Spot in Rome- The Gianicolo
With my parents on a sunny day atop the Gianicolo
This ‘spot’ is, in my opinion, an unrivaled place to gaze upon the ‘lays of’ ancient and modern Rome. You have a gorgeous panoramic view and walls to perch upon at any time of day. The Gianicolo is often noted for being one of the most ‘romantic’ spots in Rome, and it has served that purpose for me, especially in my days as a study abroad student, but I have also enjoyed taking countless friends and visitors on a journey uphill to drink a few Peroni and gaze upon the glorious city below.
Personally, I enjoy a walk up from the Trastevere neighborhood. It feels like a pilgrimage; there are multiple avenues to access the top of the Janiculum hill from below; some are more direct with steeper inclines and others wind around. My favorite route can be easily accessed from the Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere by taking the Via della Paglia, behind the church. Follow this street around until you come upon the Vicolo della Frusta, then turn left onto Via Garibaldi and take the stairs all the way up. This will be the most demanding part of the ascent. It is quick, however, and the view is worth it, I swear! After bringing your heart rate up slightly, turn onto Via di Porta S Pancrazio which will lead you around the green area of the hill. Stop and observe the Fontana dell’Acqua Paola also known as Il Fontanone (the big fountain).
Il Fontanone (the big fountain)
Built by Pope Paul V in 1612, the fountain indicates the end of the Acqua Paola aqueduct, which he restored. This original aqueduct was built in the 1st Century CE by the Emperor Trajan, and it was originally called the Aqua Traiana, after him. Il Fontanone with its pristine pool of limpid water is featured in Paolo Sorrentino’s Oscar winning film La Grande Bellezza (2013). The film opens with images of the Gianicolo and grand fountain set to a haunting tune performed by the Torino Vocalesemble, who also appear, performing inside the middle archway of the fountain. Check out the opening of the film here.
Continue walking towards the Passeggiata del Gianicolo which will lead you directly to the Terrazza del Gianicolo (the terrace of the Gianicolo). Here you can take in the panoramic views, as mentioned before. If you arrive at 12 PM, you will witness a shot from a cannon, set to mark the time, a long-standing tradition which is depicted in the Sorrentino film clip above.
A crowd of people at 12 noon just after the cannon fired
You will notice the busts lining your walk up to the piazza and the imposing equestrian statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi in the middle of the piazza. These statues relate to the history of Italian unification, or as it is called, Il Risorgimento. The history is long and complicated, as might be expected. This exact spot was the stage for a battle led by now hailed national hero Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1849. Italy was not officially (and completely) unified as The Kingdom of Italy until 1871, when the capital was moved from Florence to Rome. 10 years earlier, in 1861, the proclamation of the United Kingdom of Italy was declared, yet the Papal States were not yet included. This is relevant because the early battle in 1849 was fought to defend the ‘Roman Republic’ (which was declared at the time) and keep control of the Papal States; the French, however, fought against Garibaldi’s troops to reinstate papal authority at this time, which did work for the next twenty years, although more struggles ensued. If you glance at a timeline of the Italian Unification, you will notice that Giuseppe Garibaldi takes center stage, leading battles over the entire course of the risorgimento. Thus, his memory is commemorated in the stately monument topped by the equestrian statue. It was created by Emilio Gallori in 1895 and seems equal if not greater in grandeur to the great equestrian statues of other Italian heroes, including emperors such as the statue dedicated to Marcus Aurelius, now inside the Capitoline museums.
The area is all free. I would recommend going to see the cannon fired at 12 noon, or just before sunset.