The Arco di Constantino, or Arch of Constantine, was famously build by Emperor Constantine to commemorate a victory at the Battle of Milvian Bridge, fought in 315 CE. This is the most recent of the Roman triumphal arches still standing, and it has a few unique characteristics you won't see anywhere else.
This arch is impressively sized at over twenty meters high, twenty-five meters wide, and seven meters deep, with three distinctive arches built into it. The center one is more than eleven meters high and six meters high, and is the largest, with smaller arches on either side.
The design is similar to the Arch of Septimus Severus, located on the Roman Forum. Both include a main section with detached columns, and an attic, or upper portion (not the top part of the house, as we use the term today). The attic sports a main inscription.
A visit to the Arch of Constantine is an easy thing to do while in Rome, since the arch itself spans the Via Triumphalis - the road used by victorious emperors on their way back to Rome. Constantine's choice of this area to locate his arch tells us a lot about the message he wanted to send to rivals.
The arch is quite close to the more famous Colosseum, and is easy to visit by Metro. If you'll be taking a tour of other ruins in this area of the city, you'll almost certainly pass by the arch on your way.
Depending on the angle and lighting you're viewing the arch from, you may notice that some parts are a different color, and that it looks like it's made out of different kinds of stone.
This is because the Arch of Constantine wasn't built from scratch - it was made from other monuments in Rome. Borrowed pieces are especially evident in the lower portion of the arch.
The arch's lower portion is made from solid marble blocks, and has a staircase in its thickness some distance up from the ground, making it difficult or impossible to use and implying that it was once in a different location. The attic is made from bricks sheathed in a different marble.
Some people have said that this kind of borrowing was done in order to make construction go faster or to make up for the lack of skill of builders. It's hard to say exactly why the arch was made this way, but it provides another interesting historical detail.
The arch itself ended up as part of another building in the Middle Ages, when it became part of a family stronghold. It wasn't until the eighteenth century that people began to excavate and restore it, with the last restoration happening in the late 1990s.
Your trip to Rome will probably include a number of ancient structures, so don't forget to include the Arch of Constantine. While you're near the Colossum, take a few moments to appreciate this interesting piece of Rome's history.
This arch is impressively sized at over twenty meters high, twenty-five meters wide, and seven meters deep, with three distinctive arches built into it. The center one is more than eleven meters high and six meters high, and is the largest, with smaller arches on either side.
The design is similar to the Arch of Septimus Severus, located on the Roman Forum. Both include a main section with detached columns, and an attic, or upper portion (not the top part of the house, as we use the term today). The attic sports a main inscription.
A visit to the Arch of Constantine is an easy thing to do while in Rome, since the arch itself spans the Via Triumphalis - the road used by victorious emperors on their way back to Rome. Constantine's choice of this area to locate his arch tells us a lot about the message he wanted to send to rivals.
The arch is quite close to the more famous Colosseum, and is easy to visit by Metro. If you'll be taking a tour of other ruins in this area of the city, you'll almost certainly pass by the arch on your way.
Depending on the angle and lighting you're viewing the arch from, you may notice that some parts are a different color, and that it looks like it's made out of different kinds of stone.
This is because the Arch of Constantine wasn't built from scratch - it was made from other monuments in Rome. Borrowed pieces are especially evident in the lower portion of the arch.
The arch's lower portion is made from solid marble blocks, and has a staircase in its thickness some distance up from the ground, making it difficult or impossible to use and implying that it was once in a different location. The attic is made from bricks sheathed in a different marble.
Some people have said that this kind of borrowing was done in order to make construction go faster or to make up for the lack of skill of builders. It's hard to say exactly why the arch was made this way, but it provides another interesting historical detail.
The arch itself ended up as part of another building in the Middle Ages, when it became part of a family stronghold. It wasn't until the eighteenth century that people began to excavate and restore it, with the last restoration happening in the late 1990s.
Your trip to Rome will probably include a number of ancient structures, so don't forget to include the Arch of Constantine. While you're near the Colossum, take a few moments to appreciate this interesting piece of Rome's history.
About the Author:
Rome-Accom.com offers a fabulous range of rentable apartments in Rome - perfect for celebrating your wedding or anniversary in the Eternal city Roma. We have over 700 places to stay in our full range of Italy accommodation.
No comments:
Post a Comment