The historic core of Rome is ravishing, but as soon as I saw a photo of Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, I knew my trip wouldn’t be complete with a visit there. We travelled there by Rome’s metro system, which could be described in one word: rickety. So remarkably shoddy is the system, that on entering, I didn’t think the ticket machine would work as nothing looked in working order. Lights were out, windows were missing the essential glass contingent and the station was empty. Astonishingly, a moving piece of graffiti came towards us and on closer inspection, it was a metro train. I can honestly say I have never been on a public transportation system in such disrepair and it lived up to my expectations. I loved it.
Moving graffiti
The Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana a slice of Italian history, designed in 1938 for inclusion in the World Fair of 1942 and its entire purpose was to show off Italy and Fascism to the world. It was supposed to do this on the 20th anniversary of fascism in Italy, but clearly, things didn’t go to plan. The building was finally fully constructed in 1943, just in time to celebrate the fall of the fascist regime. The design of the building followed principles of fascist architecture, with a design that eschewed complex decoration but had echoes of the classic buildings of Rome. The Palazzo has been called the “Square Colosseum” due to the inspiration that building gave. For instance, the loggias of the Palazzo are similar to those of the Colosseum.
The exterior of the building looks like marble but the building was actually a concrete skeleton with a layer of travertine that gives it the appearance of being entirely made of stone. It’s an incredible achievement and the building looks astonishing from a distance and utterly transfixing from up close. Around the building are sculptures of horses, which seem to feature heavily in the world of fascism. But what I found most interesting were the 28 statues that represent different trades and industries of Italy. They perfectly complement the building, adding a touch of the ancient world to a building that feels like a perfect blend of the past and the future. I have since seen images of the building lit up at night and it looks perfect.
After walking around the building, alongside a tour group who all bought dogs with them (it was unclear why this was happening), we walked through some of the EUR district to see what else stood out. The Palazzo dei Congressi looks somewhat reminiscent of the Royal Festival Hall in London and was designed in 1938 to be ready for the World Fair, and remained incomplete until 1954. Another building that caught my eye was a mural that represented the history of Italy. Lots of triumphs, horses, death. That sort of thing. It’s enormous and in keeping with the glorified storytelling of the government.
All is glory – and horses
After a long walk in the district, I couldn’t help but feel just a little bit of dread being around these buildings. Beautiful, yes. But are they comforting and warm? No? They feel, at times, cold and clinical. They are designed to make people feel small and insignificant. Perhaps in that feeling lies a small part of the problem of these sorts of governments. They just don’t feel like they’re for the people, more like the people exist to beautify the government.
Italy is a country that fascinates me. It’s a place of high art, holding 60% of the world’s greatest art, but it’s also a country that recently elected a government of the scrag ends of fascism and post-fascism. There’s the corruption and the Mafia, making up a not insignificant 9% of the country’s economy. And you’ve got the food and the landscape. Adding this all up, you have a puzzle of a country. But it’s a beautiful puzzle that’s a genuine delight to visit. When you step foot in the country and drink in the atmosphere, nothing else matters more than just enjoying yourself.
On our first night in Rome, our walk around the neighbourhood of Trastavere was something to lift the spirits, with something interesting to look at on every street. Trastavere is a lively neighbourhood over the river Tiber from the centre of the city, the streets filled with fairy lights and cosy looking bars and restaurants.
I was instantly in love with the colours. The colours of Rome are so distinctive; filled with oranges, browns, pastel colours. It’s a real-life Wes Anderson movie and the colours feel so familiar that I reckon that if you showed me a selection of images, I could spot an Italian building at first glance.
One thing I realised soon about Rome was how coherent the centre is and how intact the streets are. It feels like nothing much has changed in hundreds of years and I noticed how few tall buildings there are. I compared it to London, which has 118 buildings over 100 metres tall. London has changed dramatically in the last 20 years and has plenty of outstanding as well as horrible big buildings. Rome has 3 buildings over 100m tall and they are mostly centred in the EUR district. There’s something lovely about this, making Rome seem human in scale compared to how gigantic London feels.
The united colours of Italy
We had dinner at Ristorante La Canonica, which was an enormous restaurant that seems to have been one smaller restaurant that has been added to year after year. We reserved, which you should, because even in February, it was buzzing and filled with people. The food was good without being brilliant, but the atmosphere makes up for any shortcomings in the cooking.
