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Sabrina Friedman, Staff Writer
There's more to the Eternal City than the Coliseum and the Forum. In fact, finding Rome's treasures involves exploring more of the city than the average tourist might. Here, we suggest two of those out-of-the-way places that will make any trip to Rome extra-special.
The Walls...
One of the first stops for any tourist in Rome should be a walk along the Roman walls, built in the 6th century BC after King Servius Tullius encircled his kingdom with eight miles of stone blocks. When the wall was destroyed 200 years later by invaders, another wall - the second, and much stronger - was built. This wall was also ruined by attackers, and neither wall really remains today except for a small stretch next to the entrance of the Termini station.
Nevertheless, it's the third wall - built in 270 AD and still standing - that will truly take your breath away. It's a 13-mile stretch of blocks that took the Romans only a year to construct in a furious and hurried attempt to protect Rome from additional invaders.
In 610, General Belisario saved Rome from the Northern Goths. In a mad haste to protect Rome and its priceless statues, Belisario encircled the statues with brick enclosures. Many of these enclosures still hide great statues, which live within the third wall.
To get to the museum that leads to the half-mile stretch above Via Cristoforo Columbo, visit Porta San Sebastiano on Sundays from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Tuesdays-Saturdays 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. During especially heavy tourists seasons, extra staff allow for additional hours - Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 4 - 7 p.m. There is a small admission fee (10,000 lira, at last check) but it's money well spent.
Museum of the Souls of Purgatory...
For those more into the macabre side of the Eternal City, visiting one of the most interesting museums in Italy -- Rome's Museum of the Souls of Purgatory - might be right up your alley. Here, you can view everything from the clothing of the damned to burnt handprints of various items - books, journals, kerchiefs, etc. The museum is small - one room, in fact - and located within the Church of the Sacred Heart of Sufferance, which faces the Lungoterere Prati.
To get to the museum, go through the main entrance to the church. Be warned - the few homeless I saw when in Rome were loitering outside this door, begging. I was told by a tour-guide friend that sometimes they will try to approach you and grab onto you while another tries to steal something. No one approached or even spoke to me, but keep that in mind. It's not in a bad part of the city, but crime is something to be on the look out for everywhere these days. Okay -- back to the museum. Enter that main door and turn swiftly to the right and continue down the hall. Just before reaching the end of the corridor. Just before the end, you will see a door on your right. Enter and ask the priest within to see the museum. Museum in Italian is il museo - the priests will most likely not speak English. Some say that the priest will lecture tourists that the museum is not the most important part of the museum - or even a significant part - but they will let you in. I didn't encounter this -- the priest merely nodded and shuffled off to show us the museum. It's not a bother, so be sure to go - it's a fascination sight and absolutely free.
Rome is filled with an amazing array of things to do for the young, old and in-between. Finding the things hidden to most tourists will allow you a simply amazing trip, filled with pictures never seen in anyone else's albums once back in the states. For more ideas on where to go and what to do, visit any or all of the links below.
Additional article information supplied by InItaly.com and TravelEurope.com
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