Upon arriving in Rome and getting settled into our apartment, our first dedicated stop was to a gelato shop. It was recommended to us by Marco, the owner of the apartment, and it is safe to say that it did not disappoint. Some of the flavors we chose included dark chocolate, ricotta with almond and fig, tiramisu, pistachio, strawberry balsamic, and stracciatella.
After hitting up one of the local “supermarkets” for groceries, we made our way to the Basilica of St. John Lateran. Upon approach, the first thing you notice is the 150 foot tall obelisk in front.
It is the largest in Rome. This obelisk was brought to Alexandria in the early 4th century by Constantine the Great. He had initially planned to bring the obelisk to Constantinople. He died before that could happen, so his son brought it to Rome as a decoration of Circus Maximus. The Romans had a great admiration for Egyptian statuary; they say that today there are more obelisks in Rome than in Egypt.
St. John Lateran is the official parish of the Pope. It was ordered to be built by Constantine, and the official dedication was in 324. The inside of the church is decorated with paintings, mosaics, and statues. The more notable ones are larger than life statues of each of the apostles. Each apostle bears the implements of his death. We were especially struck by Saint Bartholomew, who was flayed alive. He holds both the knife and his flayed skin!
After the church, we stopped at a local trattoria for pizza. It was incredibly delicious, and we have vowed to return. We also did a quick trip the Coliseum and the Arch of Constantine, mainly to take pictures. We are planning on returning for a full tour later in our trip.
Submitted by Charlotte Mattingly