The Pyramid of Cestius is an Egyptian style construction close to the Englishmen’s Cemetery and the IIIrd century gate, Porta San Paolo, in the Aurelian Walls. The Pyramid was completed in the Ist century BC as a tomb for Gaio Cestio Epulone, a member of the religious corporation called Epulones. 
This pyramid is comparable with the Egyptian pyramids of Giza, but the Roman one has a far more acute angle. Some historians say that it is more similar to the pyramids of Nubia. At that time, Egypt and its culture were extremely popular in Rome, and Egyptian obelisks decorated many squares in the city, so it was unsurprising that a pyramid was built also. 
The Pyramid of Cestius was built in 330 days. It was made of concrete and covered with Carrara marble. The Pyramid was about 38m in height, and each side of its square foundation was 30m long. 
In the IIIrd century, the pyramid became part of the Aurelian Walls as a kind of fortification. 
Inside this construction is only one funeral room. It is so small that its volume is 1% of the total volume of the pyramid. On two sides of the Pyramid can be seen inscriptions: one listed all of the titles and the name of Cestio and the other containing the construction’s details. 
Great English poets and writers mention the Pyramid in their works. Percy Bysshe Shelley, who was later buried in the nearby Englishmen’s Cemetery, described the Pyramid in his elegy to John Keats and Thomas Hardy, when visiting the tombs of both of these poets, was inspired by the view of the Pyramid to write a whole poem about it. 
Close to the Pyramid lies Porta San Paolo - the best conserved original gate of the Aurelian Walls. It served as a gate to one of the main roads of ancient Rome – via Ostiense that led to the port of Ostia. That is why it was originally called Porta Ostiensis. When the importance of the road diminished and there began a period when all gates in Rome began to be named after different saints, this gate was called after Saint Paul due to the nearby Basilica of Saint Paul outside the Walls.

The Pyramid of Cestius and Porta San Paolo

The Non-Catholic Cemetery of Rome is also called the Englishmen’s Cemetery or the Cemetery of Artists and Poets. It is situated in Testaccio quarter near the Ostiense railway station and the Piramide subway stop. 
According to the rule of the Catholic Church, it was impossible to bury in consecrated ground those who were not Catholics – the Protestants, the Jews, the Orthodox and also suicides. 
Non-Catholics chose the zone near the Pyramid of Cestius for their burials and agreed with the resolution of the Roman Inquisition in the XVIIth century that all non-Catholics would be buried together with prostitutes and other sinners in this cemetery. The first protestant tomb was probably that of William Arthur, an adherent of the outlawed King of Scotland, James Stuart. Other of the Stuart’s followers ran to Rome and, after they died, were also buried in this cemetery. In the XVIIIth century, there appeared other tombs of Englishmen, such as the royal treasurer or Oxford students, for example. And by that time the Englishmen had bought the land containing the cemetery, although there were already not only the tombs of Great Britain’s men. 
Among the numerous tombs of famous people is that of the great English poet, John Keats, who died in Rome of tuberculosis in 1821 at the age of 25. His name is not mentioned in the epitaph written by his friends, which merely mentions a “Young English Poet”. 
Another English poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley, drowned in a storm at sea in 1822 while travelling from Leghorn to the Italian Riviera. When his body was found on the shore, there was a poem in his pocket. His friends, who included Lord Byron, cremated the poet and later his ashes were buried in Rome. The poet’s heart was removed from the fire to be buried by his widow in Bournemouth. On the epitaph in Rome is a quote from Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”. 
The tombs of famous Italians can also be found in the cemetery. A notable one is that of Antonio Gramsci, a theoretician and politician, one of the founders of the Communist Party in Italy. He died in hospital in Rome at the age of 46. For the tomb of Gramsci, the famous Italian director and poet, Pier Paolo Pasolini wrote a poem. 
Other graves of famous people in the cemetery belong to the American sculptor William Story, the Russian painter Karl Briullov, the Italian actor Renato Salvatori, the English actress Belinda Lee and August von Goethe, son of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, whose monument includes a medallion by Bertel Thorvaldsen.

