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Italy

A 37-day adventure by skip's retirement travel Read more
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    March 3, 2022
    skip's retirement travelItalyskip's retirement travel

    Palermo, Sicily

    March 4, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Palermo, the capital of Sicily, dates to the 8th century BCE when it was founded by Phoenicians. Located in the northwest of the island, it has been a bit of a cultural melting pot. Even today the cultural diversity is evident.
    The center of Palermo is a cross roads called Quatro Canti or 4 corners. The buildings on the 4 corners are round, facing the cross road, making the space circular. The 1st picture looks at one of the 4 Canti. The acoustics are such that there are often musicians playing here.
    The 2nd picture looks down one of the main streets to the Porto Nuovo or new gate in the background. This picture is taken from inside the city. It is much more ornate on the other side. Unfortunately, that picture didn't come out. BTW, the gate dates to the early 16th century, and, yes, that's new in this part of the world.
    The 3rd picture looks down from the roof of St. Catherine's Church (see another post) onto the Piazza Praetoria with the large fountain. The fountain is Carrera marble, made in Florence, and purchased by Palermo for this piazza. This piazza is sometimes called the Square of Shame as the statues are in the nude, and one side of the square is a convent that looks down on the sculptures.
    The 4th picture is the Teatro Massimo, the largest opera house in Italy and 3rd largest in Europe, after Paris and Vienna.
    The 5th picture is one of the public gardens here. In the background is the Palazzo Di Normanni or Royal Palace (see another post.).
    The last picture is the Palazzo delle Poste. This monumental post office building is an example of the style of architecture associated with the Mussolini era. It is classical but stripped down to eliminate ornamentation. It is sometimes called Italian Rationalism. I have heard this style called, perhaps tongue in cheek, Mussolini Monumental.    Read more

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    St Catherine's Church and Monastery

    March 4, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    The Chiesa di Santa Catarina d'Alessandria is 1 of many, many churches in Palermo. This one dates to the 14th century and included a convent and monastery. The church has been renovated a number of times, yet still retains much of the original decoration.
    A few of the other churches will appear in other posts.
    The 1st 2 pictures are in the church. The 1st is the nave and the 2nd is a closer look at the chancel.
    The 3rd is the office if the abbess. The 4th is that one of the choir rooms. The grating in the rear overlooks the church.
    The last picture looks down into the cloister. Of particular interest is in the far corner where there is a sweet shop that uses the ancient recipes the nuns we're famous for I neglected to get a picture because I think I was paying too much attention to the sweets, especially the canolis. BTW, it was delicious.    Read more

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    Cappella Palatina

    March 5, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    The Cappella Palatina is the Royal Chapel in the Palazzo dei Normanni (see another post), the royal palace in Palermo. This chapel contains examples of Byzantine, Norman and Fatimid architectural styles, reflecting the 3 principle cultures making up Sicily in the 12th century when it was built. And they work together harmoniously.
    I was blown away in here. These are just some of the pictures I took. If anything, these pictures seriously understate the beauty of the place. These are all mosaics. That is gold, not paint or brass or anything. The tesserae are all precious materials. The effect is stunning, even overwhelming.
    There isn't much I can say except that each section is either a saint or has some biblical reference. Or it may have other significance. For example, in the 2nd picture that shows part of the ceiling, there are 8 pointed stars, a typical Muslim design. What you can't see is that they are placed in the shape of a cross. I truly appreciate this kind of interplay among faith traditions.    Read more

