Rome, Italy - Vatican City area

5/12/2012 Most visits to Vatican City focus on the Cathedral and Vatican grounds.  Come along on a tour of the area and get a different point of view.  This statue is on the outside of a building which houses a large group responsible for social media. 


This portion of the tour starts on the as we cross the river and turn left (to go south) on Lungotevere Michelangelo along the west side of the Tiber River.  If you get lost, there is a map at the end of the post.

 The river is lined with shady trees and nice sidewalks

When we pass Ponte Regina Margherita, the road name changes to Lungotevere dei Mellini. as it continues to follow the river.  I think that the little cars are very cute.

Pass Ponte Cavour and the road name changes to  Lungotevere Prati.  The Rome Hall of Justice is on the right side as the bus passes through the Palazzo Di Giustizia.

We turn right on Via Triboniano, then take the left to follow Piazza Adriana around the perimeter of Sant'Angelo.

Our path follows the star pattern of the moat.  The park is named Parco Adriano.  In the center is Castel Sant'Angelo, originally built as the Mausoleum of Hadrian.  It's been a castle and fortress used by popes, and today is a museum.  The "road ways" in the bottom of the moat are named.  This one is Viale Cardinale dell'Acqua,

Viale Fratel a Scafoletti (notice the nice wide bench in the middle of the "moat".  It gets used. You can see the worn spot where people put their feet when they sit.)

Viale Ciprari Fratel Porfinio,

and Viale G. Ceccarelli Ceccanus. 

The last street name of the star shape is named Piazza Pia, and passes under the aquaduct.  I am getting good at recognizing aquaducts.  It takes skill!

You can see Castel Sant'Angelo and the angel on top.  Click here for more information. Do you recognize the building? It was featured in Dan Brown's "Angels and Demons."

 The angel on top is Verschaffelt's replacement of the original one done by Raffaello da Montelupo.  The original is still on the premises, in an open court in the interior.

 This is a view of the front, with the many vendors.

We take a sharp right and continue on the street that leads directly to the Vatican: Via della Conciliazone. The light posts along the street were obelisks.

With very nice wrought iron lamps. Click here for a very nice photo of the illuminated lamp posts that line the street towards St. Peter's Basilica.

The Corpo della Gendermeria dello Stato della Citta del Vaticano (Corps of Gerderarmie of Vatican City State).  Click here for more information.    Look in the background on the left side. Is that someone disguised as Michael Jackson?

 What do you think?

 We approach Saint Peter's Square (Piazza San Pietro),

 and take the street that goes around the piazza, Via Paolo VI.  Whoa, the horse and buggy looks really fun.  The couple in the foreground looks like they are considering a ride. Ok, enough horsing around....

 Take a left turn at the hotel of the same name on Via delle Fornaci,

(what is going on with the crowd??  Oh, another souvenir shop!!)

then a left and in to the tunnel Lungotevere Vaticano.

Out of the tunnel we cross the Ponte Principe Amadeo Savoia Aosta with views of a beautiful bridge crossing a lazy river with a castle in the background.

Left to follow Lungotevere del Sangallo along the river and every changing great views of the bridge...

until we come to Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and turn left on Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II.  "Winged Victories" are at each end, and difficult to see in this photo.

This is a fun bridge with beautiful statues.   Well, not this one. I haven't figured out what this is supposed to be at this point.

Two massive allegorical travertine sculptural groups.

We cross the bridge and drive on Via San Pio X.  The road goes down ever so slightly and the walkers use a gentle set of steps.  The building in the background is Complesso Monumentale Di Santo Spirito in Saxia.  What?? Read here about this project and the Italian private company which specializes in the management and artistic revival of monumental buildings and historic venues.

This sculpture is on the corner of the building. It is a soldier memorial.  The organization that occupies the building is  Pontificio Consiglio delle Communicazioni Sociali.  And that means "Pontifical Council for Social Communications."  Interesting in social media?  Click here for more information on this organization.

We return to Via della Conciliazione once more.  There in the background is St. Peter's Basilica.

Young people in black slacks and white shirts.  Hmmm, wonder what they do? Workers or tourists?

Refreshment stop along the way, but not for us. Good to know that these mobile units are out there.

We drive towards the Vatican until our bus finds a good place to park for some feet-on-the-street touring.

I have pointed out the black cobblestones throughout the Roman drive.  These are basalt blocks and are locally known as sampietrini and are still made today.  This information is courtesy of a great website on Rome. Click here to see more details on the cobblestones and more.

Follow the red arrows from the upper left corner.  The path turns green at the ending.

I toured this area in 2010.  For more of my photographs from inside the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's Cathedral, click here.