The Pantheon is a piece of Roman architecture that embodies the Roman’s ability to create buildings that would seem impossible in their time.  Constructed from 118-125 AD by Apollodorus of Damascus under the Emperor Hadrian, their had already been two beforehand (the first one under Emperor Augustus’ rule).  The Pantheon we know today was built using concrete, a Roman invention, although it is a bit different from the concrete we know today.  Roman concrete, also referred to as opus caementicium, incorporates volcanic ash into the mixture, and has proven to be much more durable than modern versions.

The Pantheon also displays the Romans love of domes, arches, and columns.  The design itself is very Greek, and it is easy to see how much Greek architecture influenced the construction of the Pantheon.  The infamous dome (which is actually double shelled) immediately catches your eye when you step inside.  The most famous oculus in Rome rests in the middle, directly above the very middle of the floor.  To accommodate weather, drainage holes are punched into the floor, and the center is slightly elevated so that any rain runs to the sides.

Today, the Ancient Temple has been Christianized, and continues to hold masses at certain times.  Most of the Pagan statues and artwork has been replaced by images of Jesus Christ or the Virgin Mary.  The grave of Raphael rests to one side, an altar positioned straight ahead.  The location also seems odd for such a magnificent structure; right in the middle of a modern city.  That’s just another spectacular thing about Rome, though; the blending of the modern and the ancient.

Exploring Rome, Florence, and Frascati was truly an amazing experience.  The trip home, on the other hand, not so much.  Don’t get me wrong, airplanes are amazing pieces of engineering, but once you’ve been on one for ten and a half hours, you begin to rue their existence.  Missing your connecting flight is never fun either, but luckily we got on another one fairly quickly.  Jet lag is a whole different ordeal.  Even sitting here writing this a few days later, I can still feel its effects, muddling my thoughts and making my movements sluggish.  The things we do for education and adventure!

These things being said, I would do it all again if it meant going back to Italy.  The experiences I had and the memories I made will be things I keep with me forever.  I can’t thank my professors enough for giving me the opportunity to study in an environment like Rome, so rich in history and culture.  On this trip, I got to come into contact with objects and structures thousands of years old, artwork you only read about in textbooks, people and religions from all over the world.  These classes are two I know I’ll never forget.

By Peyton Macrina

My favorite work of art was the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, even though I could not get a picture of it. The ceiling was originally blue and covered with gold stars but in 1508, Pope Julius II hired Michelangelo to repaint the ceiling. When Pope Julius II asked Michelangelo to repaint it, he was in the middle of sculpting the Popes tomb. Michelangelo began painting the ceiling 1508 and didn’t finish until 1512, painting it in a standing position on scaffolding the entire time. It is one of the most famous works of art from the renaissance and it is also centered around several scenes from the old testament, beginning with the creation of the world and ending with Noah and the flood. When Michelangelo stated the painting, he began with Noah and the flood at the entrance side of the Sistine chapel. Once he finished this scene, he realized the figures in it were too small for the ceiling. As a result, the figures get bigger and bigger as they get closer to the opposite side of the chapel. As they get larger, they are also painted with expression of movement. In the triangles above the windows, Michelangelo painted people from the old testament that may have been part of Christ’s human ancestry. In the spaces between the triangles, he painted prophets from the old testament and pagan sibyls, the most well-known being the Libyan sibyl. Michelangelo also painted architectural molding and statues that appear to be concrete structures to frame each scene in the painting. In order to view the scenes featured in the painting right side up, the viewer has to go to the side opposite the entrance to the chapel. The painting is also in near perfect condition. The only thing that is not is the sky in the scene of Noah’s escape from the flood, which has a piece missing as a result of a nearby explosion in 1997 that caused a piece of it to fall to the ground and shatter.

By Ashley Whitman

Although I have heard stories about the amazing foods of Italy, it is completely different to experience the wonderful cuisine first hand.  To begin, the first day we had arrived in Italy was also the day I tried my first espresso.  Of course, I had been offered espresso plenty of times beforehand, but never being a coffee person, I always opted to stick with tea back in the States.  Deciding to take a bit of a risk, I promised myself I would try the coffee in Italy; more specifically, the espresso.  I think it’s safe to say I’m hooked.  If coffee tasted like this back in the US, I’d be in big trouble as far as my recommended daily caffeine intake is concerned.  I’ve also had the pleasure of trying oxtail for the first time as well, which was surprisingly flavorful, although tough to eat with the amount of bone and cartilage present.

Besides the coffee, the food is obviously incredible.  Surprisingly, certain soft drinks are as well.  By eliminating a lot of artificial preservatives and high fructose corn syrup from the food, it seems to take on a fresher, cleaner taste.  You can especially tell this when eating the tomatoes (I recommend everyone try the bruschetta at least once in their lifetime).  Even drinks like Fanta are completely different than in America, since they are made with real oranges and actual sugar.

The three dishes that I’ve enjoyed the most so far have been Spaghetti alla Vongole (clams and spaghetti), Penne all’Arrabbiata, and Spaghetti alla Carbonara.  Coming from an Italian family on one side, I’ve tried all of these back in the States.  However, it is completely different to experience these dishes in the country they originated in.  I won’t say they’re better than my family’s cooking, as I’m fully aware my parents will be reading this, but just being able to have the opportunity to try them here is amazing on its own.  I have no idea how I’m going to go back to food in the States!

By Peyton Macrina

My favorite piece of Roman architecture was the Colosseum. I have wanted to see it even before I knew I wanted to travel to Italy and I like it for multiple reasons. These reasons include how it was built, what the purpose of it was, and why there is parts missing from it.

It measures 620 feet by 513 feet and was built differently than most other Roman architecture of the time. Instead of being built on a hillside or mountain, it was built as a freestanding structure with no hills or mountains as support. It was made of stone and concrete and had marble and various metals as decorations.

There are three stories of arched entrances totaling to about 80 arcs. The first story utilizes Doric style columns, the second utilized the ionic column style, and the third story utilizes the Corinthian style columns. There also used to be an awning at the top to protect those attending games there from harsh or unfavorable weather. Looking at the Colosseum today, we see that a large part of it is missing or damaged. There are many factors as to why the Colosseum is this way. Once it was being used less, part of it were used to build St. Peter’ss Cathedral, palazzo Venezia, and fortifications along the Tiber river. Other things such as water, natural disasters, neglect, and vandalism have also led to the destruction and damage to the Colosseum. The Colosseum also used to have marble seats as well as decorations made of marble and various metals. The marble was used to build other things and the metal was removed, melted down, and used for other purposes. The removal of the metal from the Colosseum is why there are little holes all over the structure. The purpose of the Colosseum was to make people forget about Nero and distract them from what he had done. It was used for entertainment in the form of gladiator fights, animal fights, gladiator and animal fights, and sometimes even naval reenactments. The Colosseum is also in the process of restoration and has been since the 90’s.

By Ashley Whitman