Italy – Allora Studios

Roma | There’s Almost Nothing Truly Spanish About These Steps

Posted on December 1, 2018August 3, 2018 by Allora Studios in International, Italy, Roma, Travel Blog

La Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti, as the Italians call them, are not quite as Spanish as the English name implies.

The Spanish Steps

Here’s the deal. At the top of the steps there’s a monastery built around 1494 because of Pope Alexander VI and a church beside it built in 1502 because of Louis XII of France after he successfully invaded Naples.

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During his time as Pope, Pope Gregory XIII had some drawings made for a set of stairs to the church and monastery. Then Cardinal Mazarin took interest when the French Diplomat Geuffier allocated money for the stairs in his will. When he died in 1661, since the project included a statue that Romans saw as a French intrusion to the Eternal City and a nephew of Gueffier successfully contested the will and received half the funds, the project for the steps died with him.

It was revived when Pope Clement XI Albani showed interest. A competition ensued and Francesco de Sanctis became the architect of the stairs. Over the years, the steps have been restored many times.

So the “Spanish Steps” are actually a French creation. We call them the Spanish steps because of the piazza at the bottom of them. The Piazza di Spagna is called so because of the Spanish Embassy that resides there. So the Spanish Steps are actually a French-funded, Italian-designed structure.

Piazza di Spagna

The fountain in the piazza is called the Fontana della Barcaccia, or fountain of the longboat. It was built between 1627-1629 by Bernini. Pietro Bernini is most famous for fathering the really famous architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini. It’s recently been proposed that the two even collaborated on the project. Folklore dictates that Pope Urban VIII was so impressed by a boat along the Tiber that he had the fountain installed.

As you can see from my pictures, this place is crowded. It was really hard to move around the piazza. It’s definitely a gorgeous spot visit. Don’t bring a lunch and expect to have a picnic on the steps. Even if the tourism in this spot would allow it, Roma says you can’t do so. They have a few guards keeping a close eye on all visitors.

Roma | Everything You Needed to Know About the Colosseum

Posted on November 17, 2018August 3, 2018 by Allora Studios in International, Italy, Roma, Travel Blog

First thing’s first. The real name of this wonder of the world is the Flavian Amphitheater. Tourists and most modern people call this place the Roman Colosseum.

This beautiful work of Roman Architecture was built around 70 to 80 AD and is still the biggest amphitheater ever built. It is made from a mixture of concrete, travertine, and tuff. It sits just across the way from the bottom of the Roman Forum, caddy corner to the Arch of Peace, and down the street from the Palatine Hills entrance.

Its construction began during the reign of Vespasian and completed by his successor Titus during the Flavian dynasty. Further restorations were made during the reign of Domatian, another member of the Flavian dynasty, insuring the name Flavian Amphitheater.

This marvel of architecture is estimated to seat 50,000 to 80,000 people. It was used for gladiatorial games and public spectacles. During the reign of the Romans, this was used almost constantly.

During the Medieval era, the Colosseum fell into disarray. It, along with most of Rome was abandoned and looted. Between stone robbers and natural disasters, the age of the Colosseum shows. It was once one complete oval, but the half-destroyed structure that remains today has become something of an icon representing the eternal city.

The Colosseum is open until 7 pm daily. The cost for one ticket is set at about $12, but this gets you into the Colosseum, Palatine Hills, and the Roman Forum. For more information on the Colosseum or to plan your visit, click this link!

Roma | Ruins in Rome – A Hidden Roman Gem

Posted on November 10, 2018August 3, 2018 by Allora Studios in International, Italy, Roma, Travel Blog

These are the remains of a hidden gem in Roma. This was a temple dedicated to the deified Emperor Hadrian by his successor Antoninus Pius.

The pieces that remain today are what you see, eleven columns with Corinthian bases and capitals. The rest disappeared some time ago.

This set of Roman remains is located close to the Column of Aurelius. It is another one of those that if you are interested in Roman history, you should make the detour to see what’s left of this temple. There’s nothing cooler than seeing ruins from 1800 years ago.