Englishmen’s Cemetery

The Orange Garden (“il giardino degli aranci” in Italian), also known as Parco Savello, is located on the Aventine Hill in Rome. This offers one of the best panoramic views of the city, but the park also contains other points of interest. 
The Orange Garden takes its name, of course, from its numerous orange trees. In ancient times, there was a fortress built by the Savelli family, which is why the second name is Parco Savello. 
The park as we see it today was created only in the 1930s by the architect, Raffaele De Vico, as a new belvedere. So not only could the Dominican monks from the nearby church enjoy the view from the Hill, but all kind of Roman public. 
The Orange Garden itself has a symmetrical plan and its small streets are named after famous Italian actors or directors. In the central square of the park, there is a beautiful fountain named after Fiorenzo Fiorentini, an actor who was a symbol of “romanità”, the Roman spirit. The main street of the park was named after Nino Manfredi when the Roman actor died. At the end of the main street, you will see a terrace of white marble that offers a splendid view of several important Roman places: the Vatican, Tiber, Roman Forum and Vittoriano. 
On leaving the park, you will see a church on your right. This is the Basilica of Saint Sabina, founded in the Vth century on the Aventine Hill and built above the tomb of the saint. This basilica is considered the oldest in Rome and still retains its original rectangular form with a colonnade. 
After the church, if you continue straight on, you will find a small square called Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta. This square is surrounded by walls so you cannot see all the buildings of the Maltese order and other papal structures situated there. The main attraction of this square is the Hole of Rome (“il buco di Roma”) – a hole in the gates of the wall. If you look through this hole, you will see an incredible view of the cupola of Saint Peter of the Vatican. After the gates is a line of trees, so you see the cupola at the end of this gallery. This wonderful place was depicted in the Oscar-winning Italian film “The Great Beauty” by Paolo Sorrentino. 
To see the last "surprise" of the park and start your journey to the next point, please return to the Garden's entrance and continue on the same street that leads you directly to the small Garden of Roses situated at the foot of the Aventine Hill. From the very foot of the Hill, it is also possible to see the Circus Maximus and the Roman Forum from another side.

The Orange Garden

The Tiber Island (or “Isola Tiberina” in Italian) is an alluvial and the only urban island on the River Tiber, almost in the center of the city. It is connected by two bridges – Ponte Cestio and Ponte Fabricio, which is the second oldest in Rome. Both bridges date to the Ist century BC. 
The legend of the island tells how it was formed in 510 BC when the Romans rebelled against the tyrant Tarquinius Superbus and threw down into the river all the wheat and grain from his fields. Another version is even crueler, relating how they threw his body into the Tiber, after which the soil and garbage formed an island around him. 
The Temple of Aesculapius appeared two centuries later, in 293 BC. Another legend about the island tells how, that during the plague in the city, the Roman Senate ordered a statue of Aesculapius, an ancient God of healing, to be brought from Greece. Together with the statue, a snake from the temple boarded the ship, as it was a symbol of Aesculapius. After arriving in Rome, the snake escaped from the ship and settled on the island. This was a sign to build a temple to Aesculapius there. Soon, the plague ended, and the Tiber Island developed into its current form, that is similar to a Roman ship. Close to the temple were built some lodgings for pilgrims and sick people. Nowadays, a hospital stands here. 
On the ruins of the Temple of Aesculapius, in the Xth century was built the Basilica of San Bartolomeo. The church was seriously damaged in the XVIth century and rebuilt in the Baroque style, although 14 ancient columns still remain inside it. The nearby tower is called the Torre dei Caetani and is the only construction to remain from the XIIth century castle. 
Tiber island is a popular place to promenade, especially during the summer, with numerous cafes and an open-air film festival, called “Isola del Cinema”.

