Capitol in Rome: all the most interesting about the main hill of the Eternal City

Rome is a city where people can come in contact with time. It was built a long time ago, and on its territory are preserved places created more than two millennia ago. One of them is the Capitol. The architectural ensemble located on this hill is the most popular tourist attraction. On the history of the Capitol, how to get there, and also about its meaning, read in the article.

What is it?

It is believed that The name of the hill is due to the temple of the same name, located on it. The exact lexical meaning of Capitol is not yet established. A number of art critics believe that it has such a meaning: head, something important, most importantly, life or person.

The Capitol in Rome is called the Capitol Hill. This hill is the lowest in the city. At the same time, it is the center of culture and politics in Rome, and is also visited annually by thousands of tourists. Here is concentrated a large number of monuments of architecture, preserved since antiquity.

Hill

The Capitol Ensemble in Rome is located on one of the hills, which in the city there are seven. Each of them carries its name: Celium, Palatine, Quirinal, Aventine, Vinal, Esquiline and Capitol.

On the last hill, from ancient times, all kinds of temples dedicated to the gods rose. Geese, who lived in the temple of Juno Coins, warned the Romans that the Gauls were preparing to attack them. Here, the first courtyard was built, on which money was minted. They were called coins in honor of the goddess Juno, the wife of Jupiter. Seven hills are known all over the world. The Capitol is famous for the fact that there were a lot of signs. In addition, this place is considered sacral. Here are still all kinds of churches and basilicas.

There is no traveler in the world who does not know that there are seven hills in the basement of Rome. However, few people understand that it was the Capitol that became a hill where the city was born. Since antiquity, on this hill was the political center of Rome. Previously, the emperors ruled here, and now the mayor of the city and the municipality work here.

The capitol is a low hill. He towers over the Roman forum. Its height is measured in forty-six meters.

Temple

The Capitol in Rome is not just a hill. One of the most important temples of the city has the same name. It is the first religious structure built on this hill. It is dedicated to the so-called Capitoline Triad, which includes Minerva, Jupiter and Juno Moneta. From ancient times it consisted of three parts, dedicated to a certain god or goddess. The center was dedicated to Jupiter, the right side to Minerva, and the left side to Juno. In each of the parts was an altar.

Here, not only worshiped the deities, but also minted coins, conducted advice. In the temple there was an archive. This architectural monument has always remained a symbol of power, power, immortality of Rome.

This building has a long history. Once it was concentrated in the center of the city, but then it lost its importance. In the fifth century it was looted during the capture of Rome. It is believed that then the ensemble lost not only a number of objects of worship, but also several gold bars, which, according to legend, were kept under the throne of Jupiter, in a specially created niche. The Capitoline temple, or the temple of Jupiter, was destroyed by the time in the sixth century AD. Archaeologists have made every effort to restore it. Thanks to their efforts, part of the basement and a small fragment of the wall were reconstructed. They can be seen in one of the halls of the Palazzo Conservatory.

History

The Capitol in Rome became the religious, political center of this city immediately after it was founded. The fact is that it was easier to defend Rome on a higher ground than in the lowlands. It served the Romans for a long time, the top of the hill was never empty. After the temple of the same name was destroyed, the Basilica of Santa Maria in Araceli appeared nearby. It was located in the center of the hill. It not only served as a church, it was attended by people's congregations.

Not far from the foot of Araceli there are ruins. They belong to the ancient structure - insula, which served as something like a modern hotel. Since the first century, Rome was massively built up with similar buildings. At the same time, those people who did not have a lot of money lived on the upper floors, and wealthy citizens who managed to pay for housing settled on the ground floors and received at their disposal some amenities. For example, sewerage and water supply.

Until the sixteenth century, the structures of the Capitol Ensemble were not restored, so many of them were in a deplorable state. However, when the Roman Emperor Charles the Fifth of Habsburg decided to visit the city, Pavel the Third attended to the sight of Rome. Work on the restoration of the area around which all the structures were built was entrusted to Michelangelo in 1536. Unfortunately, he did not have time to finish the work, and most of them were conducted according to his ideas under the guidance of the Italian architect, sculptor Giacomo Della Porta, as well as other students of Buonarroti. Capitol Was preserved as it was done by the works of these people by the end of 1654.

sights

The Capitol in Rome attracts travelers with its sights, among which:

• Staircase of Cardonat. This is one of the three stairs, along which you can climb the hill.
• Capitol Square. It is located on the top of the hill, being its center. On its perimeter other attractions of Rome are constructed.
• The equestrian statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, in turn, rises in the middle of the square.
• The symbol of the city is the Wolf, symbolizing justice. Previously, she was on the street, near the entrance to the Palazzo Conservatori, however, was moved inside the building. Before this statue was found, there was a cage in the Capitol with a living she-wolf.

• The Palace of Senators. For some time this architectural monument served as a repository, however, now the city hall of Rome is located within its walls. It is because of this that you can not get to all the premises.
• The Palace of Conservatives got its name because it once hosted meetings of senators and judges. They were just called conservatives. Now the building serves as a museum in which you can find busts, murals. Known and Pinakothek, which exhibits paintings of the greatest artists.
• Palazzo Nuovo is the youngest architectural monument of the ensemble. It exactly reproduces the Palace of the Conservatives. Here you will find antique sculptures.
• The Basilica of Santa Maria in Araceli is built on the site where once stood the temple of Juno Coins. Here is stored the miraculous sculpture of Jesus in infancy.

Cultural wealth

The Capitol in Rome is not only a religious, political, but also a cultural center of the ancient city. It houses a number of museums, each of which is worthy of attention.

In the walls of the Palace of Senators, built in the first century BC, there is a museum-store of stone slabs, inscriptions on which tell of ancient Rome. You can learn from them how life was conducted here and what the policy of rulers was.

In the Palace of Conservatives there is a museum of busts made of marble, created in ancient Rome. In addition, here you can view the frescoes and visit the Pinakothek. In this gallery there are paintings of such outstanding artists as Rubens, Velasquez and Caravaggio. All sorts of artifacts can be found in the Castellani Hall, and a rich collection of coins and ornaments - in the Capitoline Museum of Coins.

The Palazzo Nuovo was built in order to become a museum. And it turned out: there are sculptures not only Roman, but also Greek.

Excursions

Rome is an eternal city, always open to all visitors. Therefore, there are a lot of different excursions here. The most popular tourist spot, concurrently - the heart of the city is the Capitol in Rome. How to get to this place? Easily. This can be done both independently and with the group. However, it is important to understand that Rome - a fairly large city, and you can get lost in it, after looking at the masterpieces of architecture.

Almost all tourists who have visited the eternal city, visit the ensemble of the Capitol. Many of the museums that make up it work on the same schedule. For example, you can get to places like Palazzo Nuovo, the Palace of Conservatives and the Palace of Senators any day, except Monday, from nine o'clock in the morning to eight o'clock in the evening.

How to get there?

You can get to the Capitol in many ways. You can get to the hill by taking the metro line B train. In addition, there is a ramified system of buses in Rome, the routes of which run through the heights. You can also call a taxi and get to the Capitol by car.

Hiking is available for everyone. Go up the hill Capitol in Rome, you can three ladders. The left leads to the Basilica of Santa Maria in Araceli. The central one was designed by Michelangelo, it is considered the main staircase of the entire ensemble. The right is quite inconspicuous, it is, as a rule, enjoyed by the townspeople. Therefore, if tourists want to climb the hill in the shade and do not get into the crowd, they can use it.