Roma | The Most Overlooked Roman Ruins

Posted on November 3, 2018August 3, 2018 by Allora Studios in International, Italy, Roma, Travel Blog

In Latin Columna Centenaria Divorum Marci et Faustinae

In Italian Colonna di Marco Aurelio

In English Column of Marcus Aurelius

This towering column sits in Piazza Colonna in the historic heart of Roma. It’s modeled after Trajan’s column in Trajan’s forum. It stands about 130 ft. from the ground.

The spiral tells the story of Marcus Aurelius during the Marcomannic Wars. It begins when the soldiers cross the Danube River. The story is divided by a victory on the column. There are a few theories as to what this was meant to represent, but the current common theory is that the lower half represent the Marcomanni and Quadi in 172 and 173. The upper half is said to represent the Sarmatian in 174 and 175.

Marcus Aurelius is often considered to be one of the better ancient Roman Emperors. He’s actually thought to be in the top 3 emperors, usually losing to Trajan and the Great Augustus. His reign lasted from April 121 AD to March 180 AD when he died of natural causes. He was immediately deified and sent to rest at Hadrian’s Mausoleum (Castel Sant’Angelo).

The top of the column has a statue of Marcus Aurelius himself. Actually, it did originally, but it was replaced with the current statue of the Apostle Peter.

The column is a site to see. It isn’t overly crowded with tourists. As a matter of fact, my fiancée and I were the only 2 stranieri (or foreigners) in the piazza. It’s free to visit. You can get really close to it. There is a small gate around the base. It’s truly impressive.

Roma |The Most Famous Fountain in the Eternal City

Posted on October 27, 2018September 3, 2018 by Allora Studios in International, Italy, Roma, Travel Blog

Located in the Trevi district, this stone beauty is one of the top tourist attractions in Roma. The fountain is at a place where 3 roads (tre vie) meet.

Pope Urban VIII asked Gian Lorenzo Bernini to make sketches for a new fountain to replace the one that had served Roma for nearly 400 years. Before construction began, however, Pope Urban VIII died, and the project was abandoned.

During the Baroque era, competition was in full swing to build the most grand buildings, fountains, and other structures. Pope Clemente XII created a contest. Niccolò Salvi was granted the commission despite losing the contest to a Florentine architect. The Romans didn’t want a non-Roman to build any fountains in Roma.

Work began in 1732. Salvi died in 1751, leaving the fountain half finished. Four sculptors and an architect were hired to finish the job. Giusseppe Pannini was the architect. Oceanus (below) was sculpted by Pietro Bacci.

When visiting this popular attraction, you must be careful. It is usually very crowded. Once you make your way to the fountain, traditionally you must take a coin and toss it over your shoulder into the fountain while making a wish!

The Trevi Fountain is another one of those monuments that you must venture to see on your stop in Roma. It is free to visit (minus the coin you toss), and open to the public all hours. Just be mindful of restoration projects! When I saw this for the first time, it was covered in scaffolding. That didn’t stop me from stopping by though! It was still pretty awesome to see one of the most famous fountains in all of Italy!

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Venezia | A Bridge as Famous as the City

Posted on September 29, 2018October 9, 2018 by Allora Studios in International, Italy, Travel Blog, Venezia

The Ponte Rialto is one of the most famous bridges in the world, and the oldest of 4 bridges in Venice that cross the Grand Canal. For those of you who don’t know, Venice is a lagoon city. It is basically a collection of 117 flat islands connected by water canals.

The islands are manmade structures. Wooden stakes were pushed into little patches of sand and dirt. The water and mud have kept these foundations from rotting over time. Bridges were built to connect the different islands, and thus Venice was founded. The Rialto sits on the biggest canal, appropriately named the Grand Canal.

The bridge’s history begins in 1181. Niccolò Barattieri built a pontoon bridge, or floating bridge, across the canal. The bridge was called Moneta. The more important the Rialto Market became, the more people that used the bridge. So in 1255, a wooden bridge was constructed in place of the pontoon.

The wooden bridge lasted for a while. However, the prosperity stopped during a revolt when it was partially burned in 1310. Trouble struck again when it collapsed under the weight of an audience watching a boat race. in 1444 It was rebuilt, but collapsed again in 1524. Enough was enough.

