The Eternal City, Rome’s history spans more than 2,500 years. Founded in 753 BC., legend suggest that Romulus and Remus weren’t content to remain with the wolves, but instead founded the world’s oldest continually occupied city. When Romulus killed his brother Remus in a dispute over where the city should be, the Roman Empire was born.
I spent a day in Rome. We didn’t have a plan. We thought we didn’t need one. Everywhere you turn there is something ancient and interesting. With a church on nearly every corner, we lost track of which was which. We couldn’t go in them all. We couldn’t see them all. We could have spent weeks, months studying, learning, enjoying and capturing the beauty of this ancient city with a modern vibe. I will go back.
Designed to hold between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators, stadium builders still use the Colosseum as a pattern for modern venues.
Commissioned by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome, the Catholic Church dedicated the Pantheon to St. Mary and the Martyrs in the 7th Century.
Representing the Emperor Septimus Severus’ victory in A.D. 203, this Arch still stands to welcome travelers to the glory of ancient Rome.
Legend claims that Peter was crucified upside down and Paul was imprisoned near the basilica just outside the Forum.
Ancient Rome and Catholicism coexist on top of one another.
Designed both to intimidate and illuminate, many Cathedrals in Rome provide stark contrasts between the light and the darkness.
Master works by artists such as Bernini and Michael Angelo can be found on the alter pieces of many Cathedrals throughout Rome.
Intricate stone angels and demons inspire visions of heaven and hell in many Cathedrals throughout Rome.
Intricate designs draw the eyes to heaven.
Massive stone pillars provide support near the grand entrance to St. Peter’s Square.
The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, 43.3 meters.
Dedicated as a Catholic church in the 7th century, two kings of Italy are buried in the Pantheon; Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I.
Numerous shrines to the Virgin Mary can be found in the most unlikely places throughout Rome.
As the sun sets on the piazza, night walks begin. Historic sights in Rome are beautiful by day or night.
If my umbrella didn’t work, the naked Romans would intimidate me, too.
A wedding party was just gathering as we happened upon the Piazza del Campidoglio.
Intricate artwork crafted by the masters adorns the ceilings of nearly every Cathedral in Rome.
Intricate stone work and detailed artwork adorn buildings along the Via della Conciliazone, connecting Saint Peter’s Square to the Castel Sant’Angelo.
An Angel holds the golden crown of celestial glory above the Cathedral alter.
I had one day to shoot B-Roll in Rome. And, it was my birthday. My wife surprised me by flying to Rome and meeting me at my hotel. It was a great birthday present. I still had to film but we saw the sights of Rome together.
Rome has this interesting vibe of Ancient Rome overlaid with Catholic Religiosity. The people are friendly. The city is dirty. The food is good. And the places–unbelievable–almost as unbelievable as the legend of Romulus and Remus being raised by a She-wolf. Still, it is a good story–and, a great city.
The size and scale are nearly beyond belief. So are the lines to get in.
Sunlight casts shadows through the massive pillars near the entrance to St. Peter’s Square.
Heart of Rome and Capital of the ancient World, the Roman Forum represents the glory of a once great empire fallen to ruin.
Emperor Septimus Severus wanted the glory of his victories in battle over the Parthians in AD 203 to be remembered for all time.
In the shadows of a very old Catholic Cathedral, the ghosts of Christians past linger amidst the ruins of an ancient Roman prison.
The Piazza della Rotanda gets its name from the informal title of the Pantheon which is the church of Santa Maria Rotonda.
Nearly two-thousand years after it was built, the Pantheon dome is still the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome.
One of the greatest achievements of Roman Engineering and Architecture, the Roman Colosseum is still the largest amphitheater in the world.
Completed in 1925, the National Monument to Victor Emmanuele pays tribute to the first king of a unified Italy.
Legend suggests that the chains housed in the central nave of Saint Peter in Chains church were actually used to bind the Apostle Peter when he was imprisoned in Jerusalem.
Designed by Bernini and created in 1692, the statue of Philip IV of Spain welcomes visitors to the Santa Maria Maggiore church.
Also known as the Mausoleum of Hadrian, the Castel Sant’Angelo was commissioned by the Emporeror Hadrian and was later used by the Popes as a fortress.
Statues on the bridge, Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II, look over the Tiber River as pedestrians, vehicles and boats pass by.
A restoration project underway, Trajan’s Forum reveals ancient secrets in the midst of a crowded contemporary neighborhood.
Late afternoon sun shines Heaven’s light throughout a Cathedral nave.
An Angel holds the golden crown of celestial glory above the Cathedral alter.
Residing in the Church of St. Peter in Chains, the Grim Reaper eventually visits us all.
It was my birthday. Anne surprised me by coming to Rome. We threw coins over our shoulders and kissed. We will return.
They're Calling To Me 