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    Royal Palace, Palermo

    March 5, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    The Palazzo dei Normanni dates to the 9th century CE and is said to be the oldest royal residence in Europe. It has been the seat of the government of Sicily since st least 1072 when the Normans conquered the island, and continues to house the regional Sicilian parliament.
    The castle was started by the previous Arab rulers, and there is an Arab Norman style evident in the palace architecture and elsewhere around the city. During the 10th to the 13th century there was a great deal of interchange among Norman, Latin, Arab and Byzantine Greek peoples especially in the sciences and cultures. The Normans were tolerant of all people who settled and contributed, bringing the diversity that makes Sicily unique.
    The 1st picture is the central courtyard with it's arabesque columns and arches. If you enlarge the picture, you will see life size dog sculptures that are part of an exhibition that runs through the palace.
    The 2nd picture is of the royal gardens located within the palace grounds. This small botanical garden has many unusual and rare specimens, probably best known for a large Ficus thst encloses a domestic pine tree.
    The remaining pictures are of various royal apartments. The last one is extraordinary and is a small bit of the Sala di Ruggero. It is so named as it dates to King Roger II. That is gold, and there are design elements reflecting all the cultures in the Norman kingdom of Sicily. The design here are worldly, but they have much in common with the Cappella Palatina (see another post), at least in technique.    Read more

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    More Palermo

    March 5, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    There is so much to see in Palermo. So I've selected a few more examples: some churches, some architecture, some street life.
    The 1st 2 pictures are at the cathedral which dates to the 12th century. It is built upon an older church reportedly dating to Gregory I. During the Muslim period before the Norman conquest, it was used as mosque. That becomes important in the 2nd picture which shows the entrance to the cathedral. The columns are reused from the previous church/mosque. If you enlarge the picture and look at the far left column, you will see a plaque of the same stone. This contains a verse from the Koran. Muslim decoration at a church, demonstrating once again that mutual respect is possible and has precedent.
    The 3rd and 4th pictures are at the Chiesa del Gesu, the Jesuit church here. The 3rd picture is the exterior that is somewhat iconic for Palermo. The 4th picture is the ornately decorated nave. The church dates to the 17th century, though most of what is here is a restoration after extensive bomb damage during world war 2.
    The 5th picture was taken from the roof of St. Catherine's Church (see another post). The most significant thing to see is the building with the 3 red domes. This is another example of the Arab Norman Byzantine architecture found here. The domes reflect Muslim architecture, but the building is a church (Chiesa di San Cataldo). And it was built as a church; it's not a converted mosque.
    The last picture switches to street life. Palermo isn't just a city of churches. There are many street markets around town. I visited most of them and even had a really good sandwich for €5 at one of them. The problem is that I don't remember which one I was at when I took this picture. They are all wonderful. I would be a regular.    Read more

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    On the train

    March 6, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    The train from Palermo to Catania starts along the coast and then goes inland along the length of the island. It rises up over the central highland and returns to the southeastern coast where it turns toward Catania.
    These are simply some scenery from inland Sicily that caught my eye along the way. Notice in the last picture that there is an orange grove in the foreground. This is a mainly agricultural region.    Read more

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    Catania

    March 6, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Catania is the 2nd largest city in Sicily and the economic center of the island. The city is located between Mt. Etna and the sea. Unfortunately, I didn't get pictures because, even on a sunny day, most of the volcano was the clouds (and maybe some smoke--it was hard to tell).
    The city dates back to the 8th century BCE when it was founded by Greek colonists. It has been subject to a number of earthquakes over the centuries. The most significant was in 1693 when the city was flattened. Everything seen today is what was built to replace the destroyed city.
    The 1st picture is the cathedral dedicated to the nativity of Holy Mary. In front of the cathedral is the Piazza Del Duomo where the 2nd picture was taken. The building in the background is the city hall, but more important is the column with the elephant and obelisk (called U Liotru), which is the symbol of the city. Interestingly, paleontology suggests that dwarf elephant were native to Sicily and that they were about the same size as the statue.
    The 4rd picture is Ursino Castle that dates to the 13th century. It is about the only structure to survive the 1693 earthquake. The castle is built on lava, and it is thought that this is why is survived. Some say that lava has seismic benefits for buildings.
    The 4th picture looks on an excavation of some of the Roman ruins. This is part of the theater complex. I'm told that the tunnels that existed for the theater were used as bomb shelters during world war 2.
    The 5th picture looks along the religious street. This is a unique situation where numerous convents and monasteries of several orders with their churched were grouped together, one after another along a single street.
    The last picture is a bit of street art. This particular piece was modified at the beginning of the covid pandemic. I'm sure you'll recognize what was added.    Read more

