Walk 4

Diocletian – National Museum - Piazza Republica – Theresa - San Carlino

BATHS OF DIOCLETIAN

Start the day at Piazza dell Republica with a visit to the Michelangelo-designed church of Santa Maria Degli Angeli found inside the Baths of Diocletian, another jaw-dropping experience. In old Roman days the bathhouses were the biggest public buildings in town, and this was biggest of the big.

You definitely must see this ancient Roman bathhouse that was gloriously converted into a large Renaissance church by Michelangelo. It was the largest of Rome's 900 bathhouses and perhaps the largest covered building ever constructed in the ancient world. Not only is it well-preserved, huge and ancient, but it was converted into a Renaissance church by Michelangelo! You just won't find that combination anywhere else, so this must be part of your top 20 list of places to see in Rome.

Several decades ago a friend came back from Rome with 1000 lovely photographs, but one in particular really jumped out at me and seized my mind: it depicted an absolutely gigantic interior space seemingly far too big for a church, with very tiny people standing way off in the distance, a towering vaulted ceiling high above, and a universe of space all around. I had to go see it and did get here on my next visit -- not disappointed. It is wonderful how Michelangelo could convert the interior of this old Roman bathhouse into a Renaissance church, but even more miraculous is the fact that the original building has been standing intact for 1700 years.

As you can see in the outline on the Google Earth image, it is huge, even bigger than the Pantheon (150 feet in diameter, 18,000 sq ft), this cavernous space is 270 feet long and 85 feet wide in the nave (23,000 sq ft). Just about the same size as the Basilica of Constantine and Maxentius in the Forum, but when you consider the connected building complex and courtyards, this is much bigger, and even more impressive with its roof intact. Michelangelo enlarged the scale of this room further with chapels at each end extending the length to 420 feet. The apse and entry chamber are also part of this vast unified space, which seems more immense due to huge granite columns reaching to the ceiling and clear windows high in the vaults letting in brilliant light. Words and photos once again cannot replicate the raw emotion aroused by standing inside this canyon.

Three other large bathhouses were built in Rome (Caracalla, Trajan and Titus), but this one had the largest building complex and is the best-preserved, being the only one with its original ceiling still in place. This is the only bath that Michelangelo converted to a church, so it really does stand out from the others. Plus, it is easier to reach on foot because of its location in the center just one block from the main Termini train station.

You can still see the curved outline in the outer wall which was part of the caldarium, a hot pool visitors would start with; next comes the round lobby which was the frigidarium, a cold bath; then you enter the large hall which is now the nave of the church. In addition there were swimming pools outdoors in the gardens and additional buildings with a library and various spa functions.

Walk through the exhibit room on the left side of the altar to find the large aerial photograph and map of this neighborhood, hanging on a wall at the gift stand. Looking down at the structure from above shows how it covered a large section of town, totaling 32 acres and extending for six blocks all around. Rough brick walls in the courtyard give some idea of what this ancient structure originally looked like before Michelangelo covered the interior walls in colored marble.

Notice an unusual line on the floor of the church, made of bronze and framed in white marble, now roped off so you cannot walk on it. This 150-foot long sundial, or meridian, was installed in 1702 to tell time of day, mark the equinoxes, and help predict the date of Easter. A small hole high in the wall allows the sun to shine onto the line, hitting it at different points throughout the year. Several huge paintings decorate the main hall, further increasing the apparent size of the room.

To fully appreciate the enormous scale, it is helpful to walk all the way to one end and look back; this also yields the best photo angle. If you are lucky, you might hear someone practicing on the giant organ and filling the air with booming melodies.

National Museum

The National Museum is housed in part of an original structure behind, but their collection of broken statues and old pottery tend to get a bit tedious, though you do get to see a cloister said to be part of Michelangelo's redevelopment of the complex. This museum requires paid admission but fortunately the church is free.

PIAZZA della REPUBLICA

Take a short while to appreciate the Piazza della Repubblica, with its beautiful Fountain of the Nereids in the middle dating back to the late 19th century. This Piazza is surrounded by a number of fast food restaurants, theaters and hotels, all within two impressive curved, arcaded buildings. There is a Metro stop here, if you wanted to take off and go somewhere else, and a large taxi stand always filled with cabs.

While standing in the piazza have a look down Via Nazionale, one of the main shopping streets of town. Via Nazionale is a street more for local people rather than tourists, although there are a few hotels and many shops that could keep you busy for hours. It is perhaps the single most important shopping street in the city for Rome's residents, and you will see plenty of them strolling along.

