Rome -December 28, 2011 - Capitoline Hill

The Capitoline hill was one of the seven hills of Rome and the center of the Roman World. It held the citadel and the temple of the Capitoline Triad (Jupiter, Juno and Minerva). It now contains the Piazza del Campidoglio created by Michelangelo, the Capitoline Museums in the Palaces with fronts by Michelangelo and the church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli.

An extremely wide staircase of marble leads up to the piazza and the museums. At the base are two black basalt lions and at the top two humongous statues of Caster and Pollux (the Dioscuri).

Though Michelangelo designed the piazza and the three palazzos, none of them were built in his lifetime. However, the architects that followed stayed true to the original plans and created a stunning set piece of architecture.

In the center of the Piazza is a copy of an equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius that only escaped getting melted down because in the middle ages they believed it to be a statue of Constantine, the first Christian emperor of Rome.

All three facades are grand. With giant Corinthian Pilasters , classical windows and huge entablatures. You can really tell that this whole ensemble was designed to impress.

I find it highly amusing that the backs of these buildings are pretty plain, medieval brick, a few bits of old Roman wall and rough stone. Like a stage set really.

Capitoline Hill