* Why would four soldiers fuss around a cannon piece placed on top of the Janiculum Hill in the centre of Rome? The answer is simple. It's nearly 12 o' clock and at noon they will be firing a shot, as has been done every day since 1847. At the time this practice was intended to enable people in Rome to set their clocks and watches at a standard time.
* Would you ever believe that a keyhole might be considered an attraction by tourists visiting Rome? Yes, this can happen if that keyhole allows you to view trees lining a garden and in the distance the shape of St. Peter's Basilica. All you have to do to have that great peep is go up the Aventine Hill - one of Rome's famous Seven Hills - and wait for the sunset when the Giardino degli Aranci, or Orange Garden, closes. Then simply look through the keyhole and... enjoy!
* If you have toured around Rome, you are sure to have seen Bocca della Verita, or Mouth of the Truth and to have been told the story that in antiquity, if you put your hand in this mouth and you were lying, you would lose your hand. What you may not have been told is that in fact there were judges who would decide whether you were or not guilty... and your hand was safe or...gone! What's more, that piece of antiquity that is widely admired today, once used to be the top of a sewer manhole in the Roman Forum.
* Ever seen bottled water from Rome in the U.S.? We have, during a tour of the East Coast! And a thought struck us: will those people drinking that water ever realize that almost certainly that water came through aqueducts that were built over 2000 years ago by Roman engineers? This is absolutely true and you can rest assured that water is not only safe to drink, but also nice to taste: many homes and fountains in the city still use that water.
* The "bewitched" climbing slope. Ever been driving downhill along a road and suddenly found yourself backing up or at least coming to a stop? You can have this experience along a road near Ariccia, in the vicinity of Rome! Don't ask us why. All sorts of explanations have been given, but none really satisfactory. It's fun to watch, though, a soccer ball or a tennis ball rolling back along the road!
* Have you ever stopped to think how giant machinery allows man to carry out fantastic jobs almost without any effort? Only a few centuries ago this was unthinkable. In 16th century Rome, for instance, one day they were trying to lift the obelisk currently standing in the middle of St. Peter's Square. It was a strenuous job that required great concentration for the 800 workers involved. To ensure silence, the crowd had been told that anyone caught even simply talking would be condemned to death (the necessary scaffold had already been set up). Someone realized that the ropes were giving way and to help out the people on the job, cried out: WATER TO THE ROPES! The trick worked perfectly... and the man, far from being punished, was given a prize and a title!
* Piazza Navona is perhaps the square that Romans love most. According to one of the popular stories involving two famous Italian artists who worked there, Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini were at loggerheads with each other and were anxious to show their feelings. So Bernini designed the fountains in the square in such a way that a statue representing the Nile seems to turn its back on the Church of St. Agnes built by Borromini and cover its eyes to avoid the sight of such a terrible-looking church.
* You all know Pope John Paul II. But do you know that he risked being left out of the conclave and only managed to get there in time thanks to a Roman bus driver? Well, Carol Wojtyla was running late for the opening of the conclave and was walking along the road in the hope of hitching a ride. A bus driver who was driving back to the depot stopped to find out why this unusual priest was trying to get a ride. When Wojtyla explained the situation to him, the driver offered to take him to the Vatican with the bus. After a few days he realized he had given the last bus lift to a priest, but the first one to a Pope!
* Aren't you proud of the fact that Americans have made that wonderful, handy invention known as fast-food? Ahm, maybe you'll be surprised to learn that that is not quite true. Romans had thought of it - and put it into practice - well over 2000 years ago. Their road network used to link Rome to the rest of its Empire and those roads were equipped with facilities that you would normally expect in a modern-day service station: gas refueling (horse changes), restrooms, diners, refreshment facilities and even take-away hot meals (they'd return the hot stone containers at the next service area).
* Have you flown into Rome or driven there? Do you realize that there used to be another way to get to Rome? In ancient times the Romans used to sail their ships up the Tiber, right into the city. This of course is an old story, but it could come about again if the project the mayor of Rome has in mind is approved. So next time you come to Rome you may be able to sail your way into the city.
