Monument sights in Italy
-
A
Pantheon
Competition is fierce, but the Pantheon is surely ancient Rome’s most astonishing building. This Roman temple has been standing for almost 2000 years, and it’s a unique, unparalleled experience to enter its great doors and have your vision directed upwards, just as it would have been for the ancient Romans. Its current form dates to around AD 120, when the emperor Hadrian built the Pantheon over Marcus Agrippa’s original temple (27 BC). For centuries, historians read the name Agrippa in the inscription on the pediment and thought that Hadrian’s version was the 1st-century-BC original. When excavations in the 19th century revealed traces of the earlier temple, they realise…
reviewed
-
B
Quattro Canti
The busy intersection of Corso Vittorio Emanuele and Via Maqueda marks the Quattro Canti, the centre of the oldest part of town, neatly dividing the historic nucleus into four manageable sectors.
reviewed
-
Monte Ortobene
About 7km northeast of Nuoro is the granite peak of Monte Ortobene, capped by its massive statue of the Redentore (Christ the Redeemer). It's a place of veneration, but it's also a favourite picnic spot for locals. On 29 August (starting bright and early at 06:00) the brightly clothed faithful make a pilgrimage here from the cathedral. Afterwards Mass is celebrated in the nearby Chiesa di Nostra Signora del Monte, and there's another late-morning Mass at the feet of the statue.
After the spirit has been taken care of, the thoughts of the Nuoresi turn to more terrestrial needs. Many fan out in the woods (full of ilex, pine, fir and poplar) and open picnic hampers, while ot…
reviewed
-
C
Statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni
You’ll know you’ve crossed from Cannaregio into Castello when you spot Bartolomeo Colleoni galloping out to meet you. The bronze equestrian statue is one of only two such public monuments in Venice, commemorating one of Venice’s more loyal mercenary mainland commanders. From 1448, Colleoni commanded armies for the Republic – though in true mercenary form he switched sides a couple of times when he felt he’d been stiffed on pay or promotions. On his death in 1474, he bequeathed 216,000 gold and silver ducats and even more in property to Venice, on one condition: that the city erect a commemorative statue to him in Piazza San Marco. Since not even a doge had ever won such p…
reviewed
-
D
Il Vittoriano
Love it or loathe it, as most locals do, you can’t ignore Il Vittoriano, the massive mountain of white marble towering over Piazza Venezia. Known as the Altare della Patria (Altar of the Fatherland), it was begun in 1885 to commemorate Italian unification and honour Vittorio Emanuele II, Italy’s first king and the subject of its gargantuan equestrian statue. It also hosts the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Whatever you make of it, there’s no denying that the 360-degree views from the top are quite stunning. To get to the top, take the glass lift, Roma del Cielo from the side of the building. Inside the body of the structure, the Museo Centrale del Risorgimento, often …
reviewed
-
E
Columns
For the Romans, Brindisi was the end of the line or, more specifically, of the Via Appia, which stretched cross-country from Rome to Brindisi. A second, faster branch, the Via Traiana, was added in 190 by the Emperor Trajan, linking Rome to Brindisi via Canosa di Puglia and Bari.
reviewed
-
F
Fontana dell'Elefante
In the centre of the piazza is the city's most memorable monument, the smiling Fontana dell'Elefante (Fountain of the Elephant; 1736). This comical statue is composed of a naive elephant, dating from the Roman period, surmounted by an improbable Egyptian obelisk. The elephant, with its upturned trunk, is known locally as Liotru and is the symbol of the city.
reviewed
-
G
Arco di Costantino
The Arco di Costantino (Arch of Constantine) was built in 312 to commemorate Constantine’s victory over his rival Maxentius at the Battle of Ponte Milvio (see). One of the last great Roman monuments, it is a patchwork of panels from other sculptures – the lower stonework dates from Domitian’s reign (AD 81–96) while the eight large medallions depicting hunting scenes are Hadrianic (117–138). Between the Colosseum and the arch you can see the brick foundations of an ancient fountain known as the Meta Sudans (Sweating Meta).
reviewed
-
H
Complesso del Calvario
The Complesso del Calvario, a short walk down Via Sant'Eligio, is an architecturally interesting national monument. Built between 1693 and 1742, the baroque complex comprises a monumental triumphal arch and five small chapels leading up to the Chiesa delle Croci. Legend has it that Palestinian soil is buried beneath each of the five chapels and another legend has a splinter of the original cross inserted in the wooden cross inside the church.
The crypt has piles of skulls and bones and a small collection of religious vestments and relics.
reviewed
-
I
Madonna delle Virtù
One of the most important monuments in Matera, the monastic complex of Madonna delle Virtù and San Nicola dei Greci is composed of dozens of caves spread over two floors. The church of the Madonna delle Virtù was built in the 10th or 11th century and restored in the 17th century.
Above it, the simple church of San Nicola dei Greci is rich in frescoes. The complex was used in 1213 by Benedictine monks of Palestinian origin. From late June to October a modern art exhibition is showcased in Madonna delle Virtù.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
J
San Nicola dei Greci
One of the most important monuments in Matera, the monastic complex of Madonna delle Virtù and San Nicola dei Greci is composed of dozens of caves spread over two floors. The church of the Madonna delle Virtù was built in the 10th or 11th century and restored in the 17th century. Above it, the simple church of San Nicola dei Greci is rich in frescoes. The complex was used in 1213 by Benedictine monks of Palestinian origin. From late June to October a modern art exhibition is showcased in Madonna delle Virtù.
