Do you know what's under YOUR church?

I can tell you, after yesterday morning, I now know what's under MINE, and it's pretty incredible.

Let me back up for a moment. As you know and are probably tired of hearing by now, wedding bells are ringing. Actually, not just ringing. Clanging. Loudly. Please! Make it stop!

But I digress. Ale and I had one last step to do in our long, bureaucratic walk towards the altar (we are in Italy, remember) which involved going back to our neighborhood church (for the 3rd time) and getting the final OK from the priest that we could take all the paperwork to the Vatican's wedding office and get the all-important final stamp. While we were waiting, we saw a couple of tourists being let into a door very inconspicuously marked "Visita, €2." Visita to what? What was down there?

We asked the custodian, thinking it might be part of the ancient Roman firefighter's headquarters that was discovered across the street. He said, "Yeah, I think it's ancient Roman stuff. I'm really not that informed." Um, ok, well, we'll check it out for ourselves. After we managed to come up with €4 in coins, he let us in and we were free to roam.

Just goes to show that you should never miss any opportunity to explore something hidden here in Rome. Look what we found:

First thing you see when you come down the stairs is an ancient Roman tomb, preserved as if it were made yesterday. No "do not touch" signs and no one even around to monitor you. It's as if it were left here to be thrown out. It's just that the garbage man hasn't been by for like TWO THOUSAND years or so. And by the way, we're thinking this probably was where the ancient Roman firefighters lived.

More recently, oh, let's say in about the year 400, 500 A.D. or thereabouts, there was a church at this level. So you see some religious frescoes as well.

Then I spotted another tomb, and I said to Ale, "Hey look...another one. So, I wonder what happened to what was inside? Heh, heh," and I got closer, looking inside... and I found...


Um, HELLO! Is THAT creepy enough for you?

Yes, people, they are BONES. BONES, I tell you!

All that for the low, low price of just €2. I'm not complaining.

Chiesa San Crisogono
Look for the church custodian...he's usually around, maybe sitting over towards the left side of the church by the altar.
Viale Trastevere 47

You've Got (Blessed) Mail

As many of you already know, I’m getting married here in Rome in late March. That means, among many other things, wedding invitations to send. Even though I already pretty much know who is coming from the States because by now almost all the people who can manage to make it have already bought their tickets, still, wedding invitations have to be sent out to everyone – can’t skip tradition.

I made my own invites using an image of an engraving of our church from the 1700s. (Curious which of the bazillion churches in Rome it is? See if you can guess by looking at this.) Since I put so much time into them, I wasn’t about to trust them to the dreaded Poste Italiane, the Italian mail system. Granted, most people in Italy have no other choice. But blessed are those who live in Rome, because they can go to Poste Vaticane.

That’s right, Vatican Mail. Oh, how I heart them. So friendly, so efficient, so…. so not Poste Italiane. Let’s not even get into that today. Suffice it to say that I finally gave up on them when a package arrived from my mom with a small box of Godiva chocolates. Lovely, no? Not so much when you find one, just one, eaten, leaving of course the other three to enjoy. As if. Per favore! (Yes, I am convinced it happened on this side of the ocean, and no, I don’t need proof. I am shamelessly prejudiced against the Italian postal system.)

No, no, Vatican mail is blessed by the hand of God, indeed. In my experience, the price is pretty much the same as Italian mail; what makes the difference is that Vatican mail is all sent directly to Switzerland for distribution to the rest of the world. The tiny Vatican post office next to St. Peter’s is a tourist hub and melting pot of world cultures, all passing through to mail their postcards from the smallest country in the world (.2 square miles).

I had 40 invites to mail. When I got to the window (no line, by the way!) and explained this, the man working the window next to me saw my envelopes and said, “Who’s getting married?” (What is this now? Friendly banter at the post office? From a postal employee?)

“That would be me,” I say. “After six years in Rome, I guess it was about time.”

“Marrying an Italian?”

