The Borghese Gallery and Museum stands out for its stunning villa location and impressive art collection. Instead of focusing on a large number of works, this gallery showcases a thoughtfully curated selection, offering visitors a chance to spend time with each masterpiece. The setting itself adds to the experience, with beautiful rooms and gardens surrounding the artwork.
The gallery features notable sculptures and paintings by famous artists. Some of the most admired pieces are by Antonio Canova and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, including the remarkable sculpture Apollo and Daphne. Works by the celebrated painter Caravaggio are also displayed here, making the collection especially appealing for art lovers. Each piece is carefully presented, allowing for a close look at the artists’ techniques and styles.
Originally, the Borghese Gallery was a private collection put together by Cardinal Scipione Borghese. For many years, it was considered one of the most magnificent collections in the world. In the early 1800s, Prince Camillo Borghese sold a significant part of the collection to Paris, where many pieces now belong to the Louvre Museum. Since 1902, the villa and its remaining artworks have been owned by the Italian state, preserving an important part of Italy’s artistic heritage.
Admission to the Borghese Gallery is limited to 360 people every two hours. Booking a time slot in advance is highly recommended. Visitors are allowed to take photos inside, which is rare for such a prestigious collection. To make the most of the visit, it’s important to arrive at least 15 minutes before the reserved time. This allows time to pick up tickets from Will Call and leave bags, strollers, and other large items in the cloakroom. The gallery enforces strict entry times, and late arrivals may not be accommodated, so punctuality is essential for a smooth visit.
Source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galleria_Borghese
This church, which was commissioned by Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, marks the point where, according to tradition, St. Peter was crucified. Particularly interesting for Irish visitors as it contains the graves of three Gaelic Chiefs who fled Ireland in 1607.
Minor basilica in 17th-century baroque style with good art inside. In a smaller Italian city, this might be a prime attraction, but in Rome, with its abundance of great churches, this is merely a pleasant church of secondary interest to visit if you are in the area.
The Ghetto lies between the island in the River Tiber and the Theatre of Marcellus and includes Rome’s synagogue. It was established in 1555 as a result of a Papal Bull by Pope Paul IV that required all Jews to live in the area, considered one of the least desirable quarters of the city, as it was subject to constant flooding by the river. The area was originally enclosed by walls and gates that were only open during the day. With the end of the Papal States in 1870, the requirement that Jews live in the Ghetto came to an end. The walls were torn down in 1888 and much of the ghetto was demolished. However, there is still much to see, including walls of buildings that incorporate Roman ruins, and there are several good Jewish restaurants.
Baroque church more noted for its position at the top of the Spanish Steps than it is for the church. Backdrop for numerous movies including Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday.
The house in which the famous English poet John Keats succumbed to consumption, now preserved as a memorial to his life and that of his friend Shelley, both of whom are buried in Rome's Protestant Cemetery (see Testaccio).
This is the attractive park on the hillside directly west of the Colosseum. Visible ruins in the area come from the Baths of Trajan. These baths were built on the top of the ruins of Domus Aurea - the Golden House of Nero (the Colosseum was built on the drained site of Nero's lake). The area underneath the park contains an enormous area from Nero's villa. It was restored at great expense in the 1980s and 1990s, opened to the public, and then closed again after a few years when it began to leak!
A truly quiet oasis close to the hustle and bustle of EUR. There are three churches in this complex and the doors are open all day, unlike city churches. The monks produce a range of products such as liqueurs, chocolate and honey, as well as a cure for the illnesses Romans suffer when the Scirocco wind blows in from the Sahara. These are on sale at a shop at the Abbey.
The 4th rebuilding of the meeting place for the Roman Senate, once converted into a church during the Middle Ages, but now restored since the 1930s.
This palace of the 16th century was erected by the famous Medici family. It was the residence of Cardinals Giovanni and Giuliano Medici, later Pope Leo X. and Clement VII. Catherine de Medici, Pope Clement VII's niece lived here until her marriage in 1553 with Prince Henry, the son of King Francis I of France. The palace is named after Madama Margerita of Austria, the illegitimate daughter of Emperor Charles V. Since 1871 it has been the seat of the Italian Senate.
A 5th-century basilica, simply and attractively decorated. The wooden door, of which 18 carved panels of scenes from the Bible survive, is believed to date from the church's construction.
Known properly as the Flavian Amphitheatre, this most famous of Roman landmarks takes its name from the giant statue of the emperor Nero that once stood near this location. The amphitheatre was capable of seating 50,000 spectators for animal fights and gladiatorial combats. It was a project started by the Emperor Vespasian in 72 and completed by his son Domitian sometime in the 80s. The Colosseum when completed measured 48 m high, 188 m in length, and 156 m in width. The wooden arena floor was 86 m by 54 m, and covered by sand.;Expect a long queue and an even longer wait. You can skip the queue if you decide to take a tour, but if you don't want a tour, you can STILL skip the queue. If you walk to the entrance for the Roman Forum, you can buy tickets there which allow you to bypass the queues. You can also buy tickets online. There are lots of people offering tours in English just outside the entrance to the Colosseum. Inside you can take a tour (English, Spanish, or German) every 30 minutes or so for an additional fee. The tours are given by knowledgeable archeologists, but they don't take you to any areas you couldn't visit on your own.
According to an inscription Emperor Augustus dedicated the obelisk to the sun in the 11th year of his consulate (10BC), after he had annexed Egypt to Rome. The obelisk is 24 m high. It was erected in Heliopolis in Egypt and was dedicated to Pharao Sethos I (1313-1292 BC) and Pharoa Ramses II (1292-1275 BC). Augustus brought the obelisk to the Circus Maximus, where it was rediscovered in 1587, broken into three pieces and was relocated to Piazze del Popolo on the orders of Pope Sixtus V in 1589.