Castel del Monte

22 Saturday Nov 2025

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Architecture, Puglia

Tags

Federico II, Italian history, Puglia, Romanica Pugliese, Southern Italy, UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Castel del Monte overlooks the Murgia plateau near Andria, Puglia, rising like a massive, imposing stone crown. The flawless design is awe-inspiring, and it can even be seen from the sea. Castel del Monte ‘castle of the mountain’, is a mysterious place, that has intrigued scholars with speculation regarding its purpose and symbolism for almost 800 years.

Federico Secondo /Frederick II Hohenstaufen (1194-1250) Holy Roman Emperor and King of Sicily built Castel del Monte between 1240 -1250. He was a visionary, considered an early Humanist-a lover of art, architecture, science and poetry, and also a skilled warrior, hunter and falconer. He spoke 6 languages and wrote books, including a guide to falconry. At his court in Palermo, he brought together Greek, Arab, Italian and Jewish scholars so that experts in science, theology, philosophy, and alchemy could exchange their Eastern and Western knowledge. A cultured, cosmopolitan ruler, and probably a megalomaniac, he was called ‘Stupor Mundi’ wonder of the world.

No one knows why he built Castel del Monte– the location at an altitude of 540m (1770 ft), has a great view, but is not strategic, and the building has no defensive measures, such as a moat or arrow slits, so was not built as a fort. Some think it was built as a fancy hunting lodge, but there is no sign of a kitchen or cooking facilities on site. Federico died not long before it was completed, so he never actually stayed there.

The octagonal design is unusual. According to medieval beliefs and mathematical symbolism, the octagon represented the union of the divine perfection of the circle and the natural perfection of the square into one shape. In many cultures and religions, the number 8 is associated with power, good judgement, efficiency, prosperity, strength and stability. A sideways 8, the infinity sign is a symbol of continuous balance. 8 is repeated throughout the design of Castel del Monte-an octagonal shape with 8 interconnecting rooms on each floor, 8 octagonal towers, and an octagonal internal courtyard. Many details in the sculptures, bas-reliefs, marble columns and keystones have decorations with 8 elements.

The upper rooms have decorative marble columns and 8 fireplaces, The doorways and Gothic windows are framed in corallite stone. 3 of the towers have stairs and at least one has a room with what may have been Europe’s first flushing toilets. Castel del Monte also had advanced hydraulic engineering with an air heating/cooling system (ancient HVAC?) in the walls and a rainwater collection and filtration system. Water passed through the walls into cisterns in the foundation. In the alcoves beside some of the windows on the upper floor, you can see evidence of these systems.

Similar to Federico’s cultural perspective, elements of diverse architectural styles and traditions from different times in history are effortlessly blended in Castel del Monte. These include classical antiquity, the Islamic Orient and north-European Gothic. To me it looks similar to Romanica Pugliese. The layout and orientation are designed with advanced mathematical and astronomic precision. The positions of windows and light slits is designed to create specific light and shadow effects during the solstice and equinox. Secret messages perhaps? The light cast by the slits also serve as a clock/sundial. I actually thought the light slits were ridiculously long arrow slits! Mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci was a guest of Federico’s in 1240, so he may have even been a consultant!

Castel del Monte was purchased by the Italian State in 1876 for 25,000 Lire, and is now protected under strict laws. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, as a unique and beautiful masterpiece of medieval military architecture and for its lack of structural alteration. Castel del Monte is featured on the Italian one euro cent coin.

So what was the overall purpose of Castel del Monte if it was not built as a fort or hunting lodge? Was it a celestial observatory, or a giant sundial? Likely the primary purposes were to symbolize the power and personal genius of Federico II to reflect his cultural, pre-Humanist perspective, and to celebrate the relationship/balance between the spiritual and material world.

I have wanted to visit Castel del Monte for years. Since it is on a remote hilltop, 20 km from Andria, 35 km from Trani, getting to Castel del Monte without a car is not easy. I got together with 6 of my friends from Orsara di Puglia and we hired a friend with an 8 passenger van to take us there. We arrived early and then went to the Trulli di Alberobello in the afternoon. We had an amazing time! I was expecting Castel del Monte to be fascinating-but it surpassed my expectations!

To get there by train/bus: From Bari, take the Ferrovia Bari-Nord train to Andria. Then either take bus # 6 from Andria station to Castel del Monte (35 minutes, five buses daily, April to October only) or take a taxi or hired car from Andria. Trani is 35 km away and would be my choice if I was planning to stay the night. A small parking site down the hill charges €5 for a car, and sometimes there is a €1 shuttle up the short, steepish walk to Castel del Monte. There are a few souvenir stalls close to the parking area, and a Bar is open at the same seasonal entry times.

Opening hours: April 1-Sept 30 1000 to 1845. Oct 1-Mar 31 0900 to 1745 Closed Dec 25 and Jan 1^st.

Adult admission is €10 Audio guides (€6) are also available to maximise visit. Skip the line tickets are available but not necessary, since there are only 250,000 visitors per year. There are likely to be more visitors during the summer or winter Solstice and the Federico II festival in April.

The inside visit takes about 1 hour, but allow more time to walk around the outside, enjoy the views and take photos. In summer, try to go in the morning, as the afternoons are hot and there is little shade.Buon viaggio, Cristina

‘The Nuances of Love’

13 Monday Oct 2025

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Bilingual posts, Inspiration, Libri, Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

AICW, Association of Italian Canadian Writers, Italian Canadian Literature, Poetry

‘The Nuances of Love: Celebrating 40 years of Italian-Canadian voices‘ celebrates 4 decades of the AICW (Association of Italian Canadian Writers). Edited by Christine Sansalone, Diana Iuele-Colilli and Maria Pia Spadafora, this gorgeous anthology is a collection of poetry and prose on the themes of love and friendship. It also celebrates the power and importance of storytelling and community. 46 Italian-Canadian writers contributed to this anthology, and one of them is me!

