Arches and ceilings in Roman construction. Architecture of the Roman Empire. Architectural structures of Ancient Rome
The construction of a number of large engineering structures dates back to this period, including the large port in Ostia. In 102, to control Dacca, Trajan built a large stone bridge with concrete supports across the Danube. Of course, it was not he who built, but his master builders, among whom Apollodorus from Damascus stood out. He was probably one of the most educated and talented engineers of the Roman Empire, since in addition to the bridge he built a number of large and structurally complex structures, such as the Trajan Forum, the circus and the baths in Rome, named after the emperor. He is credited with the construction of one of the most beautiful and outstanding structures in world architecture - the concrete Pantheon in Rome.
Construction continued even more intensively during the reign of Emperor Hadrian (117-138). Adrian took part in the construction not only as an organizer, but also as an architect and civil engineer. Most He spent his life traveling around the empire. Hadrian visited all the Roman provinces, was a great admirer of Greek culture, and admired the skill of Egyptian artists.
In his declining years, he ordered the construction of a country villa with concrete walls in the city of Tibur, near Rome, and there to reproduce in miniature everything that had so impressed him during his travels. In 132, Adrian began to build a grandiose mausoleum for himself and a bridge to it, spanning the Tiber. The construction of these structures was completed in 139. The construction activity of Hadrian's immediate successors was not so lively. Among the most significant buildings are the temple in honor of the wife of Emperor Antoninus Pius and the column named after Marcus Aurelius.
During the reign of Septimius Severus (193-211), there was some revival of construction activity. According to his contemporary Lempidarius, “...He restored the buildings of former sovereigns and erected many of them himself, including baths named after himself. I also carried out what is called Alexandrova water...
He was the first to introduce the Alexander method of finishing with two types of marble. In the Forum of Trajan, he erected statues of great people, moving them from everywhere... He restored the bridges built by Trajan in almost all places, and in some he built them again...” In 203, to commemorate the victories over the Parthians and Arabs in Rome is being built on a powerful concrete foundation is the triumphal arch of Septimius Severus, 23 m high and 25 m wide. The architecture of this period is distinguished by a wealth of decorative decoration, giving the buildings a ceremonial appearance.
Under Emperor Caracalla (211-217), the most grandiose and beautiful baths in the history of the city were built in Rome, where as the main building material concrete was used. The entire complex of buildings occupied 16 hectares and was completed in a little over four years.
If previously there were large financial expenses caused by wars, road construction, community service, hunger and plague epidemics were covered by war trophies, tribute from conquered peoples or money from the sale of prisoners and confiscated lands, but now, at the beginning of the 3rd century, such opportunities are sharply reduced.
Rome at that time, like many cities of its provinces, still retained its external splendor, but the decline, rooted in the very structure of the Roman Empire, was already clearly visible. Pirates began to threaten maritime trade again, and land routes became unsafe due to increased incidents of robbery. A period of extreme economic disintegration ensued; Cities were depopulated, fields were empty, as there were not enough workers, and there was a deepening of typical forms of subsistence farming.
In the second half of the 3rd century, after the onslaught of barbarians on the Roman borders intensified, intensive construction of fortresses and walls began throughout the vast empire. Thus, from the first days of his reign, Aurelian began to fortify Rome with powerful walls, the construction of which was completed in 282.
The measures and numerous decrees of Diocletian, and later Constantine, aimed at normalizing the economic life of the country, were crowned with success. The external danger to the Roman state was temporarily eliminated, order was strengthened, and peace was ensured. One of the main methods of state policy was the “militarization” of the entire state, including the civilian part of the population. Taking the large eastern monarchies as a model, the emperors created a socio-economic system in which every citizen was considered to be in the service of the state only. No one had the right to leave the social category or craft organization in which he was located. No one could evade the activity for which he was destined from the day of his birth. Previously free colleges that united people by profession have now turned into compulsory corporations. Most artisans received cash, and more often in kind, benefits from the state, but for this they had to come to terms with the fact that their freedom was now sharply limited.