Antonio da Ponte created the design for the stone bridge that exists today. Architects who threw in their bid but were denied include Palladio, Vignola, and even Michelangelo. It was completed in 1591.Other contemporary architects believed the design to be flawed, but the bridge has defied critics and is one of Venice’s biggest tourist attractions today. It’s no surprise, though. The view from the bridge is undeniably amazing.

Venezia | This Astrological Clock is More Than Meets the Eye

Posted on September 22, 2018October 9, 2018 by Allora Studios in International, Italy, Travel Blog, Venezia

I told you I would talk about St. Mark’s Clocktower! The Torre dell’Orologio is the clock tower that sits to the east of the Basilica di San Marco in Venice. It was constructed after a lot of its neighbors in the piazza, between 1496 to 1499.

The first two years were for the tower, which displaced a couple of buildings in order to be placed where it was. The clock tower was supposed to be a connector between the financial and commercial center of the city (the Rialto) and the religious and political center of the city (the Piazza di San Marco). It was also meant to be visible from the lagoon to show the wealth of the Venetian people.

From top to bottom, let’s talk about the decorative features of the tower. At the very top, there are 2 bronze statues. One old and one young, to show how time passes, strike the bell that is between them every hour. This duo is called “The Moors”.

Next is the Lion of Venice in front of a blue background with gold stars. It originally had a statue of Doge Agostino Barbarigo kneeling in front of the lion, but it was taken down by the French when they conquered the city.

Below that is the panel with the Madonna. There’s a blue and gold background with a statue of the Madonna (Virgin Mary) and child under an archway. To the left side is the current hour in Roman numerals. The left shows 5-minute intervals in Arabic numerals. On Epiphany and Ascension Day each year, 3 magi and an angel with a trumpet come out from the numeral doors to bow to the Madonna and go back into the tower.

Below the Madonna is the actual clock part of the tower. This is where the last two years of construction were spent. The clock face is blue with golden zodiac symbols corresponding with the Roman numerals. It was replaced and restored many times over its history.

For more information or to book a tour in advance, which is the only way to do so, click here!

Venezia | The Long History of Venice’s Most Iconic Square

Posted on September 15, 2018June 2, 2020 by Allora Studios in International, Italy, Travel Blog, Venezia

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So we’ve talked about the Campanile and the Basilica. But there’s one thing that we haven’t discussed that literally ties it all together. La Piazza.

The Piazza San Marco, or the Square of Saint Mark, is the most important spot in all of Venice. It is referred to as the political and religious center of the city.

The piazza is a backward L shaped, concrete square just north of the palace of the Doge. The larger portion, which stretches north from Saint Mark’s Basilica, is what is actually called La Piazza. The part that connects the square to the coast, stretching away from the west side of the basilica, is called La Piazzetta (translated to little square).

Originally, the Piazzetta was not concrete. It was a dock, and the campanile served as its lighthouse. The piazza was originally grass, not concrete, and there were many streams running along the sides of the contemporary buildings.

During Medieval times, the piazza began to look more like the one that stands today. It was expanded and decorated. The columns with the Lion of Venice and St. Theodore were placed in the Piazzetta.

During the Renaissance period, the clock tower was created to the east of the basilica, but we will discuss the history of that next week.

Today, the pavement is the same that was restored in 1890. This restoration tried to be as close to the same as it could to the pavement designs that were placed in 1723. Since Venice is such a flood hazard town, the piazza was created, in 1723, with flood prevention measurements including a lift for drainage systems to be placed in the pavement.

This system is not foolproof, however, because it is still possible, and during high tide and rainy seasons almost inevitable, that the town of Venice flood, and the poor piazza is no different than the rest of the town.

Venezia | The Church of Gold

Posted on September 8, 2018September 7, 2018 by Allora Studios in International, Italy, Travel Blog, Venezia

The Basilica di San Marco (Saint Mark’s Basilica) was originally ordered to be constructed in 828 when Venetian merchants allegedly stole relics of Mark the Evangelist and brought them to Venice. After the Doge (commonly translated to Duke) ordered the construction and it was completed, the church became a personal chapel to the Doge. It was probably a matter of convenience since the Doge’s palace is literally attached to the basilica.