It is available for purchase for $25.00 (Can)from Guernica Editions and on Amazon.ca

My contribution is a poem. I do not normally write poetry, as you can tell from the title ‘Vorrei essere una poetessa‘ (I would like to be a poet). Since I can, I am posting it here, but you will have to get your own book if you want to read the other 45 contributions.

The poem was written directly in Italiano. Since I know a few of you will ask ‘where can I find it in English’ I did a very quick translation. Some of the concepts do not translate well, but I did my best-you can find it at the end.

Vorrei essere una poetessa

Vorrei essere una poetessa.

Così potrei esprimere tutto cio’ che vorrei dire

con parole magiche

che si sciolgono dalla lingua

Vorrei usare parole come affascinante e meraviglioso

per descrivere le cose di cui scriverò

Che posso mettere a parole…..

la luce gloriosa del sole estivo di meta’ pomeriggio,

che proietta ombre nascoste sui muri di pietra

I suoni allegri dei bambini

quando giocano a calcio

nelle viuzze strette

la vista mozzafiato

dalle scogliere sul mare

e la tenerezza della brezza marina

quando ti accarezza le spalle

la tavolozza ricca di colori brillanti

come il blu oltremare e terra di Siena bruciata

che diventano un dipinto quando incontrano la tela

l’emozione quando uno si trova

adavanti ad un capolavoro di Caravaggio,

con chiaroscuro e luci drammatiche

magnifico da ogni lato

Il profumo indimenticabile

del pane appena sfornato

che fa venire l’acquolina in bocca

e fa brontolare la pancia

Il gusto di un bicchiere di vino profumato e corposo

fatto con un’uva locale

e condiviso con i migliori amici

che valgono più dell’oro

la gioia dell’amore al primo sguardo

e anche la profondità della tristezza

di un cuore spezzato in mille pezzi

per un amore non ricambiato

Per tutti questi è difficile trovare le parole,

o scegliere gli aggettivi adeguati

Vorrei essere una poetessa….

purtroppo non trovo le parole

e non so da dove e come cominciare.

Published in: ‘The Nuances of Love: Celebrating 40 years of Italian- Canadian voices. Editors Christine Sansalone, Diana Iuele-Colilli and Maria Pia Spadafora. Guernica Editions (2025), p 40-41.

In Inglese/in English:

I would like to be a poet

So that I can express everything I want to say

with magical words

that roll off the tongue

I want to use words like fascinating and wonderful

to describe the things I will write about

So that I can put into words…

the glorious light of the mid-afternoon summer sun,

projecting cast shadows on crumbling stone walls

The joyful sounds of children

playing with a soccer ball

in narrow cobblestone streets

the breathtaking view

from cliffs overlooking the sea

and the tenderness of the sea breeze

when it caresses your shoulders

the rich palette of brilliant colors

such as ultramarine blue and burnt sienna

that become a painting when they meet the canvas

the emotion of finding oneself

in front of a masterpiece by Caravaggio,

painted in chiaroscuro, with dramatic lighting

magnificent from every angle

The unforgettable aroma

of freshly baked bread

that makes the mouth water

and the stomach rumble

The taste of a fragrant, full-bodied glass of wine

made with local grapes

and shared with dearest friends

who are worth more than gold

The joy of love at first sight

and also the profound sadness

of a heart shattered into a thousand pieces

for an unrequited love

For all of these, it is difficult to find the words,

or choose the proper adjectives.

I would like to be a poet…

unfortunately, I cannot find the words

and I do not know where or how to begin.

Ciao, Cristina

Hostaria Antica Roma~Eat like an Ancient Roman

26 Friday Sep 2025

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Mangiamo!, Roma

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Ancient Roma, Apicius, Cetara, Colatura di alici, De re Coquinaria, Garum, Gastronomic history, Moretum, Paolo Magnanimi, Traditional recipes, Via Appia Antica

What do you do when a planned daytrip from Roma is cancelled because of pouring rain? Go and have a meal like the ancient Romans! My friend and I went to Via Appia Antica-the Ancient Appian Way, a road from Roma to Brindisi. Close to the Catacombs of Domitilla, and almost right below the cylindrical Tomba di Cecilia Metella is Hostaria Antica Roma. Here, at his family’s ristorante, Paolo Magnanimi, an amateur gastronomic archeologist, has researched and is reviving 2,000 year old ancient Roman recipes. We enjoyed a delicious meal, enriched by explanation and commentary from Paolo. It was an educational culinary journey into the past.

The restaurant serves traditional ‘modern’ Roman cuisine, but also a tasting menu called ‘A Tavola con Apicio’ (At the table with Apicius) closely based on the recipes in the 1^st Century AD ‘De Re Coquinaria’ /On the subject of Cooking’, the only surviving cookbook from Ancient Roma. It is thought to have been compiled by Apicio -Marcus Gavius Apicius, a wealthy epicure/food lover. He was described by Pliny the Elder as ‘the most gluttonous gorger of all spendthrifts’. Ouch! Just like Nonna’s, the ancient recipes only include ingredients, not quantities, proportions or instructions. Paolo recreates the dishes using -as much as possible-only ingredients available at the time. Ingredients inclucing sugar, chocolate, basil and tomato were not available in the 1^stCentury.

We started off with ‘Gustum’ an antipasto platter consisting of a selection of everyday ancient snacks made with local products. I believe this menu item usually needs to be ordered in advance. Fortunately for us, a table had reserved for 6 people, but only 5 were there, so we were able to take the extra one! Clockwise from the top of the photo:

Libum di Catone a bread described by Cato as a sacred symbol of devotion. It was made with wheat flour, sheep milk ricotta, eggs and honey, and baked on a layer of bay laurel leaves. Now I know what I will do with my extra bay leaves!

