OUR TRIP TO ITALY APRIL 2007 -POMPEII

Next we travelled towards Naples to see the ancient ruins of Pompeii well described in the movie "The Last days of Pompeii". It was a long journey and we could see many olive trees and grapes vines along the route. Nearing Naples we could see the majestic Mount Vesuvius which is apparently dormant but still a very active volcano.Finally we came to the entrance of the excavation site of Pompeii.
Pompeii is a ruined Roman city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the commune of Pompei. It, along with Herculaneum, was destroyed, and completely buried, during a catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning 2 days on 24 August 79 AD.
The volcano collapsed higher roof-lines and buried Pompeii under many meters of ash, and it was lost for nearly 1600 years before its accidental rediscovery in 1748. Since then, its excavation has provided an extraordinarily detailed insight into the life of a city at the height of the Roman Empire.
The town was founded around the 6th century BC by the Osci or Oscans.
Today, Pompeii has become a popular tourist destination; with approximately 2.5 million visitors a year, it is the most popular tourist attraction in Italy. It is now part of a larger Vesuvius National Park and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.
When Pompeii was buried under the ash and rubble of Mount Vesuvius, the objects buried beneath it were remarkably well-preserved for thousands of years. The lack of air and moisture allowed for the objects to remain underground with little to no deterioration, which meant that, once excavated, the site had a wealth of sources and evidence for analysis, giving remarkable detail into the lives of the Pompeiians. Weathering, erosion, light exposure, water damage, poor methods of excavation and reconstruction, introduced plants and animals, tourism, vandalism and theft have all damaged the site in some way. Two-thirds of the city has been excavated, but the remnants of the city are rapidly deteriorating.
There is a market with walls depicted with fresco of fishes. Near this was a well preserved body of one of inhabitant of Pompeii. There were statues of some half human half animal god and remarkable well preseved pillars. There was a area which was supposed to be a brothel with rooms depicting frescos of different positions of sex. There was an arena which has converted to allow people to view modern rock concerts during certain festivals.
After a satisfying meal (the best pizza in Italy) at the restaurant outsde the entrance, we retired to our hotel for the night.

OUR TRIP TO ITALY APRIL 2007 -ROME- ST PETER IN CHAINS, PANTHEON

Next Morning we travel to see other buildings in Rome.
Most notable were the Basilica of ST Peter in Chains where the chains binding St Peter after his capture by the Romans were kept.
Saint Peter in Chains is a basilica in Rome, best known for housing Michelangelo's statue Moses.The interior has a nave and two aisles, with three apses divided by antique Doric-style columns. The aisles are surmounted by cross-vaults, while the nave has an 18th century lacunar ceiling, frescoed in the center by Giovanni Battista Parodi, portraying the Miracle of the Chains (1706).
Michelangelo's Moses (completed 1515), while originally intended as part of a massive 47-statue, free-standing funeral monument for Pope Julius II, became the centerpiece of the Pope's funeral monument and tomb in this, his family's church. Moses is depicted with horns, as opposed to "the radiance of the Lord", due to the similarity in the Latin between the word for "beams of light" and "horns".
Other art works include two canvas of Saint Augustine and St. Margret by Guercino, the monument of cardinal Girolamo Agucchi designed by Domenichino (also author of a sacristy fresco depicting the Liberation of St. Peter (1604). The altarpiece of the basilica contains the chains used to bind Peter during his capture by the Romans.

After the basilica of ST Peter in chains, we travel to see the Pantheon, one of the oldest building in Rome which houses the dieties of Ancient Rome and was later given to the Pope Boniface IV who then renamed it the church of ST Mary and all the Martyr Saints. Here we can see two religions with their religious symbols in one church, hence the name Pantheon or Temple of the Gods.
The Pantheon ( meaning "Temple of all the Gods") is a building in Rome which was originally built as a temple to the seven deities of the seven planets in the state religion of Ancient Rome. It is the best preserved of all Roman buildings, and perhaps the best preserved building of its age in the world. It has been in continuous use throughout its history. Although the identity of the Pantheon's primary architect remains uncertain, it is largely assigned to Apollodorus of Damascus. Since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a Christian church.In 609 the Byzantine emperor Phocas gave the building to Pope Boniface IV, who reconsecrated it as a Christian church titled Santa Maria ad Martyres (in English the Church of Mary and all the Martyr Saints).

Lastly before we left Rome and its historical buildings and heritage, we also indulged in some of the best delicacies provided by Rome. The ' best ice cream' in Rome comes with at least 50 over flavours. It was a particularly hot day so we enjoyed an ohur of rest quenching our thirst with ice cream.