Archbasilica of St. John Lateran
St. John Lateran was the first cathedral of Rome, dating all the way to the time of Constantine, where it was built on the site of a Roman palace. This is actually the official seat of the Pope, rather than St. Peter's. Before the construction of St. Peter's, St. John Lateran was (and technically still is) the center of Catholic worship. We really enjoyed this church, not only because of the touch-screen audioguides (!) but because of the bright, airy atmosphere and the spectacular gigantic sculptures.
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| This table is said to mark the height of Christ. |
Spanish Steps and Piazza Del Popolo
The Spanish Steps have some really pricey shops nearby, which we luckily did not browse through. A nice Brazilian couple took our picture on the steps and offered to let us stay in their apartment if we ever went to Brazil. A man at the top of the steps tried to pressure me into buying Mandi a rose, but luckily we were both too thrifty for such a ploy. The top of the Steps and the walk to Piazza del Popolo afforded some nice views of the city skyline. Piazza del Popolo is really big and was unfortunately crowded with annoying electric guitar players who kind of ruined the atmosphere. We caught some nice pizza and headed home, with two more stops on the way.
Mausoleum of Augustus and Ara Pacis
The sun had almost completely set by the time we arrived at the Mausoleum of Augustus. This was a large tomb built by Caesar Augustus for himself and his family, but the years have not been kind to this structure and it is now largely overgrown and ruined. Adjacent to the mausoleum is the Ara Pacis, or Altar of Peace, built to celebrate the peace that Augustus brought to the Empire through his military conquests.
Next Time: the Capitol, the Pantheon, some incredible churches, and more!
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