In this situation, capital construction is growing and expanding. The amphitheater in Verona, built in 290, dates back to the reign of Diocletian - a building reminiscent in type and size of the Colosseum in Rome. In 305, the huge concrete baths of Diocletian were built. They accommodated 3,200 people at a time and were the largest structure of this type created in the entire history of Roman construction.
Under Constantine, who continued the traditions of Diocletian in the field of public administration, on May 11, 330, the solemn consecration of the new capital of the Roman Empire took place, which was named Constantinople. It quickly began to be built up, decorated with magnificent buildings and works of art transported from Rome and Greece.
By the 4th century. The Roman Empire is entering the last and final stage of its development. A system of so-called natural-closed serf relations is gradually taking shape. Trade in the country is declining, almost all types of government payments are being naturalized. The appearance of cities is changing. They now take the form of fortresses, bounded by powerful walls and towers. Estates turn into independent political and economic units, and their owner becomes a sovereign, with an army of slaves and colons. The Empire of Rome was disintegrating before our eyes. At the end of the 4th century. a new socio-political crisis arises. At the same time, the pressure of barbarians on the borders of the state is increasing. Huge masses of Huns, Alans and Goths moved from the Caspian steppes to the West. 24 August 410 the eternal City fell
Thus, as a result of the aggressive policy Ancient Rome, enriching it through wars, the construction of large engineering structures, luxurious mansions, palaces, temples, residential and public buildings is developing. In turn, this required a new strong, durable and relatively cheap material, which was concrete. However, gold and slaves alone were not enough to carry out large concrete construction projects. Well-established labor organization, engineering knowledge and construction equipment were required.
The sober Roman mind was brilliantly reflected in the construction of roads, stone bridges and aqueducts. The Romans were truly great masters of road construction. They were prompted to build roads by trade and military needs, and personal needs. One of the oldest Roman roads, along which Roman legions went to conquer the Mediterranean, was built back in 312 BC. - ThisVia Appia (Appian Way). It was covered with stone pavement and originally connected Rome with Capua.
All Roman roads were constantly expanded and improved. In general, the road network in Ancient Rome was about 80 thousand kilometers long, many of the roads still serve people today.
No less great were the successes in the field of constructionstone bridges And aqueducts - water pipelines, through which about a hundred cities of the Roman Empire received water. The pinnacle of Roman bridge construction is the bridge across the Danube, over a kilometer long, built by Apollodorus at the beginning of the 2nd century AD. under Trajan. In the same century, somewhat later, the longest of the Roman aqueducts was built - in Carthage, with a length of 132 kilometers.
A typically Roman invention was the construction of baths -term. IN greek cities Baths were rarely built and were not so popular. In Rome, the baths were one of the most visited places. They had several departments: steam rooms, warm and cold baths, gyms, recreation rooms and even buffets and libraries. Thus, one could spend time here with benefit and pleasure.
Masterpieces of Roman architecture includebaths of Emperor Caracalla, erected in Rome at the beginning of the 3rd century AD. They amazed with the majestic scale of their halls, the luxury of decoration (mosaic floors, wall paintings, sculpture), and skillfully planned water supply system (the water in all pools was changed in a matter of minutes). Like other Roman baths, the Baths of Caracalla were heated by hot air from underground furnaces: it was distributed through pipes laid in the floors, walls and vaults.
The type created by the Romans has been established in world architecture for centuries.basilicas. The basilica is a rectangular building, divided inside by longitudinal rows of columns into 3 or 5 parts (naves) with independent ceilings. The central nave is higher than the side nave: the upper part of its walls, cut through by windows, protrudes above the roofs of the side naves.
In Ancient Rome, basilicas served as courtrooms, markets, exchanges, that is, they were secular buildings. Later, the basilica became one of the main types Christian temple, gaining particular popularity in the Middle Ages.
The Romans, who valued all kinds of spectacles, paid great attention to the construction of theaters andamphitheaters - buildings for gladiator fights, sea battles and animal persecution.
The only partially preserved ancient theater in Rome isTheater of Marcellus , built in 13 BC. The architectural system used in it was used in all Roman theaters.
