Easter in Rome

ROME (DPA) - Rome

has smartened itself

up for the year 2000

and its magnificent

palaces and baroque

churches stand once

again resplendent.

But the Eternal City, with

its millennia of history,

will this year attract

more than just the usual

hordes of cultural

tourists.

Religious visitors are expected in their millions, many of

them at Easter. For now more than ever, Rome is city

worth exploring.

A good starting point for any tour is the Basilica of San

Clemente. Exhibits on display inside the church include

fascinating remnants of early Christendom. Visitors

descend three floors into the ancient world. About 20

meters below the surface lie the remains of an old Roman

habitation and the shrine of Mithra, the sun god of an

early sacrificial cult.

In the fourth century, Pope Siricus ordered the erection

of a basilica (today the lower level of the church above)

on top of the Mithraic temple. This construction was

razed to the ground by the Normans but its ruins

provided the foundations for the new basilica which was

dedicated to St. Clements at the end of the 11th century

and which still stands today.

San Clemente is one of seven churches which have

traditionally been sought out by pilgrims visiting Rome

since the Middle Ages.

Besides St. Peter’s, among the most significant are the

Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore and San Giovanni in

Laterano. The latter is, in fact, the true church of the

Pope, for San Giovanni is the official seat of the bishop of

Rome.

Long queues point the way to the entrance to the dome

of St. Peter’s. Hundreds of people crowd through the holy

gate which is opened to the public in jubilee years. In the

interior of this grandiose basilica, beneath Michelangelo’s

dome, can be found the papal altar with its canopy of

bronze. Directly under the altar, visitors can pay their

respects at St. Peter’s tomb.

In the Vatican museum, a seven-kilometer-long walk

reveals historical monuments and exhibits dating from the

last 4,000 years.

These include a statue of the Greek god Apollo and the

so-called Laokoon group of marble sculptures depicting

the Trojan priest of the same name in the company of his

sons. A cultural highlight are Michelangelo’s frescoes

which adorn the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

The wall leading from the Vatican to Hadrian’s mausoleum

has likewise recently been opened to visitors. In the

past, popes used the wall as an escape route. The

mausoleum was built by the emperor Hadrian in the

second century. A small terrace atop invites visitors to

linger a moment to enjoy a beautiful view of the city.

Over the Easter period, peace and quiet will be at a

premium in Rome. Those wishing to escape the crowds

might head for the Aventin, one of the seven hills on

which the city was famously built. Here stand the

Basilicas of Santa Sabina and San Alessio, which date

from the pre-Christian era. Adjacent to Santa Sabina lies

a little oasis in the form of an orange grove with sublime

views of the dome of St. Peter’s and the river Tiber.

Although this year the Forum is bound to be especially

full, the ancient meeting place for the city’s inhabitants is

always worth a visit. Senators would gather here in the

time of the Roman republic and the rulers of the Roman

empire decorated the square with impressive statues. Not

far from the Forum stands the Colloseum, Rome’s largest

amphitheater and home to the games in ancient times.

A little further still lies the Domus Aurea or golden house,

the work of the emperor Nero, notorious for his

persecution of the early Christians. Tourists have the

opportunity to take a guided tour of the house or to

enjoy the exhibits to the accompaniment of a taped

audio guide. The house is extremely popular and tickets

should be ordered in advance.

The Campo dei Fiori offers visitors a chance to relax after

their exertions on the tourist trail. Many choose to sip an

espresso in one of the square’s bars or restaurants. The

lively district surrounding the Campo is connected with

the Trastevere area by the bridge Ponte Cestio. Here,

the nuns of the Osteria L’eau Vive serve particularly good

French fare. From nine o’clock in the evening, diners are

invited to join in the Ave Maria. For those on a more

modest budget, the Il Tulipano nero offers good pizza and

spaghetti.

Those traveling to Rome should book accommodation well

in advance. The options are numerous, from hostels run

by nuns to bed and breakfast in the heart of an Italian

family. The latter option can provide strangers with a

pleasant social introduction to the wonders of the Eternal

City.