Category Archives: Fun
Biblioteca Casanatense, one of the popular libraries in Rome
Posted by in Fun, General, Guide, Rome Landmarks, Rome Tour, Tips
Leave a comment
|
The Biblioteca Casanatense (Casanata Library) situated at Via S. Ignazio is one of the popular libraries in Rome. The library was formed in 1701 by the Dominicans of the Monastery of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome. The library opened to the general public as according to the will of Cardinal Girolamo Casanata. The library has about 25, 000 volumes. And since the year 1872, library is been managed by the Italian government. Presently, the library is under the control of the Ministry of Culture.
This particular library is a prominent service to the theological sciences by Cardinal Girolamo Casanata, as it was founded and promoted by him. During his lifetime he collected about 25,000 volumes that he left out for Dominican convent of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. Along with books he provided an endowment fund of about 80, 000 scudi as per the administration of the trust and as for the holding of the new books. In the year 1655, the convent got about the library of Giambattista Castellani, the chief physician of Gregory XV, along with 12,000 scudi for standing the appropriate edifice. Cardinal Casanata, therefore, the new library was accessible to the public for about six hours daily, apart from the feast days.
More to the library, with, addition to the staff he provided the six Dominicans of different nationalities as Italian, French, Spanish, German, English and Polish with condition that each one of them should have a degree of Doctor from at least a famous universities of Europe. It was helped out by the resources of the library as to devote them to the defense and propagation of Catholic doctrine. By the means of this library the Cardinal tried to present Rome with another intellectual activity. After the loss of the secular power in 1870, the library was declared as a national property; however, the Dominicans were still in charge of the library until 1884.
In the collection of library there are about 64 Greek codices and about 230 Hebrew texts of about 5 are Samaritan codices. There is also a massive collection of Roman governmental proclamations from the period consisting 1500 to 1870 as well as comedies of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The Casanatense Library still keeps about 1125 manuscript volumes of opinions, reports, and statements. The present day library collection has about 400 000 volumes, about 6 000 manuscripts, 2 200 incunabula. The library keeps about medieval manuscripts, involving biblical manuscripts.
Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, one of the popular operas in Rome
Posted by in Fun, Guide, Rome Landmarks, Rome Tour, Tips
Leave a comment
|
The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma (Rome Opera House) is a famous opera in Rome and is operational since November 1880. Initially, at the time of starting it was named as Costanzi Theatre, and had the seating capacity for about 2,212 persons. During the decades it had undergone several changes and the present seating capacity in the theater is for 1,600 persons.
The Teatro dell’Opera was initially named as the Teatro Costanzi after the name of the contractor who constructed it. The opera was personally financed by Costanzi who commissioned the Milanese architect Achille Sfondrini to construct it. Achille was a specialist in the constructing and renovating the theaters. The opera was constructed over the period of about eighteen months at the site where the house of Heliogabalus used to stand there in ancient times. It was started on 27 November 1880 with a performance of Semiramide by Gioachino Rossini.
While preparing the theater, Sfondrini paid special attention to the acoustics, as making the interior as a “resonance chamber”, and it is much clear from its horseshoe shape in particular. When stared, the theatre had a seating capacity of around 2212, with about three tiers of boxes, an amphitheatre, and two separate galleries, headed by a dome with splendid frescoes by Annibale Brugnoli. In 1907, the Teatro Costanzi was procured by the impresario Walter Mocchi on the behalf of the Società Teatrale Internazionale e Nazionale (STIN). In 1912 Mocchi’s wife, Emma Carelli, became the managing director of the new Impresa Costanzi, as the theatre recognized later on and various changes also occurred in the company structure in the following years. Within her tenure of fourteen years some of the popular works align to Rome was performed in the theater, including works like La fanciulla del West, Turandot and Il trittico by Giacomo Puccini; Parsifal by Richard Wagner; Francesca da Rimini by Riccardo Zandonai and others.
After the termination of monarchy in Rome, the name of the opera house was converted to Teatro dell’Opera, and in 1958, the building was renovated by the Rome City Council. Repeatedly, the architect Marcello Piacentini formed up the plans and interestingly changed the prevailing architectural style and designing of the present facade, entrance and foyer. The Theater’s famous acoustics can still sustain comparison with any other auditorium in world. Its present seating capacity is about 1,600, and the house was re-fitted with air-conditioning consequently to a restoration, which provided major improvements to the interior. The stucco job was unanimously restored, the great proscenium arch strengthened, and a new parquet floor of solid oak blocks placed for the old one.
