Travels Around Roma Part II: The Colosseum and the Forum Ruins

I actually visited il Colosseo and the Fori Romani before my first travel break, but I haven't really gotten around to posting it until now. Oh well. This is my favorite area in Roma, becuase nothing is better than the Colosseum where the gladiators fought. This is also the mythical locatoin (the Palantine Hill) where the great Roman Empire was founded, and Caesar and Augustus and lived here. The Roman Empire had their Senate in the Roman Forum, and Augustus' Forum was of course here as well the housing of the Vestel Virgins. The cremation place of Julius Caesar himself is here, as well as important Triumphal arches and probably a lot of other significant stuff that I don't even realize. Enjoy...


This is the view directly across the street from the Colosseo metro stop. And I remember taking this the first time I saw the Colosseum. Its truly amazing and cannot be described with words. It's just right there, and nothing compares to seeing it in person. Everyone should go.


This is a view of the underground tunnels under the floor. Some of the ground level can also be seen in the picture. The Colosseum was built over Nero's Golden Palace, which had numerous passagways and paths. The original seating is now gone and the Colosseum would have been covered in marble. Some marble is visible today but the general strucure still remains. If only the Lakers could play here, then my life would be complete...

This is me in the burning sweaty heat giving a thumbs up, which is what the Emperor of Rome gave when he wanted the gladiator to die (don't believe the movies).

This is a relief from the Arch of Titus, which was built to commemorate the sack of the Temple of Jerusalem and how the Romans brought back the riches to Rome.

And this of course is a cat enjoying the shade in the Colosseum.
This is the Arch of Constantine. It has too much intricate marble decoration and historical significance to describe, so I will just let the internet describe it for me here.

This is the room where the Vestel Virgins were kept. It is closed to the public but use your imagination. I am assuming it was a grand room full of marble, just like everything else.

This is inside what was the Senate building, but now houses famous statues. This statue is of none other than Julius Caesar himself, dressed in his traditional imperial garb. Although there were other statues in the building I liked this one the best, because it is the most significant and as it is said Caesar could move mountains if he wanted to.

Here is a view of the Roman forum, or more accuratley what remains of it. Back in the day the buildings would have been unneccessarily tall. Think 10 stories tall, because the ancient Romans were more skilled architects than anyone else in the world and their cement used a secret volcanic ingredient that made it stronger than our modern concrete is now.
This is where Caesar was cremated and as legend goes rose to the heavens and became a Roman god right then and there. People still place flowers in this holy site to honor Caesar himself. A grand altar to Caesar made of marble and built disproportionately high was built, but that sadly does not survive today. However the gist of it does, and this is a special place in Rome for me.

Here are more ruins from the Forum.

This is literally the Augustus' Forum. Once again imagine a very tall marble and façade in what would have been the glory and pride of the ancient Roman Empire.

Another more complete view of the Forum, with the famous three standing colums ruin in the left of the picture.

This is the veiw from the outside, withe the Colosseum being to the left and the Palatine Hill behind this view.
Here are some pictures I took a couple of months later in night vision from the Capotiline Museum (another post) of the Roman Forum, which I had to include here. It is really amazing. I wish I could be like Augustus and live on the Palatine Hill and also rule the Roman Empire in my spare time...


Here is a view of the Roman Forum in the pitch dark night using night mode. The Arch of Constantine, the Colosseum in the background, and the three columns of the Temple of Castor and Pollux (mythological twin brothers who helped the Roman army to victory and announced the victory at the forum).

This is another view of the Forum with the Palatine Hill and other ground ruins visible in the background and the foreground.
This is what I actually saw when I took this picture in regular mode by accident.

And this is reality with night mode. It almost looks like a painting or a surreal image, but I really like this picture because it reveals a new world and new colors and objects.