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    Ancient Siracusa

    March 7, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    Siracusa was founded in the 8th century BCE, and became an important city in the Greek empire that arose in the Mediterranean region before the Romans. They say Siracusa equaled Athens in the 5th century BCE. The city was founded on the island of Ortygia; that is where the UNESCO listed is; and that is where all these pictures were taken.
    The 1st picture looks back to ancient Siracusa fro the outer end of the Castello Maniace that was built at the tip of Ortygia where it just out onto the sea to protect the harbor. The Castello was built also as a royal residence, and the 2nd picture is in the main hall.
    The 3rd picture is of the Piazze del Duomo. The cathedral (Duomo) is to the left (see another post).
    The 4th picture is the facade of a noble palazzo, one of many here. The 5th picture is of a street in the old city. This is what most of ancient Siracusa looks like . A good deal of housing is in courtyards located through gates from the street. The last picture looks into one of these.    Read more

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    Monumental Siracusa

    March 7, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    There is s lot of history in Siracusa. So it doesn't surprise me in the least that there are lots of monuments here.
    I'll begin with the man who is probably the most famous son of Siracusa: Archimedes. To give you an idea of the breadth of his genius, he is variously consider a mathematician, astronomer, physicist, engineer, inventor and more. The 1st picture is of his monument where he is holding a representation of a convex mirror, reminiscent of the legend where he focused sunlight on invading ships causing them to burn. There are innumerable scientific advances credited to him.
    The 2nd picture is the fountain of Diana where she is protecting the nymph Arethusa from Alpheo who is chasing her. Diana was the protector of Siracusa in Roman times, given her attributes as goddess of hunting, fertility, the moon and more. She is equated with Artemis.
    The 3rd picture is the fountain of Arethusa, the same one in the previous picture. Diana changed Arethusa to water to escape Alpheo. When a fresh water spring was found near the seashore, legend had it that Arethusa had returned to provide water for the local people.
    The 4th picture is the Castello Maniace, the fortress the protects the harbor of Siracusa. (See also the Ancient Siracusa post.)
    The 5th picture is the Temple of Apollo that was built to give thanks and commemorate a victory in battle of the Siracusans over the invading Carthaginians.
    The last picture is the cathedral referenced in the Ancient Siracusa post. The cathedral dates to the 7th century and is built on the site of a Temple of Athena that dates to the 5th century BCE. Some of the columns from the ancient temple were incorporated into the cathedral construction and are visible today.    Read more

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    Neapolis

    March 7, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    Neapolis is an archaeological park near Siracusa,l. Probably the most famous of it's many historic sites is the Greek theater dating to the 5th century BCE, shown in the 1st picture. Events are still staged here as you might be able to guess from all the work apparently being done. If you look around, you'll find out indications of lighting, sound and all the rest.
    The 2nd picture is the Grotto of Nefro which is a surprisingly large spring near the top of the limestone cliff above the Greek theater.
    The 4rd picture is the so called Ear of Dionysus, named because of it's shape like an ear and the ear canal. It is one of the man made excavations in this limestone quarry. It was used as a prison for a period. It is said that the acoustics are such that the jailers we're able to eavesdrop on the inmates.
    The 4th picture is another man made grotto, that of the cordari. This is where the cord makers spent their time making rope. I'm told there is cave art here, but access to the grotto was closed.
    The 5th picture looks at what has been dubbed Archimedes' tomb. However, it's clear that this isn't possible as all the work here had been dated to the Roman period, well after Archimedes' time.
    The last picture is a part of the Latomie Paradiso. This is the bottom of the urban limestone quarry within which the Neapolis is located. Over the centuries, it use evolved to become a citrus orchard.    Read more