Moretum was described by the poet Virgil as an everyday dish of the ancient Romans. This is the ancestor of Pesto, but named after the mortar instead of the pestle. Moretum is made with pecorino-fresh sheep milk cheese, garlic, herbs such as coriander and celery seed, salt, nuts and olive oil. It can be eaten on its own or spread onto libum. Paolo grinds together his ingredients with the mortar and pestle, just as described by Virgil.

Prosciutto cotto (ham) with honey and fresh pecorino

Epityrium a spread, similar to a tapenade, of olives and herbs, including cumin, fennel, coriander and sometimes mint. It was served on bread

For our primo or first course, we had the ancestor of modern lasagne, Patina Cotidiana, which is Latin for ‘daily dish’. The pasta sheets are called laganum. If any of you believe Marco Polo brought pasta to Italy from China in the 13^th Century, that is ‘leggenda metropolitana’, an urban myth. Boiled laganum are layered with ground beef, fennel and pecorino. It is ‘in bianco’, meaning no tomato, since the tomato did not arrive in Europe until the 1500’s, and was not even an edible product at that time. Click on Il Pomodoro for the history of the modern tomato.

Our secondo or second course was Pollum Oxizomum, chicken cooked with pieces of leek, olive oil, vinegar and garum. Garum was a fermented fish sauce that was a staple condiment in the ancient Roman kitchen. 75% of the recipes in De re Coquinaria include garum! At the archeological site of Ostia Antica, one of the market stalls with fish mosaics likely sold the intensely flavoured Garum! Today, colatura di alici di Cetara is the best substitute for garum. Colatura di alici means anchovy drippings and this can be considered the ‘Italian version’ of an Asian fish sauce.

In the small Amalfi Coast fishing village of Cetara, they have been making colatura di alici the same way for centuries. Anchovy fillets and sea salt are layered in small chestnut wood barrels called terzigni with a heavy weight on top. The anchovies are left to ferment for a long time-up to 3 years! This process produces a clear amber liquid with an intense flavour that floats to the top. A hole is made in the bottom of the barrel to collect the colatura after it passes through the layers of anchovies. Online, a 50 ml bottle is about $25 (USD). Surprisingly, our pollo did not taste fishy or overly salty. It was delicious!

Finally, for dessert /dolce we had Tiropatina a predecessor of custard or crème caramel. It was made with whole milk, eggs and honey, with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper on top. The ancient Romans believed pepper to be an aphrodisiac.

A few other items on the ancient menu that we did not try include: Pulsa con copadia, rustic polenta with an aromatic beef stew, Isicia Omentata, pork polpette (meatballs) in grape sauce and La Cassata di Oplontis, a dessert made with almond flour, sheep milk ricotta, honey, dried and candied fruit.

I absolutely recommend a visit to Hostaria Antica Roma, especially if you are fascinated by the history of ancient Roma and gastronomic history. The fact that everything was delicious does not hurt either! The week after our visit in July, Paolo was being interviewed by the BBC.

De Re Coquinaria 2021 edition, translated by Terra Nectare corrects previously incorrect translations

Hostaria Antica Roma, Via Appia Antica 176Open Tuesday-Saturday 12:30-1500 and 19:30-22:30, Sun 12-3, Monday closed.

Grazie to to my amica Anna for joining me. Buon appetito!

Santa Maria in Aracoeli

12 Friday Sep 2025

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Amici e Famiglia, Architecture, Roma

≈ 2 Comments

I recently attended a family wedding in one of the most beautiful churches in Roma, the Basilica Santa Maria in Aracoeli (pronounced Ah*rah*CHEH*lee). Because of its location on the highest point of the Capitoline Hill, sandwiched between Il Vittoriano and the staircase to Il Campidoglio, most visitors have seen it from the outside-but they have no idea what treasures the interior holds. Photos in this post are from the July rehearsal and wedding of Isabella and John.Translated from Latin, Santa Maria in Aracoeli means ‘Santa Maria of the altar in Heaven’. The Romanesque Gothic Basilica was built on the site of a Temple to Giunone (Juno) in the year 574. Originally a Greek Byzantine church, it was taken over by the Benedictines in the 9^th Century, then later the Franciscans in 1249. Santa Maria in Aracoeli is one of the principal churches of Roma and the designated church of the city council and the Senate and people of Roma (SPQR). The Municipio, or City Hall of Roma is conveniently located behind the Basilica, on the Campidoglio. During the French occupation of 1797, the Basilica was turned into a stable for the French cavalry! It was almost demolished in the 1880’s during construction of its massive neighbour Il Vittoriano /L’Altare della Patria. In the photo above, the white monument is Il Vittoriano, the building behind it with the steep staircase is Santa Maria in Aracoeli and the staircase on the right leads to Piazza del Campidoglio, where the Capitoline Museum and Municipio are located.The interior is elaborately decorated, with a coffered and gilded wooden ceiling (1575). The exquisite cream and pink marble floor is decorated with Cosmati, an inlay geometric style of Medieval stonework. The arches are supported on 22 columns scavenged and upcycled from diverse ancient ruins throughout the city. This is why no 2 of the columns are alike. 52 gorgeous Murano glass chandeliers hang in the nave and sanctuary. They were all lit during the wedding.

