Rome, the capital of Italy, is a fascinating city where millennia-old history and extraordinary culture intertwine at every corner. From the ancient ruins of the Colosseum to the splendid works of the Renaissance, Rome offers an invaluable heritage of artistic and architectural treasures. In this article, we will showcase 5 attractions that often go unnoticed through the VCards of CHOEarth.
Tiber Island
Tiber Island is the only urban island in the Tiber, located in the center of Rome. Legend has it that it was formed in 510 B.C. from the sheaves of grain of King Tarquin the Proud, thrown into the Tiber during the revolt that led to his expulsion, although modern studies suggest older origins. Largely uninvolved in the city’s events, it hosted the temple of Aesculapius, the god of medicine, introduced in 292 B.C. after a plague. Monumentalized in the 1st century B.C., the island took the shape of a ship, with decorations including the god Aesculapius and an obelisk in the center, symbolizing the main mast of the ship that brought the god’s symbol from Epidaurus to Rome.
Aqua Virgo Aqueduct
The Aqua Virgo Aqueduct is the only one of the eleven main aqueducts of ancient Rome still in operation, supplying baroque fountains like the Trevi Fountain. Built by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and inaugurated on June 9, 19 B.C., it supplied the Baths of Agrippa. The aqueduct gathers water from springs near the Aniene River and covered 20.471 km, mostly underground, with a 1.835 m open stretch in the Campus Martius. The route, avoiding steep gradients due to the low altitude of the springs, passed from east to north of Rome, serving areas previously lacking water supply, and reached the Campus Martius without crossing densely populated areas.
Auditorium of Maecenas
The so-called Auditorium of Maecenas, actually a nymphaeum, is an ancient Roman structure located in the Esquilino district of Rome, along Via Merulana. Part of the Horti Maecenatis, it was excavated in 1874 and dates back to 30 B.C. The building is a large semi-subterranean rectangular hall, identified with Maecenas’ villa on the Esquiline, built over a necropolis and the leveling of the ancient agger. On the Via Leopardi side, it overlapped the Servian Wall. After Maecenas’ death in 8 B.C., the villa was annexed to the imperial possessions and granted to Tiberius, who undertook renovation work, adding third-style paintings similar to those of the hypogean nymphaeum of Livia’s villa. The site is now visitable by appointment and managed by the Capitoline Superintendence.
Bosco Parrasio
The Accademia dell’Arcadia is one of the oldest and most representative Italian academies. Founded on October 5, 1690, in the garden of the San Pietro in Montorio convent, the first “Adunanza dei Portici” saw the participation of fourteen writers, including Giovan Mario Crescimbeni, the first General Custodian. An ideal continuation of the meetings hosted by Queen Christina of Sweden, the Academy has its historic seat in Bosco Parrasio, rented to private individuals for many years. Each year, it organizes conferences open to members and the educated public, and publishes the “Biblioteca dell’Arcadia” in two series: “Atti e Memorie dell’Arcadia” and “Studi e Testi,” demonstrating the cultural mission between innovation and tradition.
Galleria Borghese
The Galleria Borghese, located in Rome’s historic Villa Borghese Pinciana, is a renowned art collection. Originally conceived as a suburban villa with gardens, the two attractions are now separate. The gallery preserves a significant portion of the Borghese Collection, initiated by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, which includes paintings, sculptures, and antiquities. Scipione Borghese, an influential patron of Bernini and collector of Caravaggio, enriched the collection with masterpieces such as “Boy with a Basket of Fruit” and “St. Jerome Writing.” It also houses works by Titian, Raphael, Rubens, and Barocci, offering an immersion into Rome’s artistic heritage.
Join our community on Telegram!