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    Succorpo

    March 9, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    The succorpo is an archaeological site and museum down to as much as 5 meters below the cathedral of Bari. This museum does as good a job as I've seen anywhere at showing the strata of history as one level is built upon an older one. Visible here are remnants of the Roman period, the early Christian through the early and later medieval to the modern periods.
    The 1st place one encounters in the succorpo is the remains of the 5th century basilica. The 1st picture is of the Timoteo mosaic, so called for the name in the inscription (white and black, a bit left of center). The 2nd picture is a bit of original fresco that shows part of a person dressed in bishops robes.
    The 3rd picture is of ruins from the early medieval period before the current cathedral was raised, beginning in the 12th century.
    The 4th picture looks through some medieval arches over ancient walls that date to Roman times.
    After the current cathedral was raised, these older spaces were used for burials. The 5th and 6th pictures are in such spaces. They are likely from different time periods of construction, given the differences in the structures    Read more

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    Older Bari

    March 9, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    Bari in southeastern Italy dates back about 4,000 years or so and was probably first settled by Greeks. It became much more important during Roman times as this was the end of one of the main roads from Rome, probably because of it's harbor. It became an important port for trade with the east and for transshipment of military forces and materiel. During the middle ages, Bari was an important slave depot.
    The 1st picture is the facade of the 12th century Basilica of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of Bari. Those who have followed my travels know that St. Nicholas is from Turkey, and that people from Bari took his remains from there and brought them to Bari (see other posts). The 2nd picture is in the crypt of the Basilica and looks at the small chapel holding the remains of St. Nicholas.
    The 3rd and 4th pictures are streets in Barivecchia, the old city. The 3rd is at one of the gates in the old city wall on the harbor side. The 4th is s typical passage through the ancient buildings.
    The 5th picture is of ruins I couldn't find identified. They appear to be a basilica, given the columns and floor mosaic that are suggestive of a 3 nave church building. Notice that this structure is well below the modern street level. This is an example of urban archaeology showing how ground level rises over time as new construction overtops the old, often due to some form of destruction.
    The last picture is in the Romanesque Cathedral of San Sabinus. The original building was 11th century but was sacked. The current structure was built in the 12th century.
    See additional posts for more old Bari.    Read more

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    Castello Svevo

    March 9, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    The Swabian Castle was built in Bari by the Norman King Roger II in the 12 century. The original fortress was destroyed later in the 12th century. What exists today dates to the 13th century (with repairs and alterations made over the centuries by successive owners). The 13th century reconstruction was done by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II. Legend has it that Frederick II met St. Francis of Assisi here.
    The building is now mainly used as an exhibition space.
    The 1st picture is looking down on a model of the castle. The oldest part is the trapezoidal building with towers. This is the Norman- Swabian building. The outer walls were added about the time artillery developed.
    The 2nd picture looks at the outer walls and the moat that surrounds the castle on all sides except where it abuts the sea. The 3rd picture is one of the bastions, this one facing toward the city.
    The 4th picture is in one of the ground floor rooms, while the 5th and 6th are rooms on the 1st floor. All 3 give a sense of the structures, but the spaces, especially those upstairs, have been adapted to serve as modern exhibition space.    Read more

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    Not quite so old Bari

    March 9, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    Barivecchia is on a peninsula between 2 harbors. The newer part of the city begins immediately south of there.
    The 1st picture is taken from a viewpoint on the edge of the Barivecchia, overlooking the old harbor. This was the active harbors, especially for the local fishing fleet. The red building to the right is the Teatro Margherita, now a museum. Directly across the street from the Teatro Margherita and in the 2nd picture is the former fish market where it is said you could watch the catch being handled and prepared as well as buy some fish. This is now being redeveloped into an arts/cultural complex.
    The 3rd picture is the Teatro Petruzzeli recently reopened after a long rest due to a fire. This is the current opera house and symphony hall.
    The 4th picture looks at a street scene to give a flavor of the visions types of architecture in Bari. The building on the corner is s Palazzo.
    The last picture is of part of the Piazza Umberto, the largest in the city. Behind the fountain is an equestrian statue of Umberto I, king of Italy in the late 19th century.    Read more