On the altar, is a 10^th Century Byzantine icon painted on beech wood, la Madonna di Aracoeli. She is holding up her hand, which is painted in gold. La Madonna di Aracoeli was carried through the streets of Roma during the Black Plague outbreak in 1348, and is credited with the shorter duration of the epidemic. To the left of the altar an octagonal tempietto or shrine contains the Byzantine relics of Sant’ Elena (St. Helena), the mother of Emperor Constantine. Cappella Bufalini, the first chapel on the right of the entrance, contains a series of 15^th Century frescoes by Pinturicchio. There are also frescoes by Pietro Cavallini and Arnolfo di Cambio, and countless other works of art.The most famous item in the church is the Santissimo Bambinello, a 15^th Century bejewelled wooden sculpture of baby Jesus carved out of olive wood from the gardens of Gethsemane in Jerusalem, and baptised in the river Jordan. It is believed to have healing powers. Unfortunately, he was stolen in 1994, and is still missing. Today, the Bambinello in a private chapel by the small gift shop is a replica.

La Scala Santa, the staircase of 124 marble steps leading to the main entrance of the church, was designed in 1348 on the occasion of the end of the Black Death. The stairs are considered sacred, and people have been known to climb up on their knees, hoping for a miracle. Luckily, none of the wedding guests chose to do this, but there were many wobbly stilettos climbing the stairs, and one extremely dirty wedding train! Viva gli sposi!

Ciao, Cristina

Casino dell’Aurora~Villa Boncompagni Ludovisi

21 Thursday Aug 2025

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Art, Art history, Italia, Roma

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Art history, Aurora, Caravaggio, Caravaggio Roma, Guercino, Jubilee2025, Jupiter Neptune and Pluto

Caravaggio 2025 at Palazzo Barberini, the exhibit coinciding with Giubileo 2025, was extended by 2 weeks. Yippee!! This was great for me, since I arrived in Roma the day after it was supposed to end. As soon as I heard about the extension, I booked tickets before they sold out. It was amazing, and I will post about it after I get home. With the code from my ticket purchase, I was also able to book one of the limited weekend tickets to Casino dell’ Aurora, Villa Boncompagni Ludovisi, a private home, which is not normally open to the public.

Why am I so excited about this? Villa Boncompagni Ludovisi contains the only ceiling painted by Caravaggio, one of his least accessible masterpieces.

The Villa is the only remaining part of a large suburban retreat, built by Cardinal Francesco del Monte in the 16 th Century. The cardinal was an early patron of Caravaggio and he had an interest in alchemy*. He commissioned 25 year old Caravaggio to paint the ceiling of his small alchemy lab in 1597.

The painting ‘Giove, Nettuno e Plutone’ -Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto is an alchemical allegory with the 3 Olympian gods and their symbols and animals from classical mythology. For Jupiter these are air, sulphur and the eagle, for Neptune water, mercury, a trident and the hippocampus (a mythological seahorse) and for Pluto, earth, salt and Cerberus the 3 headed dog.

This painting may have been a middle finger salute early in his career to critics who accused Caravaggio of having a poor sense of perspective. The 3 figures are foreshortened in the most dramatic way possible. Jupiter floats in the sky with an eagle and reaches out to move a luminous celestial sphere where the sun revolves around the earth. Zodiac signs are barely visible in the center. Neptune and Pluto appear to be standing right over you, with Neptune’s private parts dangling above your head!

Caravaggio used his own face for all 3 figures. It was common for him to insert his self-portrait into a painting, but not as the main focus. In this case, it is likely because this early in his career, he could not afford to pay a model, and he had not started using everyday people as models. Since the 3 figures are supposed to be brothers, it worked. Cerberus may have been painted from his own dog.

This ceiling painting is unusual as it is oil paint on dry plaster, so essentially it is a mural. It is not a fresco, which is painted with pigments directly into wet plaster. The painting does not have that ‘chalky’ look of a fresco. The size is 300 by 180 cm, about 10’ by 6’. It is on the upper floor, reached via the staircase seen below, in the main ‘Aurora’ reception room.

In 1621, del Monte sold the villa and grounds, a 30 hectare (74 acre) area between Porta Pinciana and Porta Salaria, to Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi. In 1621, Guercino also completed the Aurora fresco on the ceiling of the main reception hall. This is why the villa is also referred to as Casino dell’Aurora or Villa Aurora. Guercino had help with the illusionist architectural details by the notorious Agostino Tassi. Read more about him in the post Artemisia Gentileschi.

The princes Boncompagni-Ludovisi subdivided and sold the property in 1883. Roma’s Ludovisi district is on these former grounds. The 2200 m² (2400 sq ft) villa and a small parcel of land remained with the Ludovisi family.

Since the 2018 death of the owner, Prince Niccolò Boncompagni Ludovisi, there has been an inheritance dispute between his American widow and the 3 sons from his first marriage. The widow was evicted in 2023 and a court ordered sale made the villa the most expensive house ever to go on the market. Valued at €470 million, it is still for sale and also needs €10 million worth of restoration work $$$! Hopefully the family comes to some sort of agreement and Villa Boncompagni Ludovisi will eventually become a museum. I will purchase Lotto tickets in the meantime 🤞.

Casino dell’Aurora, Villa Boncompagni-Ludovisi is located at Via Lombardia 46, a short walk from Porta Pinciana and the Marriott Grand Hotel Flora. It is not open to the public and there are no plans for public viewing at this time. If you somehow happen to get the opportunity-definitely go! Now that I have seen Giove, Nettuno e Plutone, I have seen all 25 of Caravaggio’s paintings in Roma!

*Alchemy was a precursor to actual science. It was aimed at discovering the ‘Philosopher’s Stone’ to turn other metals into gold, and the elixir of youth.

Nasoni di Roma

18 Sunday May 2025

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Italia, Roma

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Aqua Virgo, Roman Fountains, Summer in Roma

The characteristic cast iron fontanelle, small drinking fountains found throughout Roma, are affectionately known as nasoni. Nasoni means ‘big noses’, and refers to the curved metal spout, which has a small hole at the top of the arch. Blocking the spout with your finger will force the water up from hole in an arc, like a drinking fountain. This is handy if you want to drink but do not have a water bottle!