Hotel Majestic Roma, 5 stars hotel in Rome |

Hotel Majestic Roma five stars hotel in Rome
• Overview of the Hotel: The grand Hotel Majestic Roma is located at the world renowned Via Veneto. The Spanish steps and Trevi fountain is about 10 minutes away from here. Founded in 1889, the Hotel Majestic is very popular with elite clientele who loves to enjoy the Rome’s Dolce Vita. Villa Borghese and its noted gallery is located just near to it. About all landmarks and monuments of the Rome are well within and into reach to the hotel. Hotel has about 98 rooms and it is the chain of The Leading Hotels of the World.
• Amenities at the Hotel: Among the services as provided in the hotel the most common are restaurant, bar, 24-hour front desk, newspapers, terrace, non-smoking rooms, elevator, safe, heating, baggage storage, allergy-free room available and air conditioning. The services in the hotel as follows room service, meeting/banquet facilities, business center, babysitting/child services, laundry, dry cleaning, vip room facilities, breakfast in the room, ironing service, honeymoon suite, currency exchange and fax/photocopying. Wired Internet is available on price and rate of 16 euro for 24 hours.
• Hotel Rules: There are some general rules in the hotel for every visitor to follow, however, these rules changes from hotel rooms to hotel room. The check in time into hotel is 14:00 hours whereas the check out time is 10:00 -12:00 hours. Cancellation and prepayment policies vary from hotel room to hotel room. All children below 2 years can stay for free of charge using the same bedding. An older child is charges euro 100 per night and person in an extra bed. Pets are not allowed in the hotel. The hotel accepts the card like American Express, Visa, Euro/Mastercard, Diners Club, JCB and CartaSi.
• Hotel Room Types and Rates:
Triple Room: € 415
Junior Suite: € 420
One-Bedroom Suite: € 685
Classic Single Room: € 205
Superior Double Room: € 280
Deluxe Double Room: € 315
Basilica of St. John Lateran, the clerical seat of Bishop of Rome
Posted by in Fun, General, Guide, Rome Landmarks, Rome Tour, Tips
Leave a comment
|
The Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran is the cathedral of the Church of Rome, Italy, and is recognized as the official clerical seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope. Officially named Archibasilica Sanctissimi Salvatoris et Sancti Iohannes Baptista et Evangelista in Laterano is the oldest and ranks first among the four Papal Basilicas or major basilicas of Rome. The cathedral is located outside the boundaries of the Vatican City and is the part of the Rome in the Italian Republic. More, it is provided as a special and important status of and as a property of the Holy seat. And this condition too is provided to the other buildings as well after the resolution to the Roman question with the Lateran Treaty. The Lateran Basilica is located close to the Lateran Palace.
The basilica is located above the remains of the Castra Nova equitum singularium, the ‘new fort’ of the imperial cavalry bodyguard. The fort was formed by Septimius Severus in AD 193, but after the victory over Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge by Constantine I the guard was cancelled and the fort was entirely demolished. The remaining parts of the fort are buried deep below the basilica nave. The rest of the Basilica site was controlled during the early Roman Empire at the palace of the gens Laterani. The Laterani worked as an administrative center for many kings. Sextius Lateranus was the first working-class to attain the rank of consul. One of the Laterani, Consul-designate Plautius Lateranus, became famous for being accused by Nero of conspiracy against the emperor. The accusation resulted in the confiscation and redistribution of his properties. And many other remarkable incidents are related to this palace over here.
The present structure of the Basilica is though ancient, however, some parts of the original mosaic there has been preserved and seems like originated from the past and the ancient time and period. There are certain parts of the building that can be traced to the city walls as been preserved outside the Gate of St. John. There are three important portions of the Basilica, architecturally, are; the ceiling of the Basilica, Holy steps and Lateran Basilica. Basilica despite being undergone trough various changes it shapes, it is yet still intact with its ancient forms. It is divided into the rows if columns into aisles and with a front a peristyle as being surrounded with along a fountain in the middle.
Holy Steps that is another attractive and catering structure to the Basilica, it is The Scala Sancta (Holy Stairs) that are the wooden steps encased with the marble steps as per the tradition of the Roman Catholicism. It leads to the praetorium of Pilate at Jerusalem, and therefore is approved by the footsteps of Jesus Christ during his Passion. In ancient times between the basilica and the city wall there used to be existed a great monastery where community of monks used to live during the ancient times and period. The only portion of that 13th century structure as existing at current time is a cloister as surrounded by gracefully twisted columns of inlaid marble and is known to be as Latern Cloister.
