Rome Walking Tour

A Rome walking tour is a great way to discover the city. Dario Andreucci, from Mind the Guide, invited us to take a video of his guided Rome Walking Tour.

Piazza Navona

Together with two couples from Canada, we meet at the Piazza Navona in front of the magnificent Fountain of the Four Rivers. Dario has studied Art History and proved himself as an extremely competent guide. We immediately noticed his love for the city of Rome. Besides explaining the great historical contexts, he could answer all questions in detail.

From Piazza Navona we head towards the Pantheon, passing the Palazzo Madama, the seat of the Italian Senate. The building is named after Margaret of Austria who lived here. She was the illegitimate daughter of Charles V and later Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands.

One street further, we pass the Palazzo Giustiniani, the seat of the chairman of the senate. In addition, it houses the offices of the senators for life; The palace is connected by an underground corridor with the Palazzo Madama.

Please watch the 4k UltraHD Video

The Pantheon

The Pantheon was built approx 120 AD and served as a sanctuary for all the gods of Rome. In 609 AD it was converted to a Catholic church.

Even today, the Pantheon exerts a tremendous fascination. It is one of the best preserved Roman buildings and shows us in reality how Roman palaces and temples were equipment. Especially famous is the dome. It is the largest dome of antiquity and held the record for 1700 years.

The dome has an inside diameter of 43 m and is still the largest unreinforced solid concrete dome in the world.

Santa Maria Sopra Minerva

Before we enter the church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, we marvel the obelisk and the elephant on the Piazza della Minerva. The elephant was created by Ercole Ferrata after the design of Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

The church is the only extant original Gothic church building in Rome. It was the scene of a series of inquisition trials. The trial of Galileo Galilei was carried out here as well. Dario explained us in detail the significance of the graves in the church for the decedents. Some popes are buried here. In addition, you find some works of art created by Michelangelo.

Largo di Torre Argentina

The square is named after the Torre Argentina (Strasbourg tower), built by the Papal Master of Ceremonies Johannes Burckhardt who came from Strasbourg (Latin name: Argentoratum).

The excavations include a total of four Roman temples and in the western part behind the round temple, a building of the Senate. Here, Gaius Julius Caesar was murdered.

Palazzo Mattei di Giove

In the subsequent quarters you find some mansions. Dario shows us the Palazzo Mattei, built by Asdrubale Mattei Duke of Giove. At that time, he was a member of the most powerful families of Rome.

The architect was Carlo Maderno. Today it houses departments of the Italian Ministry of Culture.

Roman Ghetto

The Roman Ghetto was an area where, after 1555, the Jews of the city were forced to live, after Pope Paul IV has published the bull Cum Nimis Absurdum. The area was enclosed by a high wall. The gates were locked at night. With 10,000 inhabitants, the area was hopelessly overcrowded. The ghetto was dissolved after the Italian troops fought against the Papal States in 1870. During the Nazi Period, many Jews lived in Rome. Plaques in the plaster in front of the houses remind of this terrible time. On just a single day 1,000 Jews were deported.

Past the portico of Octavia with the integrated church Sant’Angelo in Pescheria, the so-called Jewish church, we reach the Tiber. In the church, the Jews were forced to listen to the sermons of the dominicans.

Our tour ends on the Piazza San Bartolomeo all ‘ Isola on the Tiber Island.

The Rome Walking tour with Dario was extremely instructive, entertaining and interesting. It is definitely recommended.

Pin it for later

Text, photos and video: Copyright © myVideoMedia