The New Forum

Friday we toured the New Forum for our history class. This new Forum is a series of basilicas and open Forum areas that were interconnected. The seat of power of Rome moved there with the take over by the first emperors Julius, Octavian (Augustus) and Trajan. Each of these projects was built over during the Medieval and Renaissance periods or fell into ruin. They used to be massive buildings towering in the sky, but now are just a small series of walls and pediments (foundations of columns and walls) that cover the landscape. The monuments were originally unearthed during the Fascist era and have been continued to be excavated to this day.

The second set of pictures is from the reconstructed tomb of Augustus Caesar. This mausoleum was rebuilt by the Fascists to commemorate the 2000th birthday of the Roman Emperor. The modern architect Richard Meier was chosen to construct the current housing place of the monument, as the old facility was very poor.

Forum of Julius Caesar

Forum of Caesar with the Vittorio Emmanuelle Monument in the background.

Reconstruction of the Forum of Julius.

Forum of Augustus where it is attached to the Forum of Nerva

Forum of Augustus.

The top of the column of Trajan, now with a statue of St. Peter perched atop it. 

Very grimy statues on a nearby church.

Inscriptions on the column of Trajan. (More to come on this in later posts)

Reconstruction of the Mausoleum of Augustus.

On a very busy day at the Mausoleum, Adam in the foreground

Quite a juxtaposition between old and new here.

The Richard Meier building with tomb inside.