“Romano di Roma,” I say, a phrase to indicate a “Roman from Rome.” “Trasteverino.” Ale was born in Trastevere and Romans generally agree that being from Trastevere is about as Rome as one can get. Trasteverini take a lot of pride in being from the neighborhood, especially since nowadays there are so few left who actually still live there, as it has become affordable pretty much only for rich foreigners or people who have lived in the neighborhood for generations and passed down property.

“Well, well, then! Auguri e tanti figli maschi!” He sends me “best wishes and many male children.”

“Well, children in general would be fine by me,” I say.

“You know what happened to me when people told me ‘tanti figli maschi’?" he asks. "I have three sons! So I wish you tanti figli maschi, just so long as they aren't Romanisti.”

Romanisti are fans of the Roma soccer team, one of Rome’s two rival teams. When someone asks which team you are a tifoso (fan) for, it's a pretty critical moment here in Rome. Luckily Ale is a diehard fan of Lazio, the opposing team.

“Oh, no worries there. We’re a strictly Laziale household.”

You should have seen the sheer delight on his face. It’s funny when you find Lazio fans, they get so excited to know you’re on “their side” against the evil forces of Roma.

“Well then, I wish you tre figli e tre figlie!” (three sons and three daughters).

I guess being a fan of his team bought me some bonus offspring.

“That way we can bring them all to the stadio together, right?” I reply.

Delightful, am I still in the post office? I ask the man at my window if he has any nice stamps by chance, since I don’t want my wedding invites stamped by a machine.

“Just for you, since you’re marrying a Romano, Trasteverino, here’s what I’m going to do…”

He manages to find three beautiful stamps that equal the exact amount I have to pay per envelope. (Did you know that it's possible to go to an Italian post office to buy stamps and be told they don't have any??) There’s a large table where I can sit down, with a damp sponge I can use for putting the stamps on the envelopes. As I spread all my stuff out and get to work, I feel like I’ve died and gone to postal heaven. I realize this may sound ridiculous, but perhaps you have to have some experience with the Italian postal system under your belt to truly appreciate this.

Just under 40 envelopes and nearly 120 stamps later, I’m on my way, and so are my invitations. Buon viaggio!

An automated stamp machine outside the post office for when it's closed. I've never seen an automated Poste Italiane stamp machine...have you? Hmm, must be too convenient.

Inside the post office, with a big table and chairs for tourists to write their postcards. On the left is the numismatic shop, where you can buy commemorative stamps, postcards and coins. (Can you spot the picture of the pope?)

The post office is located directly to the left of St. Peter's Basilica. There are two yellow mailboxes out front. Mail must be sent from here. You can't buy stamps here and then mail things from an Italian mailbox, just as you can't mail anything from here with Italian stamps.

Hey, turn around, I think I see something behind you...

Bernini's Turtles

Here's a trivia question for you: do you know how many fountains there are in Rome? Want to venture a guess?

I found the answer 280 here, but who knows if it's accurate or not.

I read that the poet Shelley (no relation) said that Rome's fountains alone make a trip here worth it. You've probably heard of the famous Trevi Fountain, where you're supposed to throw in a coin to ensure that you come back to Rome one day. And maybe you've seen pictures of the fountain at the base of the Spanish Steps, called the Fontana della Barcaccia, designed by Pietro Bernini (father of Gian Lorenzo). If you've visited Rome you've most likely seen both. But my favorite fountain is a hidden jewel that you have to look a bit harder for.

Wandering through the Sant'Angelo rione (neighborhood), an area more commonly referred to as Rome's Jewish Ghetto, you can stumble onto the tiny Fontana delle Tartarughe, or Tortoise Fountain, in Piazza Mattei.