Unlike the Greek ones, Roman theaters were not located on a hillside, but on flat ground. Therefore, seats for spectators were arranged on auxiliary structures. The novelties of the Roman theater were a curtain that lowered, hiding in a special slot, and cloth awnings for protection from the sun (like Greek theaters, Roman ones did not have roofs). The interior decoration was distinguished by a luxury unprecedented among the Greeks.
Originally associated with funerary rites, gladiatorial combat was a favorite pastime of the Romans. There were about a hundred amphitheaters in Italy. The most famous among them is the Flavian Amphitheater, which later received the name Colosseum. . It could accommodate about 50,000 spectators at a time. This is an oval four-tier building with a perfectly planned system of corridors, stairs and exits: tens of thousands of spectators could, if necessary, leave the building in 5 minutes.
Seats for spectators in all Roman amphitheaters were located in an ellipse, and not in a semicircle, as in the ancient theater.
The Roman state goes through a difficult path of development. It first conquers Italy (V-III centuries BC), then Carthage (II century BC) and, finally, Greece (II century BC).
The architecture of Ancient Rome changed noticeably throughout the existence of this powerful state.
Many features formed the basis of Roman art. The predecessors of the Romans were the Etruscans. In the middle of the first millennium they already had their own culture. Etruscan temples are similar to Greek peripters, but they emphasize the front façade more strongly: in front of the entrance there is a platform with columns, and a multi-stage staircase leads to it. When constructing gates, the Etruscans often used a semicircular arch, which the Greeks knew almost nothing about. Their houses had a room in the center with an open square hole in the roof in the middle and walls black with soot. Apparently there was a fireplace there. This gave rise to calling this room an atrium (from the word “ater” - “black”).
Atrium - a room with a hole in the roof
In culture, the official state current of Hellenized society and popular tastes, dating back to the Italian past, collide.
In general, the Roman state is isolated and opposed to the private individual. It was famous for its system of government and law.
The army was the basis of world power. Supreme power was concentrated in the hands of commanders who had little regard for the national and national interests, and cities were built on the model of camps.
According to the views of Vitruvius (the treatise written 27-25 BC), architecture falls into two categories: design and proportions (the relationships between individual parts of the building serve as its basis). And the aesthetic principle is only in the order, the columns attached to the structures.
During the Augustan era (30 BC - 14 AD), architectural monuments such as the “square house” in Nîmes (South France) or the Temple of Fortune Virilis, belonging to the type of pseudoperipterus, were built. The pseudoperipter is similar to the peripter, but the cella is moved back slightly. The temple is placed on a high podium; a wide staircase leads to its entrance (this determines the similarity of the pseudoperipter with Etruscan temples). Only in the Roman temple are the classical forms of the order more strictly observed: fluted columns, Ionian capitals, entablature.
Maison Carré "Square House" in Nîmes (France). I century BC e.
Temple of Fortune Virilis. I century BC e.
Types of homes of wealthy citizens
The originality of Roman architecture responded even more strongly in a new type of dwelling in the spirit of eclecticism: the Italic atrium and the Hellenistic peristyle. The richest Pompeian buildings, such as the houses of Pansa, Faun, Loreus Tiburtina, and Vettii, belong to this type. The peristyle served more as a decoration for a rich estate than as a place for the varied life of its inhabitants, as it was in the houses of Greece.
Unlike the Greek dwelling, all rooms were built in strict order on the sides of its main axis.
Atrium
Peristyle of the House of the Vettii, seen from the side of the large triclinium.
Portico and garden in the house of Lorey Tiburtina
House of the Faun (Villa Publius Sulla). Present tense
House of the Faun (Villa Publius Sulla). It was like that before
Villa of Publius Sulla (House of the Faun). Interior garden with peristyle and Ionic order
Pompeian villas enchant with the high perfection of applied art. But there is a lot of vanity and tasteless luxury slipping in: painting walls with copies of famous Greek paintings of the 4th century, imitating Egyptian flat decorations, or, conversely, creating a deceptive impression of windows.
The Augustan era is characterized by stylization and eclecticism. Among the best monuments of this time is the Altar of Peace in the Forum. The difference in the relief immediately catches the eye: the figures are placed in several plans, which gives a picture-like quality, but between the figures there is no sense of space, air, or light environment, as in Hellenistic reliefs.