Colosseum, the Roman amphitheater from the first century
Posted by in Fun, General, Guide, Rome Landmarks, Rome Tour, Tips
Leave a comment
|
Colosseum is known to be the most famous and recognized landmark of the Ancient Rome. It was constructed around in 1st century AD and this huge arena had the seating capacity for around 45,000 spectators and was the largest Roman amphitheater of the world during that time. The arena was used for the ancient contests like gladiatorial combats, spectacles and to the extent of the execution of early believer of Christianity. In middle ages, the Colosseum was considered as the place of martyrdom and was being praised as a sacred place.
Foundation of the Colosseum was being laid by the Emperor Vespasian and the structure an artificial lake made by Nero in valley between Rome’s many hills, at the front of the Domus Aurea palace. At the time arena was used to be named as the Flavian Amphitheatre, after the name of the family of emperors who constructed it. The name “Colosseum” was not in use until 7th century, and derives its name from the colossal statue of Nero that once stood here. After Nero’s death, the statue was changed into the representation of Helios, the sun god. And it remained there till the Middle Ages and then further melted down for its bronze.
The amphitheatre at that time was in use and purposes of gladiatorial combats, mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas on the lore and legends of Classical mythology. The first festival of the Flavian Amphitheatre, that was the largest amphitheatre in the world, lasted for about 100 days, in which about 5,000 wild beasts were killed in the arena. Meanwhile, the Flavian Amphitheatre was kept on damaging due to fire and earthquake for several times and was continually being restored by the end of the 5th century. Finally, the gladiatorial fights were prohibited in the Arena by the Christian emperor Honorius in 407 and the fight with the wild beasts were banned in around 523. Honorius was inspired to ban the bloody spectacle of the gladiators due to a simple monk naming Telmachus who was killed while trying to stop the men fighting with each other.
From a visitor’s perspective, the exterior of the Roman Colosseum is formed of travertine that spends 527 meters around and is about four stories high. The arches of the second and third stories were kept with statues. In total there were 80 entrances to arena and of two were reserved for emperor and his accomplice. The arena had the support of about 5 meter high wall as to protect spectator from the attacks of the wild beasts. At the lower statue of Colossus statue of Nero after what the amphitheater has been named can be seen as the Colosseum and the nearby Temple of Venus and Roma.
Hotel Adriano, 3 star hotels in Rome |

Hotel Adriano, 3 star hotels in Rome
Overview of the hotel:Set in the heart of the historic center of the city, just a few steps from Parliament and the city’s most exclusive shopping district, within a short walk from the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and the Spanish Steps, this family-run hotel has a contemporary design and a friendly atmosphere. The Spanish Steps are a set of steps climbing a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinità dei Monti, dominated by the church of Trinità dei Monti. The Scalinata is the longest and widest staircase in Europe. Housed in an elegant 17th-century building, the hotel has a unique traditional exterior, 77 well furnished rooms complemented by modern facilities including internet access via an interactive TV.
Amenities at the hotel: The guests can avail of Bar, 24-Hour Front Desk, Non-Smoking Rooms, Elevator, Safe, Design Hotel, Baggage Storage, and Air Conditioning. The hotel also offers Room Service, Meeting/Banquet Facilities, Babysitting/Child Services, Laundry, Dry Cleaning, Breakfast in the Room, Ironing Service, Honeymoon Suite, Bicycle Rental, Car Rental, Fax/Photocopying, and Ticket Service. Internet via TV is available in the hotel rooms and costs EUR 5 per hour. Wi-fi is available in public areas and costs EUR 5 per 24 hours. Public parking is possible at a location nearby (reservation is needed) and charges are applicable.
Hotel Rules: The check in time for the hotel is from 14:00 – 00:00 hours and the check out time is until 11:00 hours. Cancellation and prepayment policies vary by room type. All children from 0 to 3 years stay free of charge when using existing bedding. All children under 2 years are charged EUR 20 per night per person for cots. All children from 0 to 12 years are charged 70 % of the room stay per night per person for extra beds. Maximum capacity of extra beds/babycots in a room is 1. Any type of extra bed/cot or crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by the hotel. Supplements will not be calculated automatically in the total costs and have to be paid separately in the hotel. Pets are allowed on request for free. When booking more than 5 rooms, different policies and additional supplements may apply. Accepted credit cards are American Express, Visa, Euro/Mastercard, Diners Club, JCB, CartaSi. The hotel reserves the right to pre-authorize credit cards prior to arrival.
