Rome is a city as eternal now as it was a thousand years ago. Unless the tourist issue spoiled it a little. If one day of your stay in Rome you feel allergic to group tours, Chinese magnets and selfie sticks, then it’s time to get to know the city for real. How? Spy on Rome unique, non-touristic – in places where you don’t have to share it with anyone.
Square Colosseum
Theoretically, until the 1940s, the Romans, instead of our “when the cancer whistles on the mountain,” could promise to do something “when the Colosseum becomes square.” But then the EUR quarter, erected for the 1942 World’s Fair (which did not take place), was rebuilt. “EUR” stands for: Esposizione Universale di Roma , “World Exhibition of Rome.” This quarter, full of monotonous facades and buildings of unpleasant architecture, was to become a model of the new Italian city – built in the style of fascism and rationalism.
The strange Square Colosseum (also known as the Palace of Italian Civilization ) appeared in the city on the instructions of Mussolini, who sought to revive the “new Roman Empire” – correct and strict. One of the bright symbols of the new regime was supposed to be the Square Colosseum – a crossword building: the number of loggias vertically and horizontally coincides with the number of letters in the name “Benito Mussolini”. Fortunately, Mussolini’s plans were not destined to come true, and the Square Colosseum remained unperturbed, like his older brother. Now there is not some nonsense, but the headquarters of the fashion house Fendi.
How to get there? Art. m. EUR, then walk a little from it. By the way, the square Colosseum is clearly visible from the bus window on the way from / to Fiumicino Airport.
Quarter Coppede
An amazing quarter that arose in the 1920s and 30s – and completely uncharacteristic of either the style of that time or the style of Rome as a whole. The architectural appearance of this fantastic corner of the Eternal City is a kind of mix of the Liberty style (Italian Art Deco) with details of classicism, baroque, gothic, mannerism and art of the Middle Ages.
The Cerutti financiers commissioned the project of a new prestigious quarter to be implemented by Gino Coppedé, a Florentine who moved to Rome. Alas, the dreamer Gino did not live to see the opening of the district. At the age of 50, the architect abandoned all projects and committed suicide. Rumor has it that all because of the noisy stream of criticism pouring against Gino and his original works.
The heart of the Quartiere Coppedé is piazza Mincio with the Fountain of the Frogs (Fontana delle Rana), a sculptural nod to the Turtle Fountain in the Roman ghetto. There is a semi-truth that after one of the concerts in the nearby Piper club, the Liverpool Four bathed in this fountain. Naturally, right in the clothes.
All the buildings of the quarter are decorated differently, and on the facades we can find the iconic symbols of Rome, Florence and Venice. For example, from the side of piazza Mincio, a Florentine facade with the inscription “Fiorenza bella” looks at us. The winged lion, visible from via Brenta, clearly refers us to the Venetian Cathedral of San Marco. And what city does the balcony with the Capitoline she-wolf and the brothers Romulus and Remus hint at, you yourself have already guessed.
They say that the architectural details of the buildings here are thoroughly saturated with Masonic symbols. Today, these magical buildings with fabulous names (Fairy Villas, Spider Palace, etc.) house numerous embassies, and real estate here costs from 1 million euros.
How to get there? The main entrance is on via Tagliamento, the quarter itself is located between via Salaria and via Nomentana. Take the number 83 or number 63 bus from Termini station and get off at the piazza Buenos Aires stop. You can also get to this stop by trams No. 3 or No. 9. Or take the metro to the Policlinico station (line B), and after ten minutes walk along viale Regina Margherita to the same Buenos Aires square.
Monster Palace
A stone’s throw from the Spanish Steps is a creepy and creepy cute building – Palazzo Zuccari , a palace built at the end of the 16th century by the artist brothers Federico and Taddeo Zuccari. They drew inspiration from the famous “Garden of Monsters” in the town of Bomarzo (about 100 km from Rome). By the way, Federico Zuccari, like our old friend Gino Coppede, was also from Florence and even had a hand in painting the inner surface of the dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.
