capture some of them...but I highly recommend visiting it yourself someday!

It was so interesting to look down "below" the original arena floor to see where the lion cages and pathways were.

We weren't allowed to walk up these stairs, but someone(s) did at some point!

And that was pretty much the end of our day, as we were tired after all that walking.  Fascinating sights, excellent day!