Campidoglio Visit

On Wednesday October 10, 2012 Loyola University was invited to visit the rooms of the Campidoglio, the City Hall of Rome and the Mayor’s office atop the Capitoline Hill.  Associate Dean of Students Cindy Bomben connected with alderman and JFRC neighbor Onorevole Federico Guidi to coordinate the guided tour in Italian for the group of JFRC students.  The group met in the Piazza del Campidoglio, originally designed by Michaelangelo and began with an outdoor tour explaining the two buildings of the Capitoline Museum, the structure of the piazza itself, and the history of the bronze replica statue of Marcus Aurelius.

The group then entered the remains of the Tabularium, a Late Republican Age building which lies underneath the Palazzo Senatorio.  In Roman times it was used for the conservation of the bronze tabulae containing the laws and the official deeds of the Roman State.  Palazzo Senatorio functioned as the seat of the Senate until 1870 when it became the seat of the City of Rome.  The group enjoyed the views of the ruins of the Tabularium, while hearing of ancient tales about former guards and employees from the site.

The group then moved into the main hall of the l'Aula Consiliare of the Consiglio Comunale, or city council.  At the main end of the council room, all eyes and attention are drawn to a large statue of Juilius Ceasar surrounded by various country and city flags.  In front of the statue is the main seat for the Mayor of Rome.  Surrounding the mayor are various other seats of council.  The group learned of the technicalities and processes of a regular council meeting.  Running the length of the room is a floor mosaic from Ostia Antica.   The tour concluded with this room and afterwards, the group enjoyed a pizza dinner together, alla Romana.

By Gina Crovetti