Rome, Italy - Through the Eyes of Karl

Guest photographer and fellow traveler Karl Charbonneau has provided some of his favorite photographs from this 2010 Roman Holiday.  Enjoy the sights that his eyes (and handy dandy camera) have captured.

[Vatican] This first photograph is the award winning photograph of the spiral staircase at the Vatican.

Nothing is grander than the view of St. Peter's Basilica interior as we stared in the direction of the Bernini columns (the altar with Bernini's baldacchino).  Most of this building was financed by the selling of indulgences.  Consider it...

On the walk from the apartment to the Vatican, there was a great view of the Pont Sant'Angelo [Saint Angelo Bridge] leading to the Castel Sant'Angelo [Saint Angelo's Castle].  Nicely captured, I might add.

[Piazza Navona]  Our local "piazza" was the Piazza Navona.  It was filled with booths selling Christmas holiday items.  You can see Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (The Fountain of the Four Rivers) with the tall obelisk.  This is yet another wonderful artwork by Bernini.

Fontana del Moro (The Moor Fountain) is at one end of the piazza.

[Roman Forum] During a walk through the Roman Forum, Karl was stopped in his tracks by these doors.  Beautiful green doors and purple columns mark the entrance way to the small round Temple of Romulus, dedicated by Maxentius to his young son Romulus, after the boy’s premature death. The temple has the claim to (at least Rome’s) oldest functioning lock; if you ever see the bunch of keys of the warders of the Forum one is much bigger than the others, dating from the early 4th century AND it still works. 

I think that Karl took a photograph of the door because it was very cool looking!

[Trevi District] A trip to Rome isn't complete without tossing a coin in the Trevi Fountain.  Tossing a coin into this famous fountain ensures a return trip to Rome.  3,000 Euro coins are tossed in a day.  No wonder it was crowded!

Karl and his wealth of art knowledge daughter, Sara, toss a coin in to make sure that they return.

View of the Roman Forum.

 View of Rome and Vatican City.

Enjoying the "information" on the "Rome by the Glass" tour.