History speaks to me

Wow!  What  an amazing experience we had today!  I had read about a special museum/exhibition entitled Le Domus Romane di Palazzo Valentini (quite a mouthful!), and was anxious to see it.  The exhibit has only been open to the public for two years and I'm so glad I found out about it.

You go underground to see the remains of a 4th century palace.  That would be cool enough in itself, but someone had this great idea to make it a multi-media experience.  You walk on a glass floor overlooking the ruins.  Then, by using lighting, holograms, and video they show you what the place would have looked like in its hey-day.  Amazing!

At the end of the exhibition, they also teach you about Trajan's Column and Trajan's Forum.  I had seen Trajan's Column before and thought it was mighty impressive with all the detailed carving work, but after seeing this exhibit I am overwhelmed by it.  Evidently the column was built in 113 AD and is 98 feet tall.  It is comprised of 20 marble drums, each weighing about 32 tons.  A frieze was carved in a diagonal pattern detailing Trajan's victories during the Dacian wars.  It includes about 2500 people in its  carved story.  There is a strong theory that this story was originally told in color.  Wow!

We also visited the Pantheon.  It was built around 25 B.C., destroyed and rebuilt in about 118 A.D.   It was originally dedicated to all the gods of ancient Rome.  It was later turned into a Christian church.

I am so thankful for being so blessed as to see these antiquities.  Another dream come true!