Hotel Room Types and Rates:
Single Room: € 200
Included in room price: 10 % VAT, Buffet breakfast
• FREE cancellation
• Breakfast included
Classic Twin Room: € 170
Included in room price: 10 % VAT, Buffet breakfast
• FREE cancellation
• Breakfast included
Superior Twin Room: € 250
Included in room price: 10 % VAT, Buffet breakfast
• FREE cancellation
• Breakfast included
Classic Triple Room: € 330
Included in room price: 10 % VAT, Buffet breakfast
• FREE cancellation
• Breakfast included
Junior Suite: € 340
Included in room price: 10 % VAT, Buffet breakfast
• FREE cancellation
• Breakfast included
Classic Double Room: € 260
Included in room price: 10 % VAT, Buffet breakfast
• FREE cancellation
• Breakfast included
Superior Double Room: € 180
Included in room price: 10 % VAT, Buffet breakfast
• FREE cancellation
• Breakfast included
Deluxe Double Room: € 300
Included in room price: 10 % VAT, Buffet breakfast
• FREE cancellation
• Breakfast included
Exclusive Double Room: € 500
Included in room price: 10 % VAT, Buffet breakfast
• FREE cancellation
• Breakfast included
Hotel Splendide Royal, 5 star Hotel in Rome |

Hotel Splendide Royal, 5 star Hotel in Rome
- Overview of the Hotel: This hotel is located at Rome’s most exclusive district as existing between Via Veneto and the beautiful gardens of Villa Borghese. Hotel Splendide Royal is an elegant location for staying and living in Rome. It is converted from a 19th-century monastery, the Splendide Royal shows the luxurious rooms and suites, of which 4 are private, spacious terraces overlooking Villa Borghese. There professional staff provides a warm welcome and a personalized service. They provide you a proper help and advice that is much needed for making a stay in Rome unforgettable.
- Amenities in Hotel: For facilities there general services in the hotel involves like restaurant, bar, 24-hour front desk, newspapers, terrace, non-smoking rooms, rooms/facilities for disabled guests, elevator, safe, soundproofed rooms, heating, baggage storage, allergy-free room available, all public and private spaces non-smoking. The services in the hotel involves steps like room service, meeting/banquet facilities, business center, babysitting/child services, laundry, dry cleaning, vip room facilities, breakfast in the room, ironing service, honeymoon suite, currency exchange, shoe shine, fax/photocopying, ticket service. The Wi-Fi is provides around entire hotel on the very reasonable rates of euro 10 per hour.
- Hotel Rules: As far as hotel rules are concerned there are some general rules to be followed at the entire hotel. However, these rules are applied with at bit variation from hotel room to hotel room. The check in time into hotel is 14: 00 hours to 23:30 hours where as check out timings is 6:00 hours to 12:00 hours. Cancellation and prepayment policies in the hotel vary from room to room. All children there below 2 years live for absolutely free of charge for cots. All children as below the age of 6 year can stay in the hotel while using the existing bedding. Hotel accepts the credit cards like American Express, Visa, Euro / Mastercard, Diners Club, Maestro and CartaSi.
- Hotel Room Type and Rates:
Double or Twin Room € 253(Per Night)
Deluxe Double Room € 320 (Per Night)
Junior Suite € 480 (Per Night)
Suite € 590 (Per Night)
Navona Palace Residenze Di Charme, 5 star Hotel in Rome |

Navona Palace Residenze Di Charme, 5 star Hotel in Rome
- Overview of the Hotel: This five star hotel is preserved inside a 17th century building at the historic center of Rome, hardly 220 yards away from Piazzo Navona square. The Navona Palace Residenze di Charme provides the exclusive air conditioned suites having separate living and sleeping areas, and having an LCD TV with satellite channels. The hotel has a 24 hour reception and is located in the Rome’s most loving areas. The hotel is surrounded with the shops, pubs and different types of typical Italian and Roman restaurants. The hotel has about 46 rooms in the hotel.
- Amenities in Hotel: Among the general services in the hotel the prominent one are restaurant, bar, 24-hour front desk, newspapers, non-smoking rooms, family rooms, elevator, heating, design hotel, gay friendly, allergy-free room available, all public and private spaces non-smoking, air conditioning. The other important activities in the hotel includes sauna, fitness center, spa & health club, massage, jacuzzi, turkish/steam bath. Wi-Fi is available in the entire hotel area for free.
- Hotel Rules: There is a very general hotel policy in the hotel to be followed by every guest, however, these hotel policies differs from hotel room to hotel room. The check in time into the hotel is 14:00 hours and check out time is 11:00 hours. The cancellation and prepayment policy in the hotel varies from room type to room type. The children below 2 years can stay in hotel for free. The pets are not allowed there. Credit cards like American Express, Visa, Euro/Mastercard, Maestro and CartaSi are acceptable in hotel.
