Roman Quarantine – Day 56

Caelian, Centro Storico, Coronavirus

Tweet Today marks eight weeks to the day since the Italian national quarantine was declared. That was how it was described in the Italian Prime Minister’s announcement at the time. This was all very new territory, and words like lockdown weren’t yet part of our...

Roman Quarantine – Day 14

Caelian, Churches, Coronavirus, Rome

Tweet This morning I woke with a sinking feeling in my stomach. To be honest I have done most days since the enormity of this whole thing became apparent. I expect most of us have. In my case it doesn’t usually last long, but there is undoubtedly a momentary lurch of...

Santo Stefano Rotondo: Scavenger architecture and Stendhal Syndrome on the Caelian Hill

Archeology, Architecture, Caelian, Off the beaten track, Rus in urbe

Tweet A few Wednesdays ago found me scootering over the Caelian Hill. It is winter, which in the world of the guide means a quieter period, perfect for taking stock, catching up on exhibitions, and not haring between appointments without a moment to spare. So it was...

The Donation of Constantine

Art History, Caelian, Churches, Counter Reformation, Empire, Fresco, High Renaissance, Late Medieval, Late Medieval Art, Medieval Art, Vatican

Tweet In the mid 8th century, a beleaguered Pope named Stephen “found” a document of inestimable value. Purporting to have been written over three centuries earlier, in it the Emperor Constantine handed over complete power of the city of Rome, amongst...

Eternal acanthus and the apse mosaics of San Clemente

Art History, Caelian, Late Medieval, Late Medieval Art, Rome, Underground Rome

Tweet In my last post I wrote about the 15th century chapel of Branda Castiglione at the church of San Clemente, a languid stone’s throw from the Colosseum. San Clemente is one of countless buildings in Rome which serves as a history of the city in microcosm: twelfth...

Shaking off the Middle Ages: the Castiglione Chapel at San Clemente

Art History, Caelian, Churches, Early Renaissance, Fresco, Late Medieval, Late Medieval Art, Medieval Art, Rome

Tweet On Monday morning I was exploring underground sites on the Caelian Hill with a charming couple from California. We started off a stone’s throw from the Colosseum at the church of San Clemente where layer upon layer of the city’s history can be explored; a...