Full up, we walked across the river and walked vaguely in the direction of the Pantheon. I watched people in their cars and considered the shortcomings of being a driver in Rome. I realised that if everyone parked anywhere, then the chaos would somehow right itself in the end. I didn’t need maps to tell me we’d reached the Pantheon as it felt like the building was so pronounced and perfect, that it was obvious we were there. It’s a magical building in all senses of the world. In a city of grandeur, the Pantheon stands out as grander than the rest, its near-2000 years of history making themselves known. Inside the Pantheon, there is a hole in the roof and Roman engineering accounted for this, allowing rain to drain through special holes in the floor. After more exploring aimlessly, we headed back to our hotel, looking forward to the Colosseum in the morning.
The gorgeous Pantheon
Naturally, all tourists are legally required to go to the Colosseum, but it is worth it, especially as tickets come with entrance to Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum as well. As someone who lives in London, which is a pretty old city, it is fascinating to see how much space is left over for ancient sites in Rome and how great swathes of the centre remain preserved for historic value. The Colosseum was fascinating, with all the big boards explaining lots of stuff. After a while, I stopped dutifully reading the information, as I had worked out that history is pretty awful, you wouldn’t want to have been there and emperors were always vile. I did enjoy the moments when you could get a full view of the site and start to appreciate just how terrifying it would have been to have been fighting bears and wolves in the enormous arena. There is a small section where seats are still visible and you can see what it would have been like to sit in the arena. Uncomfortable. You’d need a cushion.
There is a cross inside the arena, and it was fascinating to find that in 1750 Pope Benedict placed the cross there, but it was subsequently removed. During the era of fascism, a new cross was erected. The same one that’s there today. I’m not in any way religious, but it does strike me as odd that fascism and religion could ever mix, but state propaganda is a strange beast.
Cross at the Colosseum
Palatine Hill was much more interesting to me, perhaps because it involved walking around a truly enormous site and seeing Rome from different angles. It really is a sensational city with domes, spires and wonder just about everywhere. As you walk about Palatine Hill, you get the sense that every incline you walk up will give you something magnificent to look at, and it doesn’t disappoint. My favourite views were just beyond Domus Tiberiana, where a viewing spot offers panoramic views over the city. A short walk away, you can also be bewitched with views from Terrazza Belvedere del Palatino.
Sensational views from Palatine Hill
We spent some time at ground level, looking around the Roman Forum where there are temples upon temples to gaze at. It reminded me of a much more impressive visit to almost all British castles. Most are in a state of ruin, with boards saying “this pile of old rubble used to be the home of a mighty king and all his staff” whereas the Roman Forum at least has structures that look like they were once buildings. If you enjoy a column and a triumphal arch, then the forum is for you.
After we had our fill of ancient, we took a friend’s advice and had a wonderful lunch at Taverna Romana. Just far enough away from the Colosseum to not be filled with tourists (I know, I am a tourist but what of it) the restaurant was lively, with tables packed in tightly and excellent fresh pasta. Our salad was delicious until we were a little too liberal with the balsamic vinegar and ended up with leaves swimming in vinegar.
Roman Forum features many arches and stuff
We were excited about a visit to Nativa, a vegan restaurant past Vatican City. The walk to the restaurant was cursed. We had hoped that we could swing by Saint Peter’s Square but the route I led us took us instead to a lot of walls and signs pointing out we went the wrong way. Then the route became terribly dull so we ordered a taxi, where I had major issues shutting the sliding door, making the driver annoyed. Moments later, someone ran in front of the car, nearly getting flattened in the process. Eventually, we pulled up to the restaurant, unable to open the sliding door of the cab. And it’s here that my Italian friend tells me the neighbourhood we’ve come to is like a tourist going to London and visiting Golder’s Green. The area around the restaurant felt like it was part way through gentrification, with a lovely beer bar serving great craft beers right next to a grotty shop and then Nativa, which clearly has ambitions. The restaurant is delightful with lots of space between tables and food that is either mouth-wateringly good or a bit average. On the whole, worth it though. We ended the day of exploring and eating at Holy Mary cocktail bar. Wooden beams, comfy sofas, negroni’s…what more could you want?