- Hotel Room Type and Rates
Standards Double or Twin Room: €180 (Per Night)
Junior Suite (3 Adults): € 270 (Per Night)
Junior Suite (2 Adults): € 230 (Per Night)
Suite: €250 (Per Night)
Grand Hotel Plaza, 5 star hotel in Rome |

Grand Hotel Plaza, 5 star hotel in Rome
- Overview of the Hotel: The famous and renowned hotel there is prestigious Grand Hotel Plaza that is a noble residence in Rome’s exclusive Via Del Corso. The hotel has massive, elegant rooms and spectacular interiors and sometimes set for international films. The hotel Plaza is a few yards away from the fashionable shopping street, Via dei Condotti, and the Spanish Steps in Piazza di Spagna. The Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon are situated close to it. The hotel provides ideal Grand Hotel Plaza’s Terrazza dei Limoni in the ideal setting for a relaxing drink with nice city views. The hotel has about 200 rooms.
- Amenities in Hotel: The General facilities in the hotel are like restaurant, bar, 24-hour front desk, newspapers, terrace, non-smoking rooms, rooms/facilities for disabled guests, elevator, safety deposit box, heating, luggage storage, all public and private spaces non-smoking, air conditioning. The services in the hotel includes things like room service, meeting/banquet facilities, business centre, babysitting/child services, laundry, dry cleaning, breakfast in the room, ironing service, bridal suite, currency exchange, packed lunches, car hire, fax/photocopying, ticket service. Wi-fi is provided in hotel for about cost of EUR 3 per hour.
- Hotel Rules: As per hotel policies, there are general rule for Grand Hotel Plaza and they even differs from room to room. The check in time into hotel is 14:00 hours and check out time is 12:00 hours. The cancellation policies in the hotel vary from room to room. The children below 12 years are free to stay on existing bed whereas children below 2 years even can stay for free of charge for cots. Pets are allowed absolutely free. Hotel accepts cards like American Express, Visa, Euro/Mastercard, Diners Club and JCB.
- Hotel Room Type and Rates
Single Room: € 178.20
Double Room: € 198
Deluxe Double Room: € 237.60
Junior Suite: € 544.50
Triple Room: € 277.20
Feel the intensity and rapture of Roman Music
Posted by in Fun, General, Guide, Rome Landmarks, Rome Tour, Tips
Leave a comment
|
Among many corner stones of the Roman civilization the Roman music is one of the pillars where all the crux of roman civilization occurs along with other distinct branches like Roman architecture and other forms of art and literature in Rome. The Music of Rome is highly intensive and there are included many venues for the music in Rome. Below are mentioned some of the popular venues for music in Rome.
• The Theater of the Opera: The Theater was constructed in the 1880s, during the building boom of the city and the efforts were in full swing to expand and provide capital of Rome, a new identity on an urban landscape. The theater has been witness to performances and works of many premieres like involving Tosca and Cavalleria rusticana. It is known for organizing events like as Visconti’s staging of The Marriage of Figaro. The theater has its own permanent orchestra, choir and ballet company, and presently is a very extensive multi-media historical archive.
• The National Academy of Santa Cecilia: This academy was recognized and had the approval of the Pope Gregory XIII in 1566 and is considered as one of the most reputed and prestigious musical spots and organizations in the world. It somehow survived its stature and the political up down of centuries, Rome being the capital of the Papal States, then after invasion by Napoleon, then capital of the new Italy in 1871. The Santa Cecilia Orchestra is a regular organization and over the years has exhibited its performances at different exhibitions halls and auditoriums in the city; the most recent one is the premises of the Parco della Musica, that is too massive new auditorium complex. The full orchestra and the Santa Cecilia chamber perform around 200 concerts in a year in Rome.
• The Roman Philharmonic Academy is popular for organizing the famous and popular performances of the Teatro Olimpico and becomes very active during a concert season. It has a very long and outlived history of promoting music education and community music.
• The Lazio Symphony orchestra presents its shows at Rome as well as elsewhere in the region of Latium.
• The new Parco della Musica: Started in 2002, it is a massive musical complex showing off three different musical complexes featuring massive complexes as well as three music auditoriums situated between the the Olympic Village and Parioli Quarter of Rome. It organizes regularly music consisting of classical, popular, and jazz music introducing music lovers with national as well as international music groups.
Among other centers of music in Rome is the Aula Magna of the Sapienza University, National Museum of Musical Instruments, the Youth Symphony of Rome and the Santa Cecilia music conservatory.