Altar of Peace, built in honor of the Goddess of Peace. Indoor museum.
Relief of one of the walls of the altar
The classical movement under Augustus was the main one, but not the only one. In the II century. BC. supporters of Old Testament antiquity opposed imitation of the Greeks.
Engineering structures. Aqueducts
Among the Roman monuments, there is a large section dedicated to engineering structures. Thus, many elements of urban improvement appeared: the paved Appian Way, a water supply system, an aqueduct.
Pont du Gard at Nimes Pont du Gard
Pompeii. Italy
Rome
Lead water supply
Forum
Art becomes in the hands of sovereigns a means of strengthening their authority. Hence the spectacular nature of architectural structures, the large scale of construction, and the predilection for enormous sizes. In Roman architecture there was more shameless demagoguery than genuine humanism and a sense of beauty.
The most magnificent type of building was the forum. Every emperor sought to immortalize himself with such a structure.
The Forum of Emperor Trajan reaches almost the size of the Athenian Acropolis. But in their design, the acropolis and the forum are profoundly different. Prim order and predilection for strict symmetry are expressed on a huge scale.
Forum of Emperor Trajan. Italy
Roman builders did not operate with volumes, like the builders of the Athenian Acropolis, but with open interiors, within which small volumes (columns and temples) stood out. This increased role of the interior characterizes the Roman forum as a stage of great historical significance in the development of world architecture.
Forum, in the center - the columns of the Temple of Saturn, behind them the triumphal arch of Septimius Severus
The photo on the left shows the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine, the largest building ever built in the forum in 312.
The Temple of Peace, also known as the Forum of Vespasiana (Latin: Forum Vespasiani), was built in Rome in 71 AD. e.
Tabularium building ( state archive) in the Forum, 78 BC. e. - the earliest of the structures that have survived to this day, in which the system of Roman cell architecture was used, combining two opposing design principles - beam and vaulted construction.
Urban layout
Roman cities, like Ostia in Italy or Timgrad (in Africa), are similar in the strict correctness of their plan to military camps. Straight streets are bordered by rows of columns accompanying all movement around the city. The streets end with huge triumphal arches. Living in such a city meant always feeling like a soldier, being in a state of mobilization.
Timgrad is an ancient Roman city in North Africa, located in modern Algeria. 100 AD e.
Triumphal arches
A new type of Roman architecture was the triumphal arch. One of the best is the Arch of Titus. Arches were erected to serve as memories of victories among generations. In the construction of this arch there are two types of order: one implied - on which rests a semi-circular arch, separated from it by a cornice; another order, marked by mighty half-columns, is placed on a high podium and gives the entire architecture a character of pompous solemnity. Both orders penetrate each other; the cornice of the first merges with the cornices of the niches. For the first time in the history of architecture, a building consists of the relationship of two systems.
The Roman predilection for the impression of heaviness and strength is reflected in the Arch of Titus in the huge entablature and attic. Sharp shadows from the cornice add tension and strength to architectural forms.
Amphitheaters
Amphitheaters served as an arena for entertaining and spectacular spectacles for large crowds: gladiator performances and fist competitions. Unlike Greek theaters, they did not provide high artistic impressions. For example, the Colosseum building, which had 80 exits, allowed spectators to quickly fill the rows and leave just as quickly. Inside, the Colosseum makes an irresistible impression with its clarity and simplicity of form. On the outside it was decorated with statues. The entire Colosseum expressed restraint, at the same time as impressiveness. For this reason, its three open tiers are crowned with a fourth, more massive, dissected by only flat pilasters.
The Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater) today. Year of construction -80 n. e.
The original appearance of the Colosseum
Colosseum inside
The entire centuries-old experience of Roman construction was used in the construction of the Pantheon: its double walls with rubble mass inside, unloading arches, a dome with a diameter and height of 42 m. Architecture had never known such a huge artistically designed space. The special strength of the Pantheon lies in the simplicity and integrity of its architectural compositions. There is no complex gradation of scale, no increase in features that give increased expressiveness.
