A Roman adventure - part 2

It was a bright sunny morning in Rome when Laura boarded an open top bus to the Colosseum, Palatine and Forum.  She got off the bus just after seeing the Colosseum from the outside.  The tourist website had suggested visiting the Palatine first then the forum (as this meant working her way mostly downhill) so Laura followed the advice and entered by the Palatine entrance.

The Colosseum from the bus stop

The Palatine entrance label

Just inside the Palatine entrance was a series of Insula (apartments/shops) built into the side of the hill.  Laura was fascinated by the slim Roman bricks

The remains of an aqueduct which supplied thousands of gallons of water from the distant hills to the Palatine palaces was still standing

Laura discovered a decorative stone near the ruined aqueduct - the carving was very fine

There was some uphill, it wasn't named the Palatine Hill for nothing.  The path was lined with pine trees and Laura thought about the music 'The Pines of Rome' by Respighi as she walked up the path.

The ruins on the Palatine Hill were extensive, this was part of a bath complex and there was an excellent view from the bridge on the ruins

Laura discovered she could see the Dome of St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican from the Palatine Hill ruins.  Apparently a lot of the marble and statues which originally adorned the Palatine palaces was later used in the Vatican.

Laura discovered part of a decorated pillar slab lying in the grass

On top of the Palatine Laura posed in a ruined brick pillar

The pillar was on a terrace on top of the ruined baths

The terrace was vast and provided an amazing view of Rome including the nearby Circus Maximus

The Romans understood how to supply fresh clean water to their buildings, this fountain of drinking water was near the 'Stadium' on the Palatine hill

Laura relaxed in the sun as she admired the 'Stadium' near the Flavian Palace

Laura was impressed with the stone carving remnants, they were so detailed

In the complex of ruins was a sunken garden, this would have been lined with marble and filled with lush plants and fountains

In the Palatine Museum Laura discovered a model of the earliest Roman settlement at Rome, dating from about 6,000 years ago.

She also saw lots of clay votive offerings which the Romans offered in their temples to their gods

There was a terracotta clay mask on display in the museum, it was beautifully detailed

Laura was intrigued by this stone carved fountain like structure in the museum

There were fragments of beautiful Roman frescos in the museum, safely displayed behind glass

The wings of Victory had been dug up in archaeological excavations on the Palatine hill, Laura pretended to be Victory with her girl

Near the Forum end of the Palatine Hill Laura discovered a headless Roman Centurian

The Statue's boots were as big as Laura!

There was a magnificent view of the Roman Forum from the Palatine Hill, Laura was very impressed

Alongside another building Laura climbed on a lump of marble which would have been part of a column once

However all this exploring and climbing was tiring and she sat down on a wall for a rest

Laura wiped her brow - it was really very warm for the end of October

Laura and her girl discovered a cool alcove niche to sit in beside a grotto fountain under the aviary buildings on the Palatine Hill

Then they climbed the steps to the garden in front of the aviary buildings

Laura discovered some goldfish in the pond which fed the grotto fountain below

There were lots more steps to climb down to get to the Roman Forum

(see also Part 1 of Laura's adventures in Rome)