In the Eternal City summer arrives twice a year! Even in October, Romans and tourists can still enjoy sunny days in the unique setting of the most visited capital in the world.
Saltarello Romano photo www.museodiromaintrastevere.it
Until the end of the nineteenth century, the end of the grape harvest was celebrated in mid-October with trips out of town. People of every social class set off on Thursdays with their carts, as by tradition, and, once reached their destination, had a tasty lunch with gnocchi and other typical Roman dishes. Playing games, singing popular stornelli and dancing the saltarello accompanied by guitars were the weekenders’ favourite pastimes. Today, we still enjoy in other ways these long early Autumn days.
Roseto comunale di Roma
This is the best time to visit the Roseto Comunale of Rome, which hosts more than a thousand varieties of botanical roses from all over the world, some of them even blooming in October! Breathe in the scent and the colours of the autumn roses from October 24 to November 10, 2024, at the Roseto Comunale of Rome.
Anita Ekberg
“Marcello come here”
sensually shouts Anita Ekberg in “La Dolce Vita”, while immersing herself into the Trevi Fountain. It is the only monument in the world in front of which you turn your back to toss coins and express the desire to return to Rome one day in the future. Since 1762, the Fountain has been fed by the aqueduct Acqua Vergine, which has been running for 2000 years under Via Condotti (waterpipes), today the street of luxury shopping.
Fontana degli Innamorati
To the right of the Trevi Fountain stands the magical Fontana degli Innamorati, built by the architect Salvi, whose two spouts quenched the thirst of travellers and lovers. According to tradition, women in the past came here with their fiancés, about to leave for the military service, and drank with them water from the same glass, which they broke soon after, to swear each other eternal love.
From love to hatred, let us travel back in time to 1500, when even the statues were speaking! The six Talking Statues, hidden among the crowded alleys, were known as “Il Congresso degli Arguti” (The Circle of the Witty). At night, epigrams in Italian and Latin were posted on the sculptures to express the most controversial opinions and, the morning after, everybody could read the messages, before they were removed by the guards. Precursors of today’s social media, the irreverent verses were a powerful example of genuine, satirical Romanness, criticizing the behaviour and decisions of the most distinguished personalities.
Pasquino
Near the gorgeous piazza Navona, we come across the first talking statue, Pasquino, located on the square of the same name. It portrays the mythical Menelaus, king of Sparta and husband of Helen of Troy, holding the body of a dying Patroclus. The sonnets of the twentieth-century Roman poet Gioacchino Belli are said to be the continuation of the pasquinate, a term defining, even today, anonymous messages containing political or social satire. When the authorities decided to stand guard over Pasquino, five more statues began to talk.
Even Donna Olimpia Maidalchini was the target of Pasquino’s messages, in which she was nicknamed “Pimpaccia”, meaning loose woman, for fueling hostility and gossip within the Pamphili family.
Fontana del Facchino in via Lata photo www.sovraintendenzaroma.it
The oldest and smallest talking statue, the Facchino, was erected in via Lata in 1580. Its name derives from the “acquaroli” or “acquaricciari”, the porters who filled the barrels with the water from the public fountains and sold it to the citizens. Dressed like Martin Luther, they were mocked and, it is said, often disfigured in the face, as the statue appears, by stones thrown at them.
Marforio
In the courtyard of the Palazzo Nuovo in the “Musei Capitolini al Campidoglio”, lies Marforio, the enormous statue from the first century BC depicting Oceanus, or maybe the Nera River. Some scenes from the movie “La Grande Bellezza” by Paolo Sorrentino were shot here. Rumour has it that Marforio and Pasquino were engaged in a satirical dialogue.
Fontana del Babuino
The fourth talking statue from the late sixteenth century called “Babuino” portrays an ugly ape-like silenus. The fountain was both criticized and loved, so much that the ancient via Paolina was renamed via del Babuino and the affixed messages were referred to as babuinate. The hideous monument, positioned in one of the most elegant Roman streets, is a real contrast. Together with via del Corso and via di Ripetta, via Paolina is part of the “Tridente”. The three streets start in piazza del Popolo and reach the heart of the Rome historic centre, the district of Campo Marzio.
Madama Lucrezia
In the small piazza San Marco, at the corner between Palazzo Venezia and the Basilica of San Marco al Campidoglio, we make the acquaintance with Madama Lucrezia, the only female talking statue.
statua dell’Abate Luigi foto www.turismoroma.it
“O tu che m’arubbasti la capoccia vedi d’ariportalla immantinente sinnò, vòi véde? come fusse gnente me manneno ar Governo. E ciò me scoccia”
Cegs Abate Luigi, claiming back his decapitated head, for fear to be elected to Government. His statue from the late Roman period is standing in piazza Vidoni, near largo Argentina. It probably depicts a high magistrate, but the Romans identified him with a sacristan from the nearby Chiesa del Sudario. When deprived of its head by vandals in 1966, the statue stopped talking.
The best way to end these crisp, sunny days is to enjoy a slice of Pizza and mortazza, “e passa la paura!” (Pizza, mortadella, and get over the fear!), as they say in Rome!