Thermal Baths
The needs of city life created in the middle of the 1st century. AD new type buildings - thermal baths. These buildings met various needs: from the culture of the body to the need for mental food and reflection in solitude. From the outside, the baths had an unremarkable appearance. The main thing about them is. With a large variety of plan forms, builders subordinated them to symmetry. The walls were lined with marble - red, pink, purple or soft green.
Ruins of the baths of Emperor Caracalla (Antonine Baths). III century (212-217)
The history of ancient art ends with Roman art.
The Romans valued those arts and sciences that had direct practical knowledge. The leading arts of Rome were architecture and engineering structures. The architecture was dominated civilian buildings dominated cult. If the Greeks had the main building temple, the Romans created many new types of architecture that emphasized the power of the Roman Empire.
The main building material in Rome was stone And brick. A durable and waterproof building material was created - concrete.
The main design elements of the Romans were: arch, vault And dome, which made it possible to cover spaces without internal supports.
The pinnacle of the Romans' construction activities were impeccable engineering structures: roads and bridges (viaducts), water pipelines and aquiducts.
The rationalism of the Romans was reflected in urban planning. The most common type of development was the city-camp. It had a rectangular shape with two main mutually perpendicular streets - cardo (north - south) and decumanus (east - west). At the intersection of these streets there was a forum - the administrative center of the city, where public buildings were located:
temple, for example, the Temple of Vesta and the Pantheon - “temple of all gods”
basilica(court, city archive), for example, the Basilica of Constantine.
baths(the complex includes a library, lecture and gymnasium halls, a games room, cold, warm and hot baths). For example, the baths of Diocletian and Caracalla, which accommodated 3 thousand people and occupied 11 hectares.
theater, which was based on Greek. It was built on retaining structures and had several floors. For example, the theater in Pompeii.
odeon- a small theater for musical and poetic performances.
amphitheater- for gladiator fights. It was oval in shape, and along the facade there were tiers of arcades, decorated with an order. For example, the Colosseum.
Circuses- for equestrian competitions, they had an elongated horseshoe shape. For example, the Circus Maximus in Rome.
They remind us of the glory and power of the great empire triumphal arches and columns. The most famous are Arch of Augustus in Rome and Arch of Constantine, Trojan's Column.
Funerary architecture was dominated by mausoleums And tombs(for the nobility) sarcophagi And columbariums(for the middle strata of the population).
The residential buildings of the Romans were divided into city houses and rural dwellings (villas). for example, the urban type of housing refers to Patrician domus. It had a closed rectangular building with a courtyard in the center. Cities were built for the poor population (plebeians) insulins- multi-storey urban residential buildings. For the nobility - palaces.
To the rural type - country villa (rustic villa) with a manor house, a utility yard, a garden, a park, thermal baths, a fountain and a swimming pool.
2. Ancient Greek theater. Its design. Performance and actors.
Ancient Greek theater was considered " school for adults", a school of citizenship, courage, wisdom and played a huge role in the life of the Greek. The theater originates from religious holidays in honor of the god of spring, the sun and fertile land, the patron of winemaking - Dionysus.
Twice a year (in the fall, after the harvest, and in the spring, when the earth blossomed and the barrels of new wine were opened), the ancient Greeks held a ceremony in honor of the god of winemaking " passion of Dionysus" - festivities, autumn - Rural Dionysia, in spring - Great, or Urban, Dionysia. The holiday lasted 5 days - processions and sacrifices took place on the first, and during the rest four days performances were shown.
Organized a theatrical performance archon - city government representative. He appointed from wealthy citizens chorega -philanthropist, who paid for the production of plays.
Even during the time of the Rural Dionysius, farmers wore goat skins and masks and imitated satyrs. They sang in honor of Dionysus hymns of praise- praises- and depicted some feat. This group of singers was called - in unison. In the first performances only the choir sang, later choir director- luminary- and the actor portraying the god Dionysus began to talk with the choir and each other - dialogue.
Thus, from the choral songs of the goat-footed companions of Dionysus, the main genres of Greek theatrical art arose:
tragedy- talked about gods and heroes from myths, raised eternal problems: about honor and valor.
comedy- the characters here were ordinary people, their shortcomings and vices were ridiculed.