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    Lecce, Apulia

    March 10, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    Lecce is located, if I can put it this way, in the "heel" of the "boot" shaped peninsula that Italy is. That is in the far southeast of the country. People have lived here since at least the time of the Trojan war.
    Much of the city is built with light colored limestone, called Lecce Stone, that is soft and easy to work. You can see it in most of the pictures taken outdoors.
    The 1st picture is of the Napoli Gate, sometimes call the triumphal arch, that dates to the 16th century. This is one of 3 gates that were built in the ancient city walls giving entrance to the historic city center
    The 2nd picture is of the facade of the Basilica of Santa Croce. Also dating to the 16th century, this facade is a prime example of the baroque. In fact, there is so much baroque architecture here that Lecce is sometimes call the Florence of the south. The basilica was closed, much to my chagrin.
    The 3rd picture is of the walls of the castle of Charles V, built in the 16th century. The 1st floor has been remodeled to serve as a museum. The lower level, which I understand is more interesting, was closed.
    There are 2 ancient theaters in Lecce. They are identified as the Teatro Romano and the Anfiteatro. The Anfiteatro is what we usually think of when Greco-Roman theaters come to mind. I've posted pictures of many. However, in the 4th picture I've chose to post the Teatro Romano. This is a small theater that is totally hemmed in by buildings and reached only by narrow alleyways. It probably dates to the 1st or 2nd century. Yet is is as good s condition as I've seen.
    The last 2 pictures are at the cathedral here that dates to the 12th century. It is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. The 5th picture looks across the Piazza del Duomo to the cathedral; the 6th is in the nave.    Read more

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    Matera, Basilicata

    March 11, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 4 °C

    Matera is a beautiful city that dates back as much as 11,000 years. It is said to be one of the oldest cites in the world. Settlement began with the caves in the side of the Gravina or canyon that were also gradually enlarged. The 1st picture looks across the Gravina to the cliffside where are the caves are located. This picture also gives a sense of the steepness and depth of the canyon by the footpath up the far side with the switchbacks.
    Over time they moved across the gravina. Into what bacame known as the stassi. Stassi means stones. The dwellings were in large part caves that were excavated plus a small constructed section in front, entirely built of stone. Another post gives a lot more about these cave houses. The 2nd and 3rd pictures look at a couple of the stassi. Even thought the stassi had no running water or plumbing, they were occupied until the middle of the 20th century when the Italian government built new dwellings for all the residents. The stassi were the abandoned. Now they are being restored and updated.
    The 4th picture is of a natural rock formation atop the cliff. It has been excavated to build not 1 but 2 complete churches inside.
    The 5th picture is a square in the upper city. The wealthy 1% lived up here, and there was minimal contact with the poor residents of the stassi. There was some, though (see another post).
    The last picture is one of the 141 churches in Matera that they know about. As archaeology continues, more churches just might be found. This picture is of the "purgatory" church with skulls and bones as the motif. I'm told these were built as part of the Counter- Reformation to try to lure protestants back to the Roman Catholic church.    Read more

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    Cave Housing, Matera

    March 11, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    These pictures were taken in a cave house that has been preserved to show what life was like at the time in the stassi (see another post). There is no plumbing or modern services that we're used to. Life was lived in a space like this for up to 12 people. The one room served all purpose.
    The 1st 2 pictures are different views of the same room. Sleeping, cooking, eating and life occurred here.
    The 3rd picture looks up the steps to where the animals were kept at night. To the left of the steps is the cistern shown in the 4th picture. The water source for the stassi was rain. So they developed this means to collect and store the resource. In fact, each residence had a cistern, and they were all interconnected. In addition, all public buildings had cisterns below the floor.
    The 5th picture is the top of the steps in the 3rd picture where the animals were kept. In the lower right is the sewage system: a clay pot with a lid that was emptied at least daily.
    The last picture is one of the last residents of the stassi. The young boy is excited about a gift of shoes. I hope his excitement conveys how little the residents had, but also how much they could enjoy life.    Read more