The Tiber Island

The Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere is one of the oldest churches in Rome, situated in Trastevere quarter. This quarter is a very famous old district on the west bank of the Tiber. Literally, its name means “beyond the Tiber,” which is the case if you arrive here from the city centre. The narrow streets of Trastevere in the evenings attract many Romans to promenade, attend street concerts, visit small shops and, of course, dine on traditional Roman cuisine in one of the numerous restaurants. The famous Italian film director, Sergio Leone, grew up in Viale Glorioso in Trastevere, and a marble plaque on the wall of his house commemorates this fact. 
The main square is the one where the Basilica of Santa Maria stands, this being the real ‘heart’ of Trastevere. The church was founded in the IIIrd century by Pope Callixtus I and renovated in the XIIth century during the rule of Pope Innocent I. 
The upper side of the façade contains XIIIth century mosaics depicting the Virgin Mary on a throne with her Child. The portico under the mosaics was realized in the XVIIIth century by Carlo Fontana. 
In the upper part of the niche of the bell tower is also a mosaic portrait of the Madonna and Child. 
Inside the church, you can see three naves with columns of different styles. The capitals for the naves were taken from the Baths of Caracalla as well as 22 granite columns. The wooden ceiling was painted by Domenichino in the XVIIth century. Another valuable artwork is a VIth century icon called “Madonna Theotokos”. 
The most ancient mosaic in the church, from the XIIth century, is placed in the apse and represents the Virgin Mary with Christ on the throne. 
Inside the Basilica are also kept a holy relic of Saint Apollonia and a part of the Holy Sponge.

Image: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Santa_Maria_in_Trastevere_1_BW.JPG">"Santa Maria in Trastevere 1 BW"</a> by&nbsp;Berthold Werner is licensed under&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>

Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere

Villa Farnesina is a historic villa in the Trastevere quarter of Rome with famous frescoes by Raphael. This villa is an Italian Renaissance masterpiece of architecture and painting combined. It was planned by the architect, Baldassare Peruzzi, being a prototype of a Roman suburban villa. Built in the early XVIth century for a rich Sienese banker, Agostino Chigi, who was also a patron of the arts and the Papal treasurer, it was immediately copied and imitated by others. 
In 1580, the villa was bought by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese and received its modern name. Extended restoration works took place in different years, but the largest happened in 1884. At that time, in Rome, allies and boulevards were built all along the Tiber, which caused the partial destruction of the villa’s garden and the loggia facing the river, probably projected by Raphael. 
To decorate the villa, Agostino Chigi called in the most notable artists of that time: Peruzzi, Sebastiano del Piombo, Raphael and Il Sodoma. 
Every room in the villa is covered with their frescoes. The Loggia of Psyche contains outstanding works by Raphael – the cycle of Stories of Cupid and Psyche. The artist did not work alone; his pupils helped him a lot, especially Giulio Romano. Some sources say that Psyche on the frescoes looks like Francesca Ordeaschi, a lover of Agostino Chigi. The Loggia hosts more than ten scenes with Venus, Psyche, Cupid and other characters. 
The room of Fregio contains the works of Peruzzi, also based on the myth. 
Another room is called the Room of Galatea and hosts another fresco by Raphael. The work was completed by the artist in 1512. The fresco “The Triumph of Galatea” shows the apotheosis of the nymph who is saddling up the shell drawn by dolphins. Raphael at that time was also working in the Vatican and promised Chigi to return and draw another fresco for him, but he never did. In the same room are also a great works by Sebastiano del Piombo, including “Polyphemus”. 
Sebastiano del Piombo was a friend of Michelangelo who often came to the villa to visit his friend. In the same Room of Galatea is a monochrome drawing in lunette that people say is by Michelangelo. He drew a head as an example for his rival Raphael who was working there, but historians disagree and refer this drawing to Peruzzi. The rivalry between Raphael and Michelangelo is also demonstrated by the fact that the criticism of Raphael’s frescoes in Villa Farnesina delighted Michelangelo. And Michelangelo also proposed the building of a private bridge linking the villa with the Palazzo Farnese on the other side of the Tiber where he was working at that time. The project was started but was never completed, and today it is possible to see some initial arches of that bridge at the back of Palazzo Farnese.