Depending on your energy and the crowds, consider walking downhill a few blocks, then cross over and return back up the other side of Via Nazionale for window shopping and people watching. This puts you into the modern hustle of the humming metropolis. Most stores remain open all day until 7:00pm, so there should be lots of people to look at in this prime time for shopping and strolling. Try and tear yourself away from this retail magnet because the afternoon walk has several more wonderful sights coming right up.

Continue walking from Piazza della Republic out the northwest side to Via Vittorio Emanuele Orlando for two blocks to the former Grand Hotel, now the St. Regis Rome. If you want to see how the one-percent is spending our money, drop into this sumptuous five-star lobby and have a seat to chill out for a while. The opulent interior revolves around a huge crystal chandelier suspended in a marble-framed luxury lobby that is furnished with plush red velour lounge chairs you might never want to leave. Bar service is available if you'd like to try their signature Negroni.

Three more churches await in the next few blocks -- and here's another reminder about the churches of Rome: you are not being led on a religious pilgrimage and you do not have to be a believer to appreciate the marvelous art and architecture. It's just that so much of the wealth and artistic talent of Roman society was poured into the churches, producing many splendid things for us to see.

ECSTASY OF ST. TERESA

One block beyond the hotel we arrive at the inconspicuous little church of Santa Maria della Vittoria quietly and almost modestly concealing one of the world's greatest statues, by Bernini of course, The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa. It should now be well beyond siesta (12-4pm) so the church will be open, but if not, you must persevere! (My first trip here it was mid-afternoon and I had to kill time and come back a few hours later because I really wanted to see that famous statue within. On another occasion, rosary was being said and the priest signaled our advancing party to back off. We waited a few minutes.) This used to be a little-known, out-of-the-way attraction appealing only to connoisseurs of Bernini, but thanks to Dan Brown's exciting novel, Angels and Demons, in which this church played a pivotal role, you will now have some company. It is never crowded to the point where people get in your way, and there is a feeling of shared camaraderie here in our admiration for the statue.

The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa is one of the most remarkable statues in art history: we see the Spanish saint swooning in ecstasy while a mischievously smiling angel points an arrow at her. The face of Teresa is groaning with passion while her body seems to be floating on a cloud, legs dangling and the golden light of heaven streaming in from a hidden yellow window above. Not only is the central statue a joy to see, but Bernini creates a scene of such power, emotion, and energy that it captures our entire attention, temporarily blinding us to the rest of the artwork framing it. The viewer is transfixed, astonished by these two figures interacting in such a passionate way, that the elaborate surroundings are frequently ignored. I have noticed that most viewers are locked in tunnel vision and then walk away without having really seen all that Bernini created. But not you, dear readers. There's more than meets the eye.

Step back and look around to discover the rest of this remarkable assemblage created by Bernini, not only about Saint Teresa and the angel but the entire stage setting, complete with audience. This Coronaro Chapel contains an elaborate theatrical scene in marble with dramatic box seats on both sides holding members of the Coronaro family looking at Teresa as though watching a play or religious drama.

Bernini carved rich architectural details in the colored marble with deep perspectives receding into the distance, thereby making this small chapel with its flat walls seem much bigger than it really is. Only a few other examples of spectacular sculpture using such a dramatic context can compare with this: the Transparente by Narcisco Tome in the Toledo Cathedral, or Bernini's altar in the apse of St. Peter's.

Bernini completed the sculpture in 1652, depicting an event that happened about 100 years earlier to St. Teresa of Avila. She sensuously described the angel in her autobiography: "I saw in his hand a long spear of gold and at the iron's point there seemed to be a little fire. He appeared to me to be thrusting it at times into my heart and to pierce my very entrails. When he drew it out, he seemed to draw them out also, and to leave me all on fire with a great love of God."

SAN CARLO

Saint Teresa is hard to top, but let's try with a tiny nearby church, affectionately called San Carlino, whose interior is a dazzling geometric puzzle, like a three-dimensional sculpture you walk into. Easy to reach, two blocks down Via del Quirinale to this most precious jewel, the little church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane designed by Borromini.

The undulating geometry of shapes, starting with the concave/convex façade and extending inside, creates an effect that is beyond description. You must just sit here in this miniature world for a while to absorb the astonishing beauty, utilizing interlocking octagons and pentagons enclosed within an oval dome. The adjacent little cloister offers a peaceful contrast that will help prepare you for the busy street outside.

The church name, Quattro Fontane, refers to the four fountains and sculptures on each corner of the intersection out front, quite a nicely decorated street scene, which invites you to explore some of those lanes around it.

From Quattro Fontane our ultimate destination is Piazza del Popolo, but first we walk along more quaint lanes, visiting museums, shopping streets, and viewing monuments. Walk down Via delle Quattro Fontane towards Piazza Barberini and Via del Tritone.

Walk 4 continues to Piazza Barberini, Trident and Piazza del Popolo