The nasoni date back to 1874, after Italian unification when mayor Luigi Pianciani installed fountains to provide free, accessible public drinking water for the health and hygiene of Romans and visitors. This is often referred to as ‘l’acqua del sindaco’, ‘the water of the mayor’. Some of the fountains in central Roma are supplied by a functioning ancient aqueduct, the Acqua Vergine. Nasoni get their water from Roma’s main drinking water reserve, Lago di Bracciano, 32 km (20 mi) to the northwest.

There were originally 5,000 nasoni, but the number decreased as it became more common to have domestic water connections. Today there are over 2500 nasoni in greater Roma, including 280 in the historic center, and 114 in outer areas, such as Fiumicino. For the 150^th anniversary of the Nasoni in 2004, 3 new ones were installed near the Colosseo.A nasone (singular) weighs ~100 kg and is 1.2 m high (almost 4 ft). Its classic cast iron cylindrical shape allows drinking water to flow continuously. Most nasoni have a metal grate to collect the water. The first Nasoni had 3 spouts, decorated with dragon heads. In the 1920’s the dragons became an endangered species and since then, nasoni are cast iron cylinders with a single smooth curved ‘naso’ spout. Some of them have the SPQR insignia and quite a few are decorated with graffiti. The 3 oldest nasoni are the original dragon spout design. They can be found on Via di San Teodoro, in Piazza della Rotonda in front of the Pantheon, and at the Fontana delle tre Cannelle on Via della Cordonata near Palazzo Quirinale.

Besides quenching the thirst of Roma, nasoni also have a hydraulic purpose. They act as surface ventilation valves for the underground water supply system. This releases pressure in pipes, and the continuous flow of water keeps it from stagnating, preventing uncontrolled bacterial growth. The continuous flow may seem like a waste of drinking water, but in fact the percentage of waste is only about 1%, while waste due to old leaky pipes in poor condition would be over 30%. It costs the city €3-5/day to operate each nasone, depending on the water flow.

The water company ACEA has the Waidy Wow waterfinder App that maps out 50,000 drinking water points including nasoni and other fountains throughout the country. Wanted in Rome, an online English magazine has a Nasoni map of Rome. The Nasoni di Roma App focuses specifically on locating nasoni.With the nasoni, plus 90 ornamental fountains offering uninterrupted drinking water, Roma is the city with the most drinking fountains in the world. Installed to provide accessible fresh drinking water for thirsty Romans and visitors, the nasoni are now iconic symbols of Roma, representing community and hospitality. Don’t forget to bring a water bottle! If you are visiting in summer, check out Beat the heat: Surviving Summer in Roma.

Buon Viaggio, Cristina

Bloghiversario #11

25 Friday Apr 2025

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Blogging

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

Blogging, Bloghiversary, Festa della Liberazione, Liberazione d'Italia

Auguri a me! Today is another bloghiversario– blog anniversary. I feel like we just celebrated 10 years of Un po’ di pepe! In numerology, Undici (oon•DEE•chee), 11 is a master number. It is special because it repeats the #1. 11 is associated with creative energy, independent thinking, leadership and spiritual awareness. Good things for the coming year! I also love saying the word undici. Undicesimo Bloghiversario (11th bloghiversary) sounds even better.

As usual, I attempted to write more posts this past year. It started out well, but for the last few months I have been recovering from a concussion. I did not ski into a tree or anything molto dramatico, I just slipped on icy grass and fell backwards after throwing out the trash! In case you ever need to explain that in Italiano…. ‘Ho sbattuto la testa quando sono scivolata sull’erba ghiacciata, e ho un commozione cerebrale’. ‘Commozione cerebrale‘ makes it sound like there is a party happening in the brain, but that is the term for concussion. Do not ask me how many times I have been told ‘Meno male che hai la testa dura’ or ‘Menumale cà tien a capa tost!’ in the past few months. Those are ‘Good thing you have a hard head!‘ in Italiano and Dialetto. See what useful stuff you learn from this site!

I did finally publish posts on Artemisia Gentileschi, Panzerotti, Il Pumo Pugliese, I Cavalli di San Marco and 3 posts about Torino. The wine anthology I contributed to, ‘A Literary Harvest‘ is finally in print, and for my compleanno I published my piece in a bilingual post In Vino there are Memories /Nel Vino ci sono Ricordi. Mamma loved it! The anthology makes a great gift for the vino lover in your life-purchase information is in both posts.

In July, I will be attending a family wedding in Roma!!! My recent posts have been Roma related- Giubileo 2025 about the Jubilee this year, Acqua Vergine and Fontana di Trevi. There are a few more coming. Anyone else travelling to Roma this summer, make sure to read Beat the Heat-Surviving Summer in Roma.

I thought I would be celebrating follower #500, but seem to be stuck at 495-so hopefully soon. If you change email addresses, don’t forget to resubscribe to continue receiving notifications of new posts.

April 25th is also La Festa della Liberazione d’Italia, the anniversary of the liberation of Italia from Fascist occupation in 1945. It has been a national holiday since 1946. Viva la libertà!

Grazie to all of you for taking the time to read, comment, send messages and especially for giving me an excuse to share my images and research and write about things that interest me! You know….’Devo fare ricerca per il blog’ (I need to do research for my blog) is my reason to do all the things I want to do! If you have any suggestions for future posts or just want to say ‘ciao‘, leave me a comment.

To those who discovered the blog more recently or visit occasionally, Benvenuto! Find out more by reading ‘Perché questo blog?/Why write a blog?’, ‘About me/Chi sono’ and my bilingual interview with Silvia L’Intervista con Silvia.

