Gladiators Fight in the Colosseum-No joke!

Will 2009 be "the year of the Colosseum?" The new virtual tour of ancient Rome, 3D Rewind Rome, which is shown on the site of the old gladiators training school, already has tourists excited about immersing themselves in the events of the ancient city. Umberto Broccoli, the head of archaeology on Rome's city council, has proposed nighttime gladiator events in the Colosseum alongside recitations from famous Latin poets. And to top it off, extensive renovations are planned for the Colosseum, the Palatine, the Roman Forum, the Imperial Forum and Nero's Golden House. An exciting time to visit-especially as there are many deals to be had in Rome right now (more on those deals in the next post).

The Domus Aurea-Nero's Golden House

The emperor Nero built an extraordinary palace in Rome after a great fire destroyed many of its neighborhoods in 64 CE. The palace covered nearly 200 acres and was so spacious that the emperor set a 35 meter tall bronze statue of himself in the vestibule. It is from this colossal statue that the Colosseum derives its name, for the emperor Vespasian demolished parts of the palace and in its place erected his own amphitheater near the statue (and redesigned the statue as Apollo). During the Renaissance, amateur explorers and archaeologists found their way into the debris filled underground rooms of what remained of the palace. They found frescoes and mosaics covering the walls and floors which inspired the grotesque motifs of Renaissance decor. You can discover for yourself the power of Nero's artistic inspirations, as several rooms of the palace were opened to the public a few years ago. These rooms are located on the Oppian Hill, across the street from the Colosseum. Reservations are obligatory and can be made by phone or on-line. See the RomaTurismo website for opening hours and details.