reviewed
-
K
Tempio Malatestiano
Rimini’s grandest monument is its cathedral, the Tempio Malatestiano. Dedicated to St Francis, it was transformed in the 15th century to house the tomb of Isotta degli Atti, the beloved mistress of Sigismondo Malatesta. Sigismondo, a member of the ruling Malatesta clan, was something of a rogue: Pope Pius II, himself no angel, burned Sigismondo’s effigy in Rome and condemned him to hell for an impressive litany of sins that included rape, murder, incest, adultery and severe oppression of the people.
reviewed
-
L
Redentore
The Redentore is an omniscient presence in Maratea, an enormous marble Christ dominating the peak of Monte San Biagio (624m). It was built in 1965 by Bruno Innocenti and, in case you're wondering, it isn't as tall as the 30m Christ in Rio di Janeiro - but with its outstretched arms it is no less impressive. Drive up the winding 5km road from Maratea for a closer look at the statue which, curiously, has its back turned to one of the finest views of the Golfo di Policastro on the entire coastline.
reviewed
-
M
Roman Amphitheatre
The western side of the large and modern Piazza Stesicoro is dominated by the sunken remains of the Roman amphitheatre. It doesn't look like much today, but in around the 2nd century BC it could seat up to 16,000 spectators and was second in size only to the Colosseum in Rome. What you see from the street is only a part of the once-massive structure, which extended as far south as Via Penninello. You can explore part of the vaults and get an idea of the true size of the theatre from a diagram.
reviewed
-
N
Mausoleo di Augusto
Once one of Ancient Rome’s most imposing monuments this is now an unkempt mound of earth, overgrown with weeds and surrounded by unsightly fences. Plans for a revamp have been on the table for some years, but as yet there’s no sign of activity. The mausoleum, which was built in 28 BC, is the last resting place of Augustus, who was buried here in AD 14, and his favourite nephew and heir Marcellus. Mussolini had it restored in 1936 with an eye to being buried here himself.
reviewed
-
O
Pasquino
A grubby statue covered with tatty bits of paper, the Pasquino is Rome’s most famous ‘talking statue’. During the 16th century, when there were no safe outlets for dissent, a Vatican tailor named Pasquino began sticking to the statue notes with satirical verses lampooning the church and aristocracy. Others joined in and soon there were talking statues all over town. Even today Romans still leave messages, known as pasquinade.
reviewed
-
P
Monument to Italian Sailors
A pleasant diversion is to take one of the regular boats on Viale Regina Margherita across the harbour to the Monument to Italian Sailors . It was erected by Mussolini in 1933 and commemorates the lives of 6000 fallen soldiers who lost their lives in WWI. It was designed by Luigi Brunati and Amerigo Bartoli and takes the form of a huge ship's rudder. It's situated on the bay, so you can enjoy a wonderful view of Brindisi's waterfront from its terrace.
reviewed
-
Q
Statua del Nilo
This rather grim statue of the ancient Egyptian river god Nilo was put up by the city's Alexandrian merchants, who lived in the area during Roman times. When they moved out the statue disappeared, eventually turning up minus its head in the 15th century. Renamed Il Corpo di Napoli (The Body of Naples), it remained headless until the end of the 18th century when a great bearded bonce was added.
reviewed
-
R
Elefantino
A short skip south of the Pantheon stands the Elefantino, a curious and much-loved sculpture of a puzzled elephant carrying a 6th-century-BC Egyptian obelisk. Unveiled in 1667 and designed to glorify Pope Alexander VII, the elephant, symbolising strength and wisdom, was sculpted by Ercole Ferrata to a design by Bernini. The obelisk was taken from the nearby Chiesa di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva.
reviewed
-
S
Porta San Gennaro
This city gate was rebuilt in its current position in the 15th century after the expansion of the city walls. Named after San Gennaro because it marks the beginning of the route up to the Catacomba di San Gennaro, it retains traces of a 17th-century fresco by Mattia Preti. The artist decorated all the major city gates to give thanks for the end of the plague epidemic in 1656.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
T
Guglia di San Gennaro
The oldest of the three obelisks in the centro storico, the Guglia di San Gennaro was dedicated to the city's patron saint in 1636. And like the Guglia di San Domenico it was a token of gratitude, only this time to San Gennaro for protecting the city from the 1631 eruption of Mt Vesuvius. The stonework is by Cosimo Fanzago, the bronze statue at the top by Tommaso Montani.
reviewed
-
U
Arco di San Benedetto
The Arco di San Benedetto is an arch built by the Benedictines in 1704. According to legend, it was built in one night to defy a city ordnance against its construction on the grounds that it was a seismic liability. On the left past the arch is the imposing Chiesa di San Benedetto, built between 1704 and 1713. Inside is some splendid stucco and marble work.
reviewed
-
V
Tomba di Dante
Dante spent the last 19 years of his life in Ravenna, writing much of the Divine Comedy, after Florence expelled him in 1302. As a perpetual act of penance, Florence still supplies the oil for the lamp that burns continually in the Tomba di Dante. Another literary great, Lord Byron, briefly lived in a house on nearby Piazza di San Francesco.
reviewed
-
W
Porta Maggiore
Porta Maggiore was built by Claudius in AD 52. Then, as now, it was a major road junction under which passed the two main southbound roads, Via Prenestina and Via Labicana (modern-day Via Casilina). The arch supported two aqueducts – the Acqua Claudia and the Acqua Aniene Nuova – and was later incorporated into the Aurelian Wall.
reviewed
-
X
Colonna di Sant'Oronzo
Beside the sunken arena of the Roman amphitheatre rises the Colonna di Sant'Oronzo, a copperplate statue of Lecce's patron saint perched precariously on the second pillar of the Appian Way. It was supposedly donated to the city of Lecce as a sign of thanks to Sant'Oronzo (Lecce's patron saint) for saving Brindisi from the plague in 1656.
reviewed