The Zuccari mansion has a rich past: after the death of the Zuccari brothers, many famous people stayed here. For example, at the beginning of the 18th century, the Polish Queen Maria Casimira, the wife of Jan Sobieski, the liberator of Vienna from the Turks, managed to live here (the Italians call him “Giovanni Sobieski”).
Now, behind this medieval “mouth” hides the modern library of Hertian’s art history. The view from the library terrace is absolutely fabulous.
How to get there? Walking distance from piazza di Spagna and piazza Trinità dei Monti. The address of the palace is via Gregoriana, 30.
Vinegar sellers corner
There is one photogenic secret corner in Rome, acquaintance with which will lead an attentive explorer of the city to complete delight.
The courtyard of Arco degli Acetari once served as a warehouse for the vinegar merchants (hence the name) from the Campo de’ Fiori market. Today it is a nice secluded place that not even every local knows about. Bright walls of dilapidated houses, external stairs, cobwebs of ivy – and, of course, flower-covered balconies. Cats, boxes, bicycles, wheelbarrows – you really revel in this unadorned picture of simple Roman life.
How to get there? Go around via del Pellegrino, 19 (piazza Navona and Campo dei Fiori area) and dive into the arch.
Little London
” Little London “, or, in Italian, “La piccola Londra”, is an unusual corner of Rome that makes you doubt where you really are now.
Truly an architectural anomaly for Rome, “Little London” was an experiment, an attempt to build a modern city in a new, deliberately non-Roman form. But then something went wrong, and this street was the only one in Rome, made in a similar style.
How to get there? Little London is located on via Bernardo Celentano, just off via Flaminia.
Spada Gallery
The unusual corridor Galleria Spada by the famous Francesco Borromini is located at the eponymous palazzo. What is special about the gallery? The master architect went to the trick and, while finishing the patio, used the possibilities of perspective in an original way.
How long do you think this gallery is? The columns and arches seem to stretch for 30 m, but this is nothing more than an optical illusion: in reality, the length is less than 9 m. And how tall is the statue? Human, right? Ha! The height of the statue is only 60 cm. And the ceiling at the end of the colonnade is so low that only a child can stand there.
Raised floor, narrowing walls, decreasing distance between different-sized columns, complex mathematics of tunnel vaults – the genius Borromini’s joke was definitely a success!
How to get there? Look out for piazza Capo di Ferro, palazzo Farnesi and Campo de’ Fiori.
Aqua Paola Fountain
Fontana dell ‘ Acqua Paola is the first thing we see on the frames of Sorrentino’s famous film “The Great Beauty”. And if earlier no one paid much attention to the fountain, then after the film, of course, everything changed.
Pope Paul V, collecting money for the construction of a fountain at the end of the 16th century, even thought of imposing a tax on wine. But the residents, who do not have normal access to clean water without a fountain, expressed dissatisfaction. Apparently, people were more interested in wine than water. Meanwhile, Aqua Paola was the first major fountain on the right bank of the Tiber.
In the image and likeness of the shape of this fountain, the famous Trevi Fountain was later created.
How to get there? Climb to one of the observation platforms of the Gianicolo hill, Trastevere area.
Dome of St. Peter’s Basilica on via Nicolò Piccolomini
With yet another optical illusion, this place is the perfect place to end your Roman day: at night, the amazing spectacle is even more impressive than during the day.
The tiny street named after Nicolo Piccolomini is striking in that the closer you get to the observation deck on it, the farther the dome of the famous cathedral moves away from the eye. If you move to the opposite side of the street, the dome will increase in size and seem to hang over the observer, filling half the sky with it. A very beautiful place – and almost no one knows.
How to get there? The most convenient way is by taxi. Via Nicolò Piccolomini is located in Trastevere, but in a completely non-tourist part of it. Well, or google the route and walk here for your pleasure.