The Baths of Caracalla

There are actually three components to the Capitoline Museums. The Palazzo dei Conversatori and the Palazzo Nuovo are right next to each other and and were the subject of my last entry. The third part of the collection is way down in the South, but since it stayed open until 7pm I thought I would try and cover all three in one day, taking in some sights on the way.

First off a church. This is Santa Maria della Consolazione, which according to my guidebook has a wonderful set of frescoes by Zuccari "including a naturalistic and dynamic flagellation scene". Well, what do you think?

Really visiting almost any Roman church can be a bit like visiting an S & M dungeon. (Ok, I admit I have never actually visited an S & M dungeon, but that's not going to stop me using the simile).

  If not content with this flagellation you could pick the crucifixion of St Andrew nearby (I can't help feeling the saint has the wrong expression here - somewhat towards indignant surprise - "You've got the wrong man - it was him!").

 Or indeed another more robust St Andrew being crucified on the other side of the church.

Day two and I collected my final Roman arch, the Arch of Janus.

 The Circus Maximus is rather unimpressive, and unphotogenic.

 And at last the Baths of Caracalla. A truly massive building project, it would have contained an Olympic size swimming pool and other baths besides.

Note the few bits of marble still in place and imagine how impressive it would have been when completely covered. And  with all the floor mosaics

Pyramid of Caius Cestius

So having passed the Pyramid I then just had to keep on going down Via Ostiense until I came across the third museum I was after, Centrale Montemartini. Unfortunately this fell off the end of my map. So I just kept on walking down. Then finally, somewhat disconcertingly, I ran out of pavement. I now found myself walking down the verge of what seemed close to a motorway. At night. With Italian drivers. Even as persistent a bugger as I am, I decided it was time to quit, and made my way back.

Later, I realised I had passed my target on the other side of the road. And therefore had overshot by about 2 kilometres. Still, it did mean on my way down I visited one more Basilica than I had anticipated. This one - San Paulo fuori leMura. A truly huge edifice, so large that not only is most of the nave empty, but they don't even bother lighting it. Very impressive. But also a little sad that the entire congregation not only can be seated on a few benches in a small proportion of the church at the front, but that even that area is still vastly greater than actually needed.

San Paulo fuori le Mura

But as I trooped back exhausted to the hotel along the Tiber, at least it looked rather picturesque at night.