In 976, the Doge at the time, Pietro IV Candiano, was forced into the basilica by a rebelling mob. They locked him in it and set it aflame, executing him. The basilica was restored in 978. That wasn’t the only time that this Italo-Byzantine church was restored, though. In 1106, it was the victim to another fire. This one destroyed a lot of the exterior mosaics.

Before the fire, however, the new design of the basilica was constructed. The shape has mostly been the same as long as it has been in existence, but the decoration has definitely changed. These changes happened between 1063 and 1117, but the exact dates are indefinite.

San Marco was used as a personal chapel for the line of Doges until around the 13th century when it became more of a public facility and housed many public functions and celebrations. In 1807, Napoleon Bonaparte, the self-crowned King of Italy, declared that the responsibility of the basilica change from the nobility to the Patriarch of Venice, who was the local bishop.

Much like the Duomo in Milano, San Marco is the home to a great deal of ornate decoration on the exterior of the basilica. There are statues, sculptures, spires, and golden mosaics. Notice the Lion of St. Mark and the depictions of the Patron Saint that appear in many places on the exterior.

The basilica is often referred to as the “Chiesa d’Oro” or the Church of Gold. It’s not hard to see why it carries this name. The true marvel of gold, however, is inside the basilica. True to the over-the-top nature of financial rivalry that sets the tone for Italian churches, San Marco is decorated from ceiling to floor with golden mosaics. Even the eaves have gold in them.

(The front facade of the Basilica from left to right)

Unfortunately, since the basilica does not allow photography inside its glorious doors, I don’t have any interior pictures to show you. They are out there in the world, though; and they are worth taking a look.

Venice at night was so magical. How could I resist the temptation of photographing this glorious golden Goliath of a basilica that is so perfectly lit in the evening hours?

Scaffolding or not, this church is a beauty that is worth the seasickness I got to be able to see it. For more information on the Basilica di San Marco, please visit their website here. There are pictures of the interior that will seriously make your jaw drop!

Venezia | The Troublesome Tower of St. Mark

Posted on September 1, 2018September 1, 2018 by Allora Studios in International, Italy, Travel Blog, Venezia

This is one of the most recognizable monuments in all of Venice. The Campanile di San Marco sits in Piazza di San Marco facing the famous basilica. It stands an impressive 98.6 meters (323 ft) tall and houses 5 bells. It has depictions of the Lion of Saint Mark and La Giustizia (a female representation of Venice) on the top cube. The tower in its current form was completed in 1514.

So, let’s back up. The initial construction began under the reign of Doge (Duke) of Venice, Pietro Tribuno from 887 to 912. It was built on Roman foundations. Because of its proximity to the coast, it was used as a watch tower and a light house. As it stands today, the campanile sits isolated at the corner where the piazza and the piazzetta meet, opposite the Basilica. The piazza and piazzetta meet in an L shape. As it turns out, the piazzetta used to be the dock.

The campanile had many problems over the years. Lightning struck it many times. It was damaged in 1388, got fire damage in 1417 and again in 1489, resulting in the wooden spire on the top being destroyed. It was continually restored, even after earthquakes in 1511. Lightning wreaked havoc in 1538, 1565, 1658, 1745, 1761, and 1762. Finally in 1776, enough was enough. A lightning rod was fitted to the tower.

That wasn’t the last of the trouble and restoration for this problematic tower, though. In 1902, a crack appeared on the north wall. It spread for a few days and collapsed. Fortunately, the loss was limited to one cat and the loggetta building at the bottom of the tower. There was a little damage to the side of the library that sits between the tower and the sea.

After the collapse, the communal council dedicated 500,000 Lire to restore the tower exactly as it had been with more attention to structural integrity and an added elevator. The construction began quickly and was completed in 1912.

A replica of the tower sits in the Italian Pavilion at Epcot in Disney World, as well as in Las Vegas, Spain, New York, as well as many other smaller versions around the world. It is, literally, a cornerstone for Venetian tourism.