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    Matera Cathedral

    March 11, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    The cathedral in Matera is dedicated to Mary (as the Madonna della Bruna) and to St. Eustace, the ancient patron saint of Matera. The cathedral dates to the 13th century and is built upon the site of an older church that was also dedicated to St. Eustace. It is located on the hill between the 2 main Sassi (see another post).
    The cathedral is built in what is called Apulian Romanesque style. This style has the heavy walls of a Romanesque building, but minimal windows. I'm told this is an adaptation developed to minimize interior solar gain as this is an extremely hot region for most of the year.
    The 1st picture is of the central nave of this ornate church.
    The 2nd picture of the side chapel with the glass floor shows some frescoes from the predecessor church that had been excavated. The 3rd picture is of the baptistry at the rear of the church. The frescoes have been uncovered by removing a section of the marble cladding that had been added during a previous renovation.
    The 4th and 5th pictures are side chapels. The 4th is the chapel if the Annunciation, and the 5th is the chapel of the Holy Sacrament.
    The last picture looks diagonally across the main church space to show a bit more of the architecture and artwork.    Read more

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    Traditional music in Matera

    March 11, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    As I've mentioned on other posts, the wealthy 1% rarely Interacted with the rest of the people, most of whom lived in poverty or extreme poverty. One exception had to do with times, often holidays, when the wealthy slaughtered livestock for food. The poor would climb up to the wealthy street and sing their request to be given those parts of the animal that the wealthy usually didn't want-- basically, the innards.
    The video is an actual old and traditional song that was sung at those times, asking for that benefit. The singer is Eustachio. He is one of the last people who lived in the sassi (see another post) before it was evacuated. So even as a young boy, he lived this. The instrument is called a cupacupa. It is handmade, using a bamboo stick, a pigskin and a ceramic jar.    Read more

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    Napoli

    March 12, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Ah, Naples at night. What a magical place the old town is. Far more bohemian than my ill informed image held. I was on an evening food tour, and if you've been in Naples, you know how distracting that is! So these are pictures in the old town that has tremendous energy, not least because it's home to universities. So I'll mention what these photos are as much as I remember. (Not that Limoncello had anything to do with my memory.
    The 1st picture is the entrance to the Naples underground. This is an archaeological site that open up the original Greek streets and buildings from more than 2,000 years ago.
    The 2nd picture is an 11th century bell tower built for a former church that's been built over. So, the bottom several meters of the tower are buried from the previous street level up to the current level.
    The 3rd and 4th pictures are 2 of the main piazzas in the old town. They are central meeting points.
    The 5th picture looks over the Saturday night crowd along one of the main streets. And the last picture is in a small local limoncello factory. And yes, their products are top shelf.    Read more

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    Pompeii Villa

    March 13, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    This villa would have belonged to a wealthy family. It is set behind the shops and lower/middle class accommodations. This has been partially reconstructed to show more completely what such a residence was like.
    The 1st picture is in the entry and winter house. This part of the building is where guests were received. The winter bedrooms are located around the perimeter. The recessed area is under the opening in the roof to collect rain water and direct it into the cistern below. The red color is original and is the most common color used in Pompeii.
    The 2nd picture is in the back part of the house, behind the room in the 1st picture. This is where life was lived for most of the year. The dining room of this house was upstairs, but wasn't open. The 3rd picture is one of the bedrooms off of the open area of the 2nd picture. The stone bed would have been provided with some sort of mattress.
    The 4th picture is the office of the owner of the house used for work, meeting business guests, etc.
    The 5th picture is of a display of items found in the house. There are glass jars, clay oil lamps, a scale and a brazier, among others. The brazier (the largest item) was the heating system. Coals were placed in the brazier that was then put in the room to warm the space.    Read more

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    Bathhouse in Pompeii

    March 13, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    This is one of several bathhouses found during excavation of Pompeii. Unfortunately, covid regulations have closed many otherwise available spaces.
    The 1st picture is the 1st space encountered upon entry. This is the exercise yard where folks worked out, wrestled or otherwise worked up a sweat. The 2nd picture looks at the building housing changing rooms. The decorative plaster on the wall is original.
    The 3rd picture looks into the men's bathhouse (closed due to covid). Here are the 3 rooms: hot, tepid and cold that are standard. Of special importance is the ceiling as this is the only original ceiling in Pompeii as it's the only roof that didn't collapse from the weight of the ash from the eruption.
    The last picture is an example of what might be the most famous finds here: a plaster cast of someone killed by the eruption. The people killed were buried in the ash which hardened. Over time, the bodies decayed, leaving a hollow space in the ash that formed around them. What we see are plaster casts made by filling the hollows in the ash with plaster. This is said to be a young woman.    Read more

