Country-Italy

Romeo and Juliet is set in the northern Italian city of Verona. Thanks largely to Shakespeare’s mention of Verona, the town has developed quite a reputation for romance. Lovers flock here to coo at each other, swoon from balconies, and grope statues of Juliet (it is supposed to bring luck, but do you really need a reason?). It’s long history of war is less of a tourist attraction.

Amore Turistico (tourist love)

Most people know that Shakespeare was an excellent English playwright and a sub-par historian. However, sometimes the fictional stories can matter more than the real ones. In an attempt to make Shakespeare’s story appear true, a house in Verona was declared to have been “Juliet’s house.” To make this claim more convincing a balcony was built onto it in 1938. People have flocked there ever since.

The house features a courtyard with a statue of Juliet that is overlooked by a balcony. It is said that if one gropes the right breast of Juliet’s statue, they will receive good luck. Juliet’s statue now has a very shiny right breast.

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6 - The Catacombs

I saved this one for the end because it is kind of creepy. Luckily it also fits well at the end because…you know…it is related to…endings.

The catacombs are certainly an important part of Rome’s history. They tell us about the logistical problems of burying people in a large ancient city. The catacombs also speak to the persecuted populations of Christians before 380 AD that worked to create secret burial locations. The catacombs even emphasize the volcanic geology of the area that is so suitable for tunneling.

With so much of the art in other parts of the city celebrating life, vitality, and achievement the catacombs have an important role to play in completing the artistic symbolism of the city. The frescoes in the catacombs can show us a more holistic approach to life, a valuable retrospective view.

After all, everything must come to an end.

Here are the other articles in this series:

• The Six Pictures of Rome You Should Definitely Take (Part 1)
• The Six Pictures of Rome You Should Definitely Take (Part 2)
• The Six Pictures of Rome You Should Definitely Take (Part 3)
• The Six Pictures of Rome You Should Definitely Take (Part 4, The Final Photo)

Oh yes, these pictures are quite valuable. So much so that customs agents sometimes check for them.

US customs agents have the authority to go through your computer, PDA, cell phone, and camera without suspicion of a crime. Don’t believe their “we are looking for explosive data” cover story. They don’t actually care if you divide by zero. Instead, there is “a chance” that customs is searching your digital information to make sure you have fully experienced Rome. That’s right, these pictures are indeed that important.

4 - A Food Shot

Creative Commons picture by Romereis 2008.

Roman cuisine is an exercise in simplicity. Simplicity and Tastiness. Roman dishes are often incredibly deliciouses, well rounded, meals made from just a few ingredients. The chefs are experts in clarifying the lamb taste of lamb. Roman dishes can exhibit a wonderful purity of being.

Good food is it’s own reward. For this sight we don’t have to go beyond its very nature to find it’s value. This food its truly itself, and we can enjoy it for just that. Does life always have to be so deep and complicated? Ooops. I guess the “life’s value doesn’t have to be complicated” lesson just kind of snook in there.
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How do we know that such Italian art is so powerful? The same way we know whether or not anything is powerful: by seeing if it can hurt us. It turns out that the simple observation of such art actually can hurt you. People have been feeling dizzy and fainting around this art since at least the 1800s. As a testament to either labeling or observation this art-reaction even has a name: Stendhal’s Syndrome.

2 - Some Piece of Incredible, and Possibly Famous, Art

Creative Commons picture by Dimitry B.

A piece of art can cause a very personal connection across time. The artist expressed something, a feeling, a viewpoint, and you feel it also. Yet, you two may have lived hundreds of years apart. When you find such a piece of art you experience an impressively deep connection with a person that you will never meet.

Through the austere power of an Egyptian obelisk or the delicate sensuality of the Sant’Andrea della Valle ceiling you may find a close friend from another time.

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Rome is a place of beauty and history. It cradles towering ancient architecture and meltingly good cuisine. It is a place with a great depth of time. A place where the layers of art, perspectives on life, and human expression have piled high.

But, no matter how much the art of the pantheon may touch your soul, the Italians will try to prevent you from taking it home. To save you the trouble of having to pull a “National Treasure: Really Cool Roman Building” style heist, here is a list of four photographic archetypes that can help you easily bring the feeling of Rome with you.

1 - The Roman Colosseum

Creative Commons picture by Sebastian Bergmann.

This building is a monument to love. Not the normal “you should feel guilty for not building something this cool for your spouse” sort of thing. Instead this shows that around 70 AD people liked their sports THAT much. Instead of a giant temple or statue of a god or leader they built a humongous monument to their sports. Read the rest of this entry »