Truth and Politics-

I realize these two things do not go together (truth & politics) but when I was putting together this post I realized that it involves some of the sights that are associated with the city's government & our visit to the legendary Bocca della Verita (Mouth of Truth) made famous by the movie Roman Holiday so I thought it would be a catchy title...

But also grouped in this post are a couple of more sights of Michelangelo's legacy in Rome and some famed sites in the Pantheon "neighborhood"... so, the more accurate theme is "layers".

Our guide described Rome as a "layered city".  Modern structures built using ancient buildings as the foundation.  Old recycled into new. History pieced together to form the present-day...

Here are some examples:

The area of Capitoline hill (one of the 7 original hills on which Rome was founded) was the center of Roman government 2500 years ago and still is today.  At the top of this hill, Piazza del Campidoligo designed by Michelangelo in the 1500s was once the location of the Temple of Jupiter, 500 years before Christ, and now is home to the mayor's residence, Palazzo Senatorio.  

Just to the right of this square is Piazza Venezia.  It boasts a grand gleaming white national monument built in early 1900 in honor of Italy's first king, Victor Emmanuel.  In the 1930s, it is from a balcony here that Mussolini addressed the people. 

Piazza Navona, which became important in the late 15th century when the market moved from Campidoligo, is uniquely shaped in an oval because was built on top of the ruins of the Stadium of Domitian from the 1st century. It is still an important public "hang-out" for locals (and tourists) who sit around the beautiful baroque Fountain of Four Rivers by Bernini and come for a very special dessert at Tre Scalini.

In the same neighborhood as Piazza Navona is the Pantheon. This is the only Roman built building that has been in continuous use since the 1st century! There of course have been many modifications over the last 2000 years but the claim is that most of the interior marble is original and survived because the structure was transformed from a pagan temple into a Roman Catholic church during the 600s. 

A layered city... so fascinating!

    

Younger brother tests out the Mouth of Truth first!

Big brother's hand comes out unharmed as well-

View of the opposite side of the fountain
with a beautiful evening sky

Bernin's famous Four Rivers fountain
at Piazza Navona

"Tartufo" from Tre Scalini-
one of Ross' favorite desserts ever-
Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate!

The Pantheon

Standing in the beam of light from the oculus in the center of the dome
which is the only source of light for the inside of the Pantheon

Michelangelo's Piazza Campidoligo

The bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius in the center of the square-
It survived because it was long thought to be Constantine 

Michelangelo's famous "horned" Moses-
intended to be an elaborate pope's tomb but now
a monument at St. Peter in Chains Basilica
*The monument & horns both have long stories*

St. Peter's chains 

The Victor Emmanuel Monument in Piazza Venezia-
locals refer to it as "The Wedding Cake"