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    Brothel in Pompeii

    March 13, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Like buildings of other types mentioned in other posts, this is one of many brothels uncovered in Pompeii. This one has been partly reconstructed to show what these places were like in the 1st century. The building itself is much like others in that it is arranged on 2 floors, though in this case, there are only bedrooms on each floor around the central area.
    What I found interesting is the artwork which in and of itself, may not be surprising in such a place. The prostitutes were slaves brought from all over the empire. So most of the customers and the women could not communicate--they spoke different languages. So, once the customer selected his companion, he would point to a picture to show her what he wanted. These are originals of some of those pictures.    Read more

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    Pompeii

    March 13, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Famously destroyed and buried by Mt. Vesuvius in 79 CE, Pompeii is said to be the best preserved Roman city anywhere. Settlement here dates to at least the 8th century BCE, but the oldest remains are parts of the old walls dated to the 6th century BCE. Most of what remains was built in the 200-300 years before the 79 CE eruption.
    The 1st picture looks along the outer walls of the city, probably 2nd century. BCE.
    The 2nd picture look down the forum to the temple of Jupiter (the Roman name for Zeus). That's Vesuvius in the background.
    The 3rd picture is one of the best preserved mosaics in Pompeii. Notice the floor covering in the rear. This mosaic is in such good condition, it is covered during the rainy season.
    The 4th picture is one of the scores of fountains in the city where people could come for water. Most are made of volcanic rock. This is the exception, made of marble. The sculpture is the goddess Ceres.
    The 5th picture looks along a main street. You can see raised stones in the road. These are cross walks to keep people out of the slop in the streets. The stones are specifically spaced so that carts made with the wheels at a standard spacing can pass.
    Immediately to the right of where I took the previous picture is "Pompeian fast food." This is a carry out food vendor, mostly soups, bread, wine, etc.
    The 7th picture looks across the training yard of the gladiator school. That's Vesuvius again in the background.
    The last picture us one of the bakeries in the city. It is said that dozens of fossilized loaves of bread were found in the ovens around town, sealed in the closed ovens by the ash.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelItalyskip's retirement travel

    Napoli Sotteranea

    March 13, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Underground Naples. The ground beneath Naples is honeycombed with open spaces, most purposely constructed. These spaces served different purposes at different times.
    About the 3rd century BCE, during the Greek period, these excavations were begun as quarries to extract the tufa, a firm of porous limestone. The tufa is the original building material of Neapolis (the original Greek name for this place that morphed over time onto Napoli). The 1st picture is a reconstruction of the quarrying operation. Workers were lowered into the quarry and blocks of tufa we're lifted out using a simple hoist that is represented hanging in the upper right of the picture.
    During the Roman period, the tunnels were expanded as part of the largest aqueduct system in the Roman empire, at least of what has been found so far. This aqueduct is about 400 km long. It consists of tunnels to move the water and cisterns for storage. This water supply system remained in use until late in the 19th century when it was shut down due to a cholera epidemic. Any system operational for 2,000 years is extraordinary.
    The 2nd picture is in one of the tunnels. The Roman engineers knew how to channel the water at different depths and flow rates to get it where they needed it, even being able to get water to a slightly higher elevation..
    The 3rd, 4th and 5th pictures are in cisterns: 1 dry; the others with water. Notice in the 5th picture that there is an amphora hanging from the rope coming down from the opening in the ceiling. This is how water was obtained by the people of the city.
    The 3rd use of the tunnels was as air raid shelters during world war 2. There are still some remnants such as washrooms and artifacts like toys and living materials that can bee seen.
    The last picture is somewhat different. This is an entrance to a Roman theater that was buried and has been built upon, including buildings that are still occupied. So this is not excavated nor likely to be. But several spaces are available to see parts of the ancient structure as well as how it has been used, even including windows in residences.    Read more

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