Villa Farnesina

Largo di Torre Argentina is a place in Rome where Julius Caesar was killed. It is a square which contains the remains of four Roman temples from the Republican era. The name of the square refers to Torre Argentina; “torre” means tower and “Argentina” can be translated as Strasbourg (Argentoratum from Latin). The tower was called Argentina by the Papal Master of Ceremonies who came from Strasbourg at the beginning of the XVIth century and built himself a palace in this zone. Another medieval tower that can be seen in the square is called the Torre del Papito, the Tower of the Little Pope. The story goes it that it is attributed to one of the antipopes, who was not very tall. 
This zone is famous for being the site of the ancient Theatre of Pompey. It was discovered during the excavations that began in 1909 when the remains of a colossal marble statue were found here. Further investigations showed that this area was the so-called “area sacra” from the Republican era. After a period of work from the 1920s to the 1970s, remains of four temples facing a paved street of the Ist century were uncovered. All of these temples date to the period between the IVth and Ist centuries BC. Between the two temples, in the middle, is a large tufa basement that belongs to the curia of Pompey – the place where the Roman senators sat and where, according to legend, Julius Caesar was killed. 
Since the XVIIIth century, the square became also a theater centre, with the building of the opera house, Teatro Argentina. Among its famous premieres were the great operas “The Barber of Seville” by Rossini and Verdi’s “The Two Foscari”. 
Nowadays, the square is also known for the famous Roman cats. Many of them were historically bred there and other were abandoned and brought to the Torre Argentina. This cats’ shelter was requested to be closed several times but it still exists, and you can see the cats wandering among the Roman ruins. By the way, in souvenir shops, it is easy to find calendars or other souvenirs showing the cats of Rome.

Largo di Torre Argentina

The Caracalla Baths (Le Terme di Caracalla) constitute one of the most grandiose examples of imperial baths in Rome. The other name for the baths is Antoniniane, which refers to the family name of the Antonini dynasty. These baths are conserved in rather good condition and have never been rebuilt or restructured. 
Emperor Caracalla ordered the largest public baths in Rome to be built on the Aventine Hill, and his project was realized between AD 212 and 217 near to the Circus Maximus. Only the later built baths of Diocletian surpassed these in size, but these are less ell-preserved today. The remains of Diocletian’s baths can be seen near the main railway station Termini. And that is why it is so called. 
The Caracalla Baths were the most luxurious in Rome, although they were used by the general public from the neighborhood, while high status Romans visited the baths of Agrippa, Nero and Trajan. Caracalla wanted the public to like and remember him. In the Vth century, the Caracalla Baths were called a seventh wonder of Rome due to their rich decoration. They were in use until the VIth century, still free and open to the public. The water and buildings were heated by a system of underfloor heating with burning coal and wood. Close to the baths were built athletic fields that are still in use today. In 1960, the gymnastics events of the Summer Olympics were held at these ancient sports grounds. Moreover, on the east and west sides of the bath complex were libraries, while the north side housed shops. So, it was possible for the public to entertain themselves all weekend long. 
After the VIth century, a tragic period in the history of the baths began. Being abandoned, they also served as a source of material for other Italian constructions: marble, metal, columns, etc., were taken to build the Basilica of Saint Mary in Trastevere in Rome and the Cathedral of Pisa. 
Since the XVIth century, the Caracalla Baths have been an important excavation site. Lots of mosaics and famous statues were found here and later sent to many Italian museums, especially the Vatican. The most notable discoveries were the Farnese Hercules and the Farnese Bull that were sent to the National Archeological Museum in Naples. 
The Caracalla Baths are also a famous opera space. In the summer, they host Rome’s Opera company. The first concert by the Three Tenors (Luciano Pavorotti, Plácido Domingo and José Carreras) was held there in 1990. The Caracalla Baths feature in an opera scene in the film "La Luna" by Bernardo Bertolucci.