Grazie a tutti i lettori di ‘Un po’ di pepe’ per continuare a leggere e per avermi dato una scusa per usare le foto che ho scattato e per scrivere di cose che mi piacciono. Ormai posso usare la scusa ‘devo fare ricerca per il blog’ per tutto quello che voglio fare. Lasciatemi un messaggio se avete delle idee per un post o se semplicemente volete dire ‘ciao’.

Per chi ha scoperto il blog più di recente o lo visita occasionalmente, Benvenuto! Scopri di più leggendo ‘Perché questo blog?/Why write a blog?’, ‘About me/Chi sono’ e l’intervista bilingue L’Intervista con Silvia.

Hopefully none of you will need to use your new commozione cerebrale terminology-but use undici whenever you can! Ciao, Cristina

Fontana di Trevi

13 Sunday Apr 2025

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Architecture, Italia, Photography, Roma

≈ 13 Comments

Tags

Aqua Virgo, Fontana di Trevi, La Dolce Vita, Palazzo Poli, Roman Fountains, UNESCO World Heritage Sites

The Fontana di Trevi is one of the most iconic structures in Roma-a Baroque masterpiece with a direct link to the Ancient Roman Empire. Every year, millions of tourists visit, trying to capture a perfect photo, tossing in a coin to ensure a return visit to Roma. Sometimes it can feel like a mosh pit! The water comes from an ancient aqueduct, Aqua Virgo (Acqua Vergine in Italiano), 9 m below ground, built in 19 BC. It still functions today and provides water to the fountains in Central Roma. Find out more in the previous post Acqua Vergine.

The Fontana di Trevi is named for the piazza. Tre vie means 3 roads, refering to Via De’Crocicchi, Via Poli and Via delle Muratte that come together at Piazza Trevi. The Fontana di Trevi is the final destination of Acqua Vergine.

There was always a fountain to mark the end point of Acqua Vergine. The medieval fountain was a simple rectangular shape with 3 spouts pouring water into 3 basins. In the Baroque era, when everything was over the top and extravagantly decorated, Pope Urban found the existing fountain too boring. He commissioned the Master, Gian Lorenzo Bernini to sketch a design, but they both died before it got going. The next Pope held a contest, and Nicola Salvi’s design was chosen. Construction started in 1732, with many artists involved during the 30 years it took to complete. In a very modern fashion, construction of the Fontana di Trevi was financed with proceeds from the Roman lottery.

The symmetrically balanced theme ’Taming the Waters’ was built right onto the existing building. Palazzo Poli was given a new façade featuring a giant order of Corinthian columns. The main sculpture is Greek Titan Oceanus, not Neptune as is commonly thought. He is in a large half-shell pulled by 2 seahorses and tritons (sea messengers) with a sea reef below them. The façade and sea reef are made of Travertine from Tivoli, and the sculptures are Carrara marble. Above and on either side of Oceanus are 2 bas reliefs illustrating the origins of Acqua Vergine. One depicts Marcus Agrippa ordering construction of the aqueduct and the other the vergine, a young girl leading Roman soldiers to the spring. The Fontana di Trevi is 26 m (~85 ft) high and 49 m (~160 ft) wide. It spills 80,000 cu m (2, 825,000 cu ft) of water per day! Today the water is continually recycled.

Tossing a coin in the water with the right hand over the left shoulder while facing away from the fountain is thought to ensure a return to Roma. I never miss this opportunity-even during renovation in 2015 I found a way to toss one in! This tradition dates back to the Ancient Romans who tossed coins in water so the gods would protect them on their journey and ensure a safe return. Throw in a second coin to find true love and a third for wedding bells! I believe these last 2 are just from the 1954 movie ‘3 coins in the Fountain’, not the Ancient Romans! According to another old tradition, drinking the water with your beloved will ensure eternal love and fidelity. Do not drink the water!

Although the water comes straight from a spring via an ancient aqueduct, it is now continually recirculated. In 1998 when the Fontana was refurbished, recirculating pumps were installed. On the far right and up a few stairs is the Fontanella degli Innamorati (Little Lovers’ Fountain) a small rectangular basin with 2 crossing spouts. Take a drink from this instead-the water is also from Acqua Vergine!

All of those coins in the water can’t be hygienic either. Approximately €3,500 per day is collected nightly and given to the charity Caritas. The money funds a program providing supermercato cards Roma’s needy. There are regular attempts to steal the coins from the basin, which of course is illegal. The water has been vandalized many times, painted red and most recently dyed black with charcoal by climate eco anarchists.

In 2014 Fendi sponsored a 1.5 year, €2.2 million restoration and cleaning, including installation of LED lights to improve night illumination. Most recently, in late 2024 a 3 month restoration also secured the lower basin to restrict access to only 400 visitors at a time. Crowds are expected to be bigger than usual during Giubileo 2025. Early in the morning is usually a good time to visit.

As an outdoor public monument, the Fontana di Trevi is free and always open, so unless it is under renovation, you can check it out at any time. Access to the lower basin may be limited at some times, and cleaning takes place on certain Monday and Friday mornings. Since it is fed by an aqueduct and powered only by gravity, it never needs to be turned off.

The Fontana was immortalized in film in 1960 when Anita Ekberg walked in with her clothes on in the Fellini classic La Dolce Vita. Do not be like Anita-you will be immediately slapped with a €450 fine. When her costar Marcello Mastroianni died in 1996, the Fontana di Trevi was draped in black, the water and lights turned off in his honour. Below is part of a poster-note how dirty the stone was in 1960! The spouts of Fontanella degli Innamorati can be seen on the far right.