The piazza is named after the Mattei family, one of the most powerful families in Rome during the Renaissance. Although this fountain was originally supposed to be built in nearby Piazza Giudea where there was a market, Signore Mattei convinced the powers that be to build the fountain in Piazza Mattei, where his family owned all the palazzi (palaces). In exchange he agreed to pave the piazza and keep the fountain clean. I don't know about you, but I'm thinking that's something he probably delegated to "the help"--I'm just not seeing Mr. Mattei out there in rubber gloves (did they have those in the 16th century?), cleaning out his little fountain. Unless perhaps there were a lot of coins in it--you never know, even nobility can run into tough times, no? In any case, it looks like he promised whatever it took to get this marvelous fountain to land in his front yard.

People may tell you this fountain was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, but actually only the turtles are attributed to him. In fact, the turtles weren't even added to the fountain until 1658, during a restoration ordered by Pope Alexander VII (Fabio Chigi), who was a great patron of Bernini. The fountain itself was designed by Giacomo della Porta (the same guy who designed the fountain in Piazza Navona that I included in my recent post about La Befana) in 1581, a mere 77 or so years prior. My, how time flies! Della Porta worked with Michelangelo during his lifetime. The sculpture work was done by Taddeo Landini under della Porta's direction, and the fountain was completed in 1588.

This image from the Comune di Roma website

There were originally eight dolphins planned for spouting water (where you see the feet propped up), but once they finished they only put in four, because the water pressure wasn't strong enough for the elevation of the other four dolphins. So, what to do when you have four leftover dolphins from your little fountain project? Well, just tack them on to another fountain, of course! So the four extra dolphins ended up on the Fontana della Terrina, a fountain also designed by Della Porta. It was originally an open fountain placed in Campo de' Fiori, but in 1622 Pope Gregory XV had it covered, apparently to protect it from garbage being thrown in by the sellers in Campo's famous market. Good thing that tradition didn't catch on at Fontana di Trevi or you'd be throwing in your McDonald's wrapper instead of a coin to come back! Anyhoo, that's when the dolphins got taken off and unfortunately disappeared, and the fountain now stands in Piazza della Chiesa Nuova, a few blocks across the street from Campo.

This image from the Comune di Roma website

Speaking of disappearing acts, in 1979 one of the turtles was stolen. Vergogna! In fact, today all of the turtles are just copies of the originals as the other three were substituted, and I have no idea where they went. Racing some hares, perhaps? (Ok, I admit it, that was an eye-roller.)

The Tortoise Fountain was recently restored after being covered for about a year, and it's wonderful seeing it back in the middle of this charming little square. Stop by and say hi to Bernini's turtles next time you're here!


This image from Roma Viva

Photo Hunt: Plush

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This week's theme is Plush.

Of course when I saw this week's theme I thought immediately of my two cats, a brother and sister team named Betsy (left) and Pavel (right), adopted from the Largo Argentina cat shelter in April 2003.

Largo Argentina is a blessing for cats in Rome. It is a no-kill shelter that spays/neuters and vaccinates the abandoned cats that find their way there. This is still a fairly innovative approach for Italy, and it is so incredibly important in helping to control the stray population. I've seen some places where strays run wild and the number gets out of hand, and it is a real tragedy to see the cats go hungry.

The shelter runs entirely on volunteer labor and doesn't receive any money from the city. It is located in the Roman ruins, reportedly where Julius Caesar was assassinated. A couple years ago I bought a book that they sell, that has lots of short stories about the cats that people have adopted from there, and I gave it as a Christmas present to many of the friends and family on my list. All the proceeds from their "cat store" go directly back to the shelter, for food, veterinary care, medicine, etc.

If you have a moment, I urge you to stop by their website. They are an important force for these lovable animals and they could really use your help. You can even adopt a cat long-distance!