"drama of satyrs"("tragedy that jokes"). Here, tragic heroes were portrayed comically, and the chorus was dressed as satyrs who represented half-humans and half-beasts.
The theater consisted of three main parts:
Theatron- a place for spectators, on the side of a hill and could accommodate thousands of people.
Orchestra- This is a round platform on which actors and a choir performed.
Skena- a small building where the actors changed clothes. It was located at the edge of the orchestra opposite the audience seats. . Initially, the performance consisted of songs and dances performed by a choir. Later, the actors appeared and conducted a dialogue with the leader of the choir. Participants in performances in ancient Greece there were only men. To better see what was happening on stage, the actors played on buskins - special shoes with thick soles that elevate the actor’s height. and in male and female masks, which were larger than the hero’s face and had large, expressive features. The masks had a large mouth in the form of a horn, which amplified the actor's voice. The masks depicted the hero’s state: joy, grief, pain, fear, cruelty, etc. A wig with a fluffy hairstyle was worn over the mask. The actors performed in costumes: happy characters in bright costumes, and tragic ones in dark ones.
Greek theater brought worldwide fame Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes.
Aeschylus- he is considered the “father of tragedy,” introduced a second actor and turned attention from the chorus to the dialogue of the actors.
Sophocles - introduces a third actor and reduced the size of the choir part.
Euripides- the third master of Greek tragedy. brought tragedy closer to life, showing his heroes as they are.
Aristophanes- “father of comedy”, who ridiculed the ugly sides of people’s lives, raised questions about war and peace, unfortunate politicians, inequality, etc.
The Roman Empire is one of the ancient civilizations peace. Its history begins more than three thousand years ago, and it flourished in the first centuries of our era. The collapse of ancient Roman civilization is associated with the raids of barbarians, which also marked the beginning of the destruction of an immense number of architectural structures of that time. Only a part of them have survived to this day, but this is enough to enjoy the grandeur and beauty of ancient cultural objects.
The tenth place among the most popular architectural attractions of Rome can be safely given to this unique structure. Reason for construction Arc de Triomphe in 81 AD was prompted by the capture of Jerusalem a decade earlier by Emperor Titus.
The arch has one span and is located on the Sacred Way Via Sacra. A distinctive feature of the building is the amazing bas-relief inside the arch, which depicts a procession of soldiers showing off their trophies obtained in Jerusalem.
The arch has almost completely preserved its original appearance, with the exception of the absence of a statue of Titus himself, cast from bronze, at the top of the monument.
Thanks to its unique structure, this monument rises to 9th place in the ranking among others. The column is dedicated to Emperor Trajan, who came from ordinary legionnaires, who strengthened and strengthened the power of the Roman Empire during his reign.
The monument was erected in 113 AD. Inside there is a spiral staircase leading to observation deck capitals, and the outside of the column is decorated with relief episodes from battles during the war between Dacia and Rome.
The base of the monument, inside which urns with ashes are located, is the tomb of Emperor Trajan, who died in 117 AD, and his life partner.
Trevi Fountain
Preserved in Rome a large number of beautiful fountains, among which the most popular is the Trevi Fountain, for which it received eighth place in the list of attractions.
This building has an amazing history. Back in 20 AD, Emperor Octavian Augustus established a water supply for residents with clean water, fed from a source 12 km away from the city. Until the 18th century, the building had a modest appearance, and only in 1762, after a thirty-year period of construction, it acquired its unique appearance.
The fountain is a stone sculpture of the sea god Neptune, surrounded by many characters, striking in the precision of their details and facial expressions.
Baths of Caracalla
Seventh place goes to the so-called “bath complexes” of Rome. They were created under Marcus Aurelius, the emperor nicknamed Caracalla, in the 3rd century AD.
The building had many compartments designed not only to wash, but also to completely relax, enjoy and rest your soul. The buildings included the baths themselves (therms), libraries, places for theatrical performances, and gymnasiums.