I have a cool Trevi memory. In 2004, I attended a printmaking exhibit with a friend. The entrance was at Via della Stamperia 6, 150 m from Piazza Trevi, down the side street past Fontanella degli Innamorati. I remember climbing a lot of stairs and walking through corridors to get to the exhibit, which was amazing. Then I wandered off to explore the gorgeous architectural details of the building, and heard the sound of running water as I walked past one of the tall, heavily curtained windows. Moving the curtain, I was right above the Fontana di Trevi! It had not even occurred to me that there was a real building behind it. Of course, this was before the time of cell phone cameras! This photo is from the Istituto’s website and was taken from farther up, possibly the roof. Palazzo Poli was once a private residence, expropriated in 1885. It is now theIstituto Centrale per la Grafica (Central institute for Graphics) a museum and exhibition space created to preserve and promote cultural heritage documenting graphic art. Open Monday to Friday 09-17 and weekends 09-14. Admission is free. The room I wandered into is usually closed, unless you are attending a classical music performance.

9 m below the Fontana di Trevi, an archeological site was discovered during 2001 renovation of the former Trevi Cinema. Excavations uncovered a building complex from the Imperial Age (27 BC to 476 AD) and a fancy domus (Roman home), including canals still carrying clear water from Acqua Vergine to a holding tank for the domus. The site is called Vicus Caprarius, or “City of water” Vicolo del Puttarello 25. Open Tuesday to Sunday 11-17 Reservations are recommended on weekdays, required weekends and holidays. There are several underground tours, ranging from 30 minutes with audio guide to several hours long. I plan to see it in July!

The photos in this post were taken between 2004 and 2025. Night view and bas reliefs taken by my sorella Lucia in Feb 2025. ‘La Dolce Vita’ oil pastel on paper by the amazing Mary Cinque.

Ciao, Cristina

Acqua Vergine

28 Friday Mar 2025

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Architecture, Roma

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Ancient Roma, Ancient Roman engineering, Fontana di Trevi, La Barcaccia, Roman Fountains, UNESCO World Heritage Sites

The Ancient Romans were masters of engineering. One of the greatest examples of this is their aqueducts. These systems of waterways transported fresh water from springs and melting snow long distances via pipes and tunnels. The ability to provide a fresh, safe supply of drinking water is one of the reasons the Roman Empire became so powerful. In Roma, 11 aqueducts were built over a period of ~500 years. Aqueduct #6 out of 11, called Aqua Virgo (Acqua Vergine in Italiano) lives on today. Not only is it still with us, but it is still functioning, providing water to the most important fountains in central Roma. The pure, cold, fresh water is drinkable*, constantly flowing and powered by gravity.

Mmmm! Acqua freddissima!

Aqua Virgo was constructed in 19 BC by Marcus Vipsamius Agrippa, son in law and general of Emperor Octavian Augustus. Yes- the same Marcus Agrippa whose name is carved into the front of the Pantheon. He constructed the original Pantheon, before it burnt down. Marcus had the aqueduct built to supply water for the thermal baths of Agrippa in the Campo Marzio area near the Pantheon.

Aqua Virgo/Acqua Vergine probably refers to the freshness and purity of the water, but according to legend, in 19 BC, a young girl led Roman soldiers to a spring -the source for the aqueduct. The source is in the hills 13 km away, at Agro Lucellano between Via Tiburtina and the 8^th milestone of Via Collatina (2 of the roads that led to Roma) near present day Salone. The source is actually only 24m (79 ft) above sea level. Aqua Virgo is 21 km long via indirect route to Roma, making a wide arc. This is to make use of gravity by shallow downward gradient. 19 km of Acqua Vergine are 9m below ground, with short stretches of brick arches above ground.

There were 1352 fountains in Roma in the 4^th Century. Aqua Virgo was damaged by the invasion of 537 and repaired. It remained in use through the Middle Ages with a few renovations during the Renaissance. Early Renaissance Popes started to decorate the end point of restored aqueducts with large, ornate fountains.The Fontana di Trevi is the final destination of the original Acqua Vergine and Piazza del Popolo the end of an offshoot. Carved above the statues next to Oceanus on the Fontana di Trevi, 2 bas reliefs illustrate Marcus Agrippa ordering construction of the aqueduct and the young girl leading Roman soldiers to the source. They can both be seen in the photo below:

Acqua Vergine Antica runs under Villa Borghese and Villa Medici to Piazza di Spagna and Fontana di Trevi. In 1930 renovated Aqua Vergine Nuova goes behind Piazza di Spagna to Piazza through Giardini Borghese to Piazza Flaminio and Piazza del Popolo. Most of the aqueduct’s 21 km are 9m underground, except for the last stretch running partly on arches as it approached the Campo Marzio area, emerging from the hill by the present La Rinascente Department store. There is also an arch standing on Via del Nazareno, north of Trevi. Part of Aqua Virgo was found during construction of the new La Rinascente department store location, delaying the opening by 2 years. In 2017 the new Flagship La Rinascente store on Via Tritone 61 opened, including a basement archeological site with a 60 m (197 ft) section of Aqua Virgo on display. Admission is free. When I went, there was a Dolce and Gabbana furniture exhibit! Just take the escalator down to the bottom floor any time the store is open. Where else but Roma can you combine high end shopping and archeology?

Today Acqua Vergine supplies water to the fountains in Piazza della Rotonda outside the Pantheon, Piazza Mattei (Fontana delle Tartarughe) Fontana del Babuino, Piazza Navona (the 2 outer ones, not the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi), Campo dei Fiori, Piazza del Popolo (Fontana dei quattro leoni, Fontana di Nettuno and Fontana della Dea di Roma), Piazza Trevi, and my all-time favourite in Piazza di Spagna, La Barcaccia which resembles a sinking ship.

Don’t forget to bring a water bottle to Roma! Buon Viaggio, Cristina

*Since 1998, the water in the Fontana di Trevi is recycled, so no longer drinkable. With €3000 of coins thrown in daily, it was hardly drinkable anyways! Read more about this in my next post!