* Would you ever believe that a keyhole might be considered an attraction by tourists visiting Rome? Yes, this can happen if that keyhole allows you to view trees lining a garden and in the distance the shape of St. Peter's Basilica. All you have to do to have that great peep is go up the Aventine Hill - one of Rome's famous Seven Hills - and wait for the sunset when the Giardino degli Aranci, or Orange Garden, closes. Then simply look through the keyhole and... enjoy!
* If you have toured around Rome, you are sure to have seen Bocca della Verita, or Mouth of the Truth and to have been told the story that in antiquity, if you put your hand in this mouth and you were lying, you would lose your hand. What you may not have been told is that in fact there were judges who would decide whether you were or not guilty... and your hand was safe or...gone! What's more, that piece of antiquity that is widely admired today, once used to be the top of a sewer manhole in the Roman Forum.
* Ever seen bottled water from Rome in the U.S.? We have, during a tour of the East Coast! And a thought struck us: will those people drinking that water ever realize that almost certainly that water came through aqueducts that were built over 2000 years ago by Roman engineers? This is absolutely true and you can rest assured that water is not only safe to drink, but also nice to taste: many homes and fountains in the city still use that water.
* The "bewitched" climbing slope. Ever been driving downhill along a road and suddenly found yourself backing up or at least coming to a stop? You can have this experience along a road near Ariccia, in the vicinity of Rome! Don't ask us why. All sorts of explanations have been given, but none really satisfactory. It's fun to watch, though, a soccer ball or a tennis ball rolling back along the road!
* Have you ever stopped to think how giant machinery allows man to carry out fantastic jobs almost without any effort? Only a few centuries ago this was unthinkable. In 16th century Rome, for instance, one day they were trying to lift the obelisk currently standing in the middle of St. Peter's Square. It was a strenuous job that required great concentration for the 800 workers involved. To ensure silence, the crowd had been told that anyone caught even simply talking would be condemned to death (the necessary scaffold had already been set up). Someone realized that the ropes were giving way and to help out the people on the job, cried out: WATER TO THE ROPES! The trick worked perfectly... and the man, far from being punished, was given a prize and a title!
* Piazza Navona is perhaps the square that Romans love most. According to one of the popular stories involving two famous Italian artists who worked there, Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Francesco Borromini were at loggerheads with each other and were anxious to show their feelings. So Bernini designed the fountains in the square in such a way that a statue representing the Nile seems to turn its back on the Church of St. Agnes built by Borromini and cover its eyes to avoid the sight of such a terrible-looking church.
* You all know Pope John Paul II. But do you know that he risked being left out of the conclave and only managed to get there in time thanks to a Roman bus driver? Well, Carol Wojtyla was running late for the opening of the conclave and was walking along the road in the hope of hitching a ride. A bus driver who was driving back to the depot stopped to find out why this unusual priest was trying to get a ride. When Wojtyla explained the situation to him, the driver offered to take him to the Vatican with the bus. After a few days he realized he had given the last bus lift to a priest, but the first one to a Pope!
* Aren't you proud of the fact that Americans have made that wonderful, handy invention known as fast-food? Ahm, maybe you'll be surprised to learn that that is not quite true. Romans had thought of it - and put it into practice - well over 2000 years ago. Their road network used to link Rome to the rest of its Empire and those roads were equipped with facilities that you would normally expect in a modern-day service station: gas refueling (horse changes), restrooms, diners, refreshment facilities and even take-away hot meals (they'd return the hot stone containers at the next service area).
* Have you flown into Rome or driven there? Do you realize that there used to be another way to get to Rome? In ancient times the Romans used to sail their ships up the Tiber, right into the city. This of course is an old story, but it could come about again if the project the mayor of Rome has in mind is approved. So next time you come to Rome you may be able to sail your way into the city.
About the Author:
Cristiano Rubbi is a savvy traveller: he knows the ropes when it's about travelling abroad. Why don't you surf on his website? You'll find a few handy tips on how to get around safely and truly enjoy your vacation in Italy. More info? Simply send an email to info@niceandeasytravel.it or join his forum. Be part of his guestbook.
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