The purpose of this building was to attract people and popularize the thermal baths, and therefore the emperors sought not only to decorate the walls and floors of the building with unique mosaics and marble, but also collected numerous sculptures and other art treasures in it.
Catacombs
The sixth place goes to the numerous underground labyrinths of Rome, which are antique places burials of people canonized as saints.
The burials lasted from the 1st to the 5th centuries AD. During this period, about 750 thousand people were buried in the tombs, which number more than sixty.
Since the catacombs are located along the entire perimeter of the city in its different areas, there is no one specific entrance to them. You can get into the underground labyrinths by studying the official websites of the tombs.
Mausoleum of Hadrian
Another unique building of Ancient Rome - the Castel Sant'Angelo - falls into fifth place in the ranking. During its history, this place has managed to be a tomb, a prison, a residence of popes and a repository of their valuables, a castle, and is currently a museum and architectural monument.
The mausoleum was built in 139 AD by order of Emperor Hadrian himself, who revered art and architecture, for his own burial.
The structure is a twenty-meter high building, cylindrical in shape, and installed on a large square base. Initially, the top of the structure was decorated with a statue of Hadrian, represented in the form of the god Helios driving the chariot. A wonderful bridge decorated with big amount antique sculptures.
Saint Paul's Cathedral
Due to its status as the main cathedral of the Catholic Church, this building rises to fourth place in the ranking of famous architectural structures in Rome.
The construction of the cathedral lasted more than forty years and was the result of the work of many famous sculptors and architects, such as Michelangelo Buonarotti, Giacomo della Porta, Carlo Maderna.
The building has a stunning facade with a cornice topped with sculptures of the eleven apostles (except Peter), John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. And in front of the cathedral itself there are statues of Peter holding the key to the Kingdom of Heaven, and the Apostle Paul solemnly holding a sword in his hand.
The height of the dome mounted on the columns of the cathedral remains the highest in the world to this day, being 138 meters.
The cathedral amazes with its scale and a huge amount compartments lined with sculptures, paintings, stucco moldings. The costs of its construction were so enormous that Pope Leo X was forced to sell Albrecht of Brandenburg the rights to exercise indulgences in German lands, because of whose selfishness a European split occurred in the future.
The top three is opened by a temple built by order of Emperor Hadrian back in the 2nd century AD, and dedicated to all the Gods.
Like many other buildings of ancient Rome, the Pantheon is a tomb for the burial of many famous people(Umberto I and Raphael are buried here).
The most popular and unique feature of the structure is the circular opening located on the roof of the dome, through which a bright, wide beam of light enters the building at midday.
The temple is famous for its rich interior decoration with colored marble, beautiful frescoes and majestic decoration. And, despite the presence of thick walls and a massive dome, a feeling of lightness and integrity of all structures is created inside.
Second place in the ranking goes to the center of public life in Rome - a square built on the site of a once marshy area used for cemeteries, and drained using sewer systems, several centuries BC.
The Roman Forum featured such magnificent architectural structures as the Temple of Vespasian, the Temple of Saturn and the Temple of Vesta.
The temple dedicated to the god Saturn, built 5 centuries BC, has undergone many changes associated with constant destruction and restoration, and has reached our time only in the form of a few columns.
Approximately the same fate affected the Temple of Vespasian, built in 79 AD, of which only three high columns towering 15 meters above the ground now remain.
Only the Temple of Vesta, erected in honor of the goddess of the hearth, has reached our time. After numerous fires that broke out in the building, it was decided to close it, and therefore the building fell into disrepair and became very dilapidated.
This building rightfully ranks first on the list, since it has long been not just a majestic building, but an undeniable symbol of Ancient and modern Rome.
The amphitheater is a multi-tiered oval-shaped building with many arches of different sizes located along the perimeter. It took 8 years to build this structure. Each tier is strengthened by columns erected in different architectural styles (Corinthian, Ionic, Doric order).
The exterior of the Colosseum was decorated in marble, and the perimeter was decorated with stunning sculptures.
The most important persons of Rome and the emperor himself sat in the lower boxes for privileged persons.
Although only one third of the building remains intact, the Roman Colosseum remains one of the most stunning architectural structures in the entire world.