Photo credits: Drinking from La Barcaccia by Shannon Milar, Photo with bas reliefs by my sorella Lucia.

Giubileo 2025

17 Monday Feb 2025

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Feste, Italia, Roma

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Jubilee2025, Roma photography, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Vatican City

2025 is a Giubileo or Jubilee, also known as a Holy Year or Anno Santo-a Vatican celebration of spirituality and reconciliation, held every 25 years. Roma and Vatican City- the smallest country in the world, will be a destination for millions of pilgrims. The event is expected to attract 32 million people from all over the world. As a reference, in 2023 Roma had 13 million visitors!

The Jubilee has been a tradition in the Catholic Church since the year 1300, started by Pope Boniface VIII as a special year for spiritual renewal, works of mercy, forgiveness and celebration. It was also seen as an opportunity for a fresh start. Originally held every 100 years, the timing was changed to every 25 years to give each generation an opportunity to participate.

The theme of Giubileo 2025 is Pellegrini di Speranza– Pilgrims of Hope. The theme was chosen by Pope Francesco to emphasize hope as a driving force of the Christian faith. He calls on everyone to embrace values such as peace, solidarity and unity, reflecting on the broader world and the role each person can play in fostering a hopeful, compassionate society. The Giubileo is for anyone-those who are Catholic, curious or just passing through. In addition to religious observance, it also a cultural celebration, with special exhibitions, concerts and cultural events.

A central part of the pilgrimage is passing through the Holy Doors, which symbolizes the transition from sin to grace. Each of the 4 Papal Basilicas has a Holy Door. They are usually sealed shut and opened only during a Holy Year. The main one, San Pietro at the Vatican, was the first to be opened on Dec 24^th. The other 3 in Roma are- Santa Maria Maggiore, San Giovanni in Laterano and San Paolo Fuori le Mura. The doors will be sealed shut again on Jan 6^th, 2026 until the next Holy Year in 2050.

In July, I will be in Roma to attend a family wedding! We are all excited-and not afraid of crowds or heat! This will not be my first Holy Year in Roma. In 1975, very young me and my family spent 3 days in Roma with Don Michele, Papa’s cousin who was a priest. Not only did I pass through all 4 Holy Doors, but I actually touched Michelangelo’s Pietà before it was surrounded by bulletproof glass, and we may have visited every major church in Roma! I also had my introduction to Pasta Carbonara at a Vatican cafeteria for pilgrims. Carbonara should NOT be made for large groups….but I will leave that story for another time.

Roma has been a massive construction zone in preparation for 2025, so it should be all shiny and clean, hopefully with improved public transit. There will still be ongoing work on Metro line C at Piazza Venezia, but most of the other renovation projects are completed. Ancient monuments have been restored and refinished. Bernini’s 29 meter high (94 feet) Baldacchino (altar canopy) in San Pietro has been polished for the first time in 150 years. A large area between Vatican City and Castel Sant’Angelo are now pedestrian only, since they have built an underground tunnel for car traffic. Like everything in Roma, tunnel construction was delayed because during construction, they found ruins -the remains of a 2^nd Century Roman wash house. 55 fountains have been restored including the one in front of the Pantheon, Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi in Piazza Navona and the Fontana di Trevi. There will now only be 400 people at one time allowed to enter the small piazza to throw throw in their coins and take photos.

Caravaggio 2025 at Galleria d’Arte Antica at Palazzo Barberini is on from March 7th -July 6th!!!! This is one of the most ambitious Caravaggio exhibits ever. More info here. I arrive in Roma July 7^th. Mannaggia! Ecce Homo, which lives at the Prado Museum in Madrid and has only recently been attributed to Caravaggio will be included in the exhibit, as well as Napoli’s Sant’Orsola, the last Caravaggio, painted shortly before his death! Admission is €18 for adults. Book your tickets now! Run! Make me jealous! If they run out of tickets and you want to see 6 Caravaggio works for free, take yourself on my Caffè con Caravaggio walking tour!

What to expect in Roma this year?

Roma always has lots of visitors, even in ‘low’ season, which is only from January 7th until the beginning of March. This year there will be increased crowds, especially in the areas around the Vatican. If you are crowd-averse and not interested in any of the Giubileo activities in Roma, you may want to consider delaying your visit to Roma until 2026. The busiest times are expected during Easter/Holy Week April 13-21^st, Pentecost June 5^th and at Christmas. Different times of year are also aimed at various groups, for example, Jubilee of the sick and health care workers April 5-6^th, teens Apr 25-27^th, persons with disabilities April 28-30^th. Artists, volunteers, public service workers and migrants all have their dates too. It looks like April is definitely a month to avoid, unless you are attending a specific event! Luckily none of the special dates are in the summer. Here is the link to the calendar of events Tickets are not required but you may need to book on the App.

Tickets for Colosseo, Galleria Borghese, Musei Vaticani and admission to the Basilica di San Pietro and the Pantheon will be in high demand. Book early! If possible, plan to visit in the early am or evening. Look for accommodation that is not near the Vatican. for more info on how to ‘schedule like an Italian’, read Surviving Summer in Roma.

Download the Iubilaeum 25 APP from the App store or Play store (android) and apply for a Pilgrim’s card a free digital pass needed for most Jubilee events. This Portal allows individual or groups to register for events and highlight any special needs or access requirements.

It may be worth buying a 72 hour Roma Pass for €58.50. The 36 hour Roma pass is already sold out! A Metro pass is always a good idea.

Don’t forget to read my post ‘Beat the heat: Surviving Summer in Roma’

For some of my favourite things to do in Roma-‘Un Giorno a Roma‘.

If you need to get out of town to get away from the crowds, go to ‘Ostia Antica‘. Buon Viaggio e Buon Giubileo! Cristina

Grazie to Lucia for a few of the Vatican photos!