Haunted Halloween in Rome

Dolcetto o scherzetto?! This is what the Italian kids say on Halloween, and it roughly translates to treat or trick, even though trick or treating is something I’ve never seen over here. What I have seen is little kids getting dressed up in costumes and walking around. Which I guess is better than nothing, but still can’t compare to my childhood wandering my neighborhood filling my bag with pounds and pounds of candy. There was always the “good” house, where we’d get full-size candy bars, and the “bad” house, where, every year without fail, we’d get a balloon and a religious bookmark. There was the “scary” house, where the older male teens of the house set up a slaughter scene on the front walkway, and the “old people” houses with their lights out, the ones we hated the most. No matter what we got, we didn’t miss a door, and I remember at my house, when we’d run out of candy, my parents would break out our big penny bank and start putting pennies in the kids’ bags. What can I say, folks? Clearly, I miss Halloween.

But, never fear. A few years ago, sensing that my university study abroad students were feeling about the same, I decided that it was time to bring a little BOO to Rome. So I set forth, determined to come up with a Halloween itinerary of Rome. Here for you now is the result of my work. I haven’t been to all of the places, but I can guarantee that number one is genuinely spook-worthy, and number six is definitely worth a visit. Read on, if you dare…

1. Bone Crypt of the Cappuchin Monks (Cripta dei Cappuccini)
Santa Maria della Concezione Church
Via Veneto 27 (off Piazza Barberini)
Hours: 9-12; 15-18; closed Thursday

Why they're playing "Ave Maria" on their website is beyond me, because this place will give you the creeps. The bones of 4,000 Cappucin friars (for whom cappuccino is named) decorate the four chapels of the Capuchin Crypt, and the fact that it's in the church basement doesn't help. Room after room of arrangements of bones: skulls, pelvic bones, bone chandeliers, you name it. There's even a phrase saying something creepy like, "We were once like you were, soon you'll be like us..." Yikes.

2. Museum of the Souls of Purgatory (Museo Anime del Purgatorio)
S. Cuore del Suffragio Church, Lungotevere Prati 12

Rome has just one truly Gothic church, but this one is inspired by the Gothic style, and that makes it stand out. It was built in 1890, or 1927, depending on who you ask. I've never visited this museum, but apparently it showcases various objects that demostrate proof of souls who went to Purgatory, trying to communicate with us here on Earth. All are hung on the left wall of the display room. Enter the church and walk down the right aisle; just before the end, enter a door to your right and ask to see “il museo.”

3. Rome Crime Museum (Museo Criminologico di Roma)
Via del Gonfalone 29
T, W, F, Sa: 9:30-1; T, TH: 2:30-6:30, 2 EUR

The museum is divided into three sections, with computers creating a virtual Crime Museum alongside the real one. Section One, called “Punishment and Crimes,” is apparently the goriest and most gruesome. It seems like it could be one of those touristy torture museums, except for the fact that their website is run by the Italian Justice Ministry. Can't get more authentic than that--they know how criminals used to be handled!

4. The Devil’s Footprint (Il Piede del Diavolo)
Santa Maria all’Ara Coeli
Piazza Campidoglio

This church is famous for the miracles performed by the Santo Bambino, but the little-known dark side legend is that there is an imprint from the diavolo himself. Keep your eyes open looking at the floor just after you enter, on the left.

5. Exorcism and Witch HuntingSanta Maria del Popolo Church
Piazza del Popolo

Legend says that this church was built on haunted ground in ancient Rome, where witches used to practice rituals and call spirits. Inside the church, above the main altar, you can see reliefs that show the story of how the ‘popolo’ of Rome (hence the name of the church) asked for action against the witches, and the process of their execution.

6.Catacombs: the ancient tombs of Rome
The Catacombs of St. Sebastian
(Catacombe di S. Sebastiano)
Via Appia Antica 136; 8:30 - 12 - 14:30 - 17:00

This is where it is believed that the remains of Saints Peter and Paul were temporarily housed. This underground cemetery has examples of both Christian and Pagan graves. Visits are with guided tours only (times above). The tour is available in English, takes about a half hour, and costs €5.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Rome As I See It

Because even gladiators have to eat once in a while...

11:42 am, seen outside the Metro Colosseo stop