The Heart of Rome

Rome's famous Via del Corso begins and ends with two famous piazzas:  Piazza Venezia and Piazza del Popolo.  And it is most certainly worth visiting both.

Piazza Venezia is an important artery of the city center, and most pass through it, whether on foot or atop one of the openair rome tour buses.  It is open to traffic and many different bus lines pass through this piazza.  Be very careful when crossing the street here since taxis, cars and scooters all go whizzing by.  At the very base of the piazza stands a huge monument to Vittorio Emanuele, who is famous for having united all of Italy. Supposedly many Italians find this building terribly out of place in Rome and refer to is as the typewriter or the wedding cake.  When facing the monument, the brown building on the right is said to have been where Mussolini greeted and addressed the public.

Unlike Piazza Venezia, Piazza del Popolo is closed to traffic with the exception of two peripheral streets.  This space of the piazza is often used for rallies, protests, fairs, festivals and free outdoor concerts.  A large Egyptian obelisk that is more than 3,000 years old stands in the center, and there are four fountains at the bases where many Romans refresh themselves on hot summer days.  The church of Santa Maria del Popolo stands at the base of the piazza abd ut us famous for its two Caravaggio paintings:  "The Conversion of St. Paul" and "The Crucifixion of St. Peter" in the Ceresi chapel, which is towards the front.  This church is famous for its guest appearance in Dan Brown's novel, Angels and Demons.  

It is always recommended to stay on top of local current events when visiting Rome, since strikes and protests are common occurrences.  Most fortunately they are often well planned in advance.www.wantedinrome.com always provides updated tips on what's happening, so you can know what places to avoid on which days.

© Copyright 2008, When In Rome Tours

When In Rome tours is a small company dedicated to providing innovative and thought-provoking Vatican Tours and Rome Tours for all audiences. Native-level English speaking guides of Rome and Italy help the tourist to discern between documented history and legend,  bringing the Eternal City to life like no other tour provider.

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