A Wanderer In Rome

A WANDERER IN ROME BY E. V. LUCAS WITH SIXTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOUR AND A MAP BY HARRY MORLEY AND THIRTY-SIX REPRODUCTIONS FROM PHOTOGRAPHS Go thou to Rome, at once the Paradise, The Grave, the City and the Wilderness. SHELLEY Adonats THIRD EDITION, REVISED METHUEN GO. LTD. 36 ESSEX STREET W. C. LONDON PREFACE TO THIRD EDITION SINCE this book was first issued, in 1926, Rome, under the vigorous and vigilant direction of Signor Musso lini, has undergone many changes, all for the good. Among the multifarious activities of the Fascist regime none has been more assiduously pursued than the exca vation and restoration of classical and medieval build ings of interest. The clearing of the Forum of Augustus the uncovering of the north-eastern hemicycle of the Forum of Trajan and the discovery thereby of the superb two-storied building identified as the market of Trajan the restoration of the Temple of Fortuna Virilis the finally complete restoration of the Tomb of the Scipios on the Appian Way the beginning of the clearance of the Circus Maximus the gradual liberation of the Theatre of Marcellus and also of the Capitolinc Hill from the squalid and parasitic buildings that smothered them the excavation of four temples in a row just opposite the modern Teatro Argentina the continuous work still being carried on at Ostia Scavi all these and other archaeological enterprises have done much to set off the priceless heritage of Rome. Among repairs to medieval and renaissance buildings may be mentioned those to the cupola of San Domenico a San Sisto Vecchio and to the Palazzo degli Alicorni in the Razza Rusticucci. Nor has the impetus given by the now regime to archae ological and town-planningenterprises shown as yet any signs of diminishing. There is being rapidly pushed on vi A WANDERER IN ROME the work of driving a new thoroughfare between the Piazza San Bernardo and the Piazza Barberini, which will not only be of great aid to traffic, but will give the majestic beauty of the Palazzo Barberini an enhanced value. There is talk of clearing the Mausoleum of Augus tus from its dingy surroundings and even of isolating the Pantheon in the same way. It is intended to sweep away the shabby houses along the Lungotcvere Marzio, which are in such contrast with the houses along other sections of the Tiber embankment. A new artery is to join up the excavated imperial fora with the Colosseum. The catacombs are to be further explored under the auspices of the Vatican, The Times of December 14, 1029, contained account of a very recent discovery made during the demolitions that are designed to isolate the Capitol. About twenty feet below the level of the Via Giulio Romano wore found the remains of part of a large building, of which the fa9ade, still in a good state of preservation, is now visible In front of this building and at a lower level the diggings have brought to view a series of shops and a window similar to those found in Trajans market. There is reason to believe that these shops formed the ground floor of a four-storey building, and that the first floor had above it a long balcony supported by arches. The work of demolishing the modern buildings in the vicinity is being continued, while the surrounding earth is being removed so that the building may appear to the fullest advantage. The area will then be railed off and planted with pine trees. Of further projects it is ratherrash to speak. A good deal must depend upon the funds available. Rome is noticeably spreading out suburbs planned on modern lines, and no doubt if people flock out to those it will be easier to remould the centre of the city Perhaps the most interesting addition to the works PREFACE TO THIRD EDITION vii carried out on the Capitoline Hill has been the creation there of the Museo Mussolini...