The Baths of Caracalla

The Basilica of Saint Mary Major (La Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Italian) is one of four Papal basilicas in Rome. The status of a Papal basilica means that these churches have a papal altar, special privileges and the Pope himself sometimes serves mass there. This Basilica is the largest Catholic Marian Church in Rome, what means that it the largest of all those dedicated to Saint Mary. 
The Basilica is situated very close to the central railway station Termini on the Esquiline Hill and is famous for its Sistine Chapel, not to be confused with the Vatican Basilica. 
The legend tells how Pope Sixtus III erected the church on the Esquilline Hill according to a dream he had. In that dream, the Madonna told him to build a church in the place where snow fell the next day. On the 5th of August, snow miraculously fell exactly where the Basilica stands today. That is why it has another name, Our Lady of the Snows, and every year on 5th August there is held a celebration with white petals falling down from the cupola. 
The Basilica was built in the Vth century over the preexisting church of the Nicene Creed. Pope Sixtus III built the new Basilica with three naves divided by 21 columns, and today we see it in its almost original structure with some small changes after the earthquake of 1348. The façade was realized in the XIIth century, with several later reconstructions. The XIVth century bell tower is the highest in Rome now, at 75m tall. 
The interior of the Basilica amazes visitors with its beauty. The first thing to notice is its rich mosaics of Late Antique Vth century Art. The mosaics on the triumphal arch and nave represent scenes of Christ and the Virgin Mary, as well as Old Testament events. 
Under the Basilica’s altar is the Crypt of the Nativity containing wood from the Holy Crib. There is also a tomb of Saint Jerome who was the first to translate the Bible into Latin. 
On the right transept of the church the Sistine Chapel is situated, named after Pope Sixtus V, while the most famous Vatican Sistine Chapel was named after Sixtus IV. The Chapel was decorated in the XVIth century with marble and bronze gilded statues, with frescoes and paintings. 
The Sforza Chapel of the church was realized according to the drawing of Michelangelo Buonarotti. 
In the XXth century, to solve the humidity problems, excavations began under the church’s pavement. During this work, the quarters of the IInd and IIIrd centuries were found, and today it is possible to visit these via the Basilica’s museum.

Image: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Santa_Maria_Maggiore_Front.JPG">"Santa Maria Maggiore Front" </a>by&nbsp;<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Martin_Falbisoner" title="User:Martin Falbisoner">Martin Falbisoner</a>&nbsp;is licensed under&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>&nbsp;/ crop and filters applied to the original

Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

Rome is called the “Eternal City” and to get to know Rome, see all the places and hear all its stories would take an eternity. Maybe that is why many tourists return to Rome again and again to discover something new that they missed last time. 
If you have visited Rome before or have time to visit sites that are not mentioned in the regular tour guides, you are welcome to visit “another Rome”. This is a collection of places that date back to ancient times as well as from the modern period. You can find out on this tour where the best panoramic view of Rome can be found and the story about Michelangelo and Raphael’s rivalry. 
The majority of the tour’s locations are situated in the city center near the Tiber and, moreover, you will see both banks of the river. 
It is recommended that you visit may spots on foot, but some places can be reached only by public transport, and the fastest and more convenient way is the subway. The subway in Rome has only two lines and only one station – Termini, the central railway station. 
If you set out from Termini, it’s better to take subway line B (blue) towards Laurentina and get off at the Piramide stop where our tour begins

Another Rome

The Basilica of Saint Mary in Trastevere

Rome

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