TOURS FOR FLORENCE, ROME, POMPEII, CAPRI, NAPLES AND AMALFI COAST

Michelangelo's Moses in the church of Saint Peter in chains

The Coliseum

Detail of the Coliseum

Basilica of Maxentius

The arch of Constantine

The centre of the city's life in ancient times

Map with the route of the Tour

You�ll meet our professional English-speaking guide in the prearranged meeting-point, which can be changed according to guests requirements

We�ll start our Walking Tour with the visit of the beautiful church of Saint Peter in Chains.
The elegant portico was built by an architect at the end of the 15th century for Cardinal Giulianov della Rovere, the future Pope Julius II. He ordered Michelangelo to build him a funeral monument, and the first statue by the artist, the Moses, is the masterpiece that draws most tourists to the basilica. The statue was to be the central figure of an enormous mausoleum which was to have included forty statues. The tomb was instead erected in the right transept under Pope Paul III (1534-49) with only a few statues completed. Even if the monument falls short of Michelangelo�s superb design, the potent sculpture of the biblical prophet is nonetheless among the most moving images of western art. The strong and secure Moses is portrayed in a very simple position, yet emanates a sense of majesty and strength that suggests divine investiture. The two statues of Rachel and Leah, which symbolize the active and contemplative life, were also designed by Michelangelo.

We�ll continue our Tour to the Coliseum, one of the greatest wonders of Roman history. The Coliseum is elliptical in shape, 187 meters at its longest end and 155 meters at its shortest. The height of the external ring reaches 50 meters from ground level. It was designed to accommodate an estimated 80.000 spectators. Around the exterior run three orders of arches, respectively adorned with Doric, Ionian and Corinthian columns, and a fourth floor with Corinthian pilasters. Of the 80 arches that make up the elliptical ring, four correspond to the entrances at the four axes, of which only the entrance of honour reserved for the Emperor remains. In the centre of the podium, called the suggestum, was the Emperor�s seat; the rest of the podium was occupied by senators and members of the court. After came the sections for the knights and civil and military tribunes. There were special places for married coupled, for young men accompanied by their tutors, for families and servants, for women and for servants.

The last stop on our Tour is the Roman Forum. The Forum, which is the original one of Rome�s many forums, lies in the valley between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills, on either side of the Via Sacra (Sacred way), which still runs through it. This area was the heart of Rome for more than a thousand years, and a stone discovered under the Forum in 1899 bears an inscription from the time of the Roman kings (sixth century B.C.). The Forum has many ruins (some, like the sanctuary of the sewer goddess Venus Cloacae, are just a mark on the ground) as well as a few standing buildings. The most important is the square Curia, on the spot where the Senate once met. Although much of what you see is a restored structure from 1937, inside the third-century marble-inlay floor is still visible.
The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina (Antoninus Pius succeeded Hadrian in 138) was later turned into a church and given a baroque fa�ade (Chiesa San Lorenzo in Miranda). Near the Curia is the Arch of Septimius Severus, built in 203 to commemorate his victories. The arch mentioned his two sons, Caracalla and Geta, but after Caracalla murdered Geta, Geta�s name was removed. At the other end of the Forum is the Arch of Titus. Titus reigned as emperor from 79 to 81.

SUGGESTIONS:

Take water, camera & sun cream; wear comfortable shoes. In low season warmer clothing may be required!

THIS TOUR WILL OPERATE RAIN OR SHINE, SO BE PREPARED FOR ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS.