Here We Go Again

First home game of the season!

We played Bologna, and did terribly.  The score was 2-0 Rome for most of the game, and then in the last 20 minutes Bologna scored 2, making a tie.  Che cazzo!  Rome is notorious for starting the season badly but then doing well in the end (like they did last year), so that's what I'm hoping for.  Currently we are second-to-last in the Seria A league, which is shameful, but again, we were at the bottom at the beginning of last year and ended up finishing second, so...  Also, the soccer season here is ridiculously long, lasting from the end of August until mid-May, so there is plenty of time to make up those points!

Have to get that sign just right.

The reaction of long-time fans towards the end of the game. :(

End of Summer Party

This Saturday the Hertziana, together with the American Academy, the British Academy, and one other Institute that I can't remember, threw a party to celebrate (or mourn) the end of summer.  It was held in the courtyard of the Palazzo Strogonaff, which is an area that I can go to anytime I please and eat lunch if I wish.

The party started at 8:30, but knowing this is Italy we assumed nothing would really get started until an hour later, so we showed up around 10pm.  Oops!  We forgot that these are the Germans, and so apparently the party started on the dot, but it was still in full-swing when we got there.

With Carly and Liz, both of whom are at the American Academy for the next two years.  Carly is a fellow grad student at Rutgers and Liz was a Fulbright last year.

Bibliotheca Hertziana

Last week I began working at the Bibliotheca Hertziana, which is the library that the Kress Foundation has a relationship with in Rome.  It is not only in a beautiful location and series of buildings, but has the best collection of art historical literature in the city.  Beginning next week I plan to be there just about every day to work on my dissertation and hopefully complete this thing called grad school.  I am so excited that I have a place to go and do my work, and having an office with my own desk makes it feel much more permanent than moving around to different libraries like I did last year, always carting along my stuff with me.

This is the main building, the Palazzo Zuccari, which was built in the 1590s by Federico Zuccari, a Mannerist artist probably most famous for his frescoes inside the dome of the Duomo in Florence.  The palazzo is just above the Spanish Steps in a beautiful spot between the streets Via Sistina and Via Gregoriana.

A true Mannerist, Zuccari added elements of humor and surprise to his architecture, like this door frame.  This picture is from google because the building has been under restoration for quite some time, and therefore most of the facade is covered by scaffolding.

 

 Door to the main building of the library and institute.

Detail of the door.  The HH stands for Henrichetta Hertz, who purchased the palazzo in the early 1900s from the last descendants of the Zuccari family.  During Hertz's ownership of the building it was also used as an Inn for traveling artists during the grand tour.  Finally, it was given to Germany and transformed into the library and institute it is today, dedicated to art history.  The name "Bibliotheca Hertziana" is the Italianized version of the German "Hertz bibliothek", or Hertz library.  Given that the institute is owned by Germany, all of the scholars and staff are German, and the place is therefore known as "Deutschland piccola" or "little Germany" by the Italians.  Who knew I would be hearing German all the time while in Italy?  So far I've mastered the phrase, "Es tut mir leid, Ich spreche kein Deutsch" which means "I'm sorry, I don't speak German".  That is about all I plan to learn.  Luckily everyone also speaks either English or Italian, or both. 

Inside the main entrance, with a view of the ceiling frescoes by Federico Zuccari.  This is the thing with Rome (and all cities in Italy)-- many old buildings are taken over by various businesses and so their workspace is adorned with original frescoes and decoration.  The downside to this is that they are often closed to the public and therefore such decoration is often never seen by many.  The Palazzo Farnese, which is now the French Embassy, with the fabulous frescoes by Anibale Carracci, is a classic example.  There are also important early-Baroque frescoes inside the US Embassy in Rome.

The reading room, for visiting scholars.

The ceiling of the reading room.  Not too shabby!

Stairs up to my office.  At least my thighs will be in shape!  (Luckily there is also an elevator.)

I share my office with another woman.  This is a view of her desk, as well as the (sadly non-functioning) fireplace, and closet.  Also, notice the chandelier?  Pretty!

Other side of the room with the doors and bookcase.  The steps on the far left lead up to a small bathroom.

My desk and the window.

View from the window, towards the top of the Spanish Steps.

The Hertziana owns two other buildings, the Palazzo Stroganoff, which is adjacent to the Zuccari, and another building a few doors down that houses the photo library.  This is the entrance to the Stroganoff, a 19th century palace that houses a large portion of the library's holdings as well as various offices.

Beautiful fireplace and fresco inside the main entrance.

More stairs!

While at the Stroganoff I had to visit our IT guy to get my computer linked up to the network.  The center window is his office.  Life is hard here in Rome.

A Few Misc. Things

Apologies for the lack of posts, but nothing much has been going on besides the world cup and trying to keep cool (it's hot!).

A week or so ago a few of us went to see the Miracle Players, an English-speaking theater group that puts on free shows during the summer in Rome.  This season's performance was "The History of Rome, Part I".  The group is known for its humor, and beautiful setting within the forum.

With Ashley and Katie.

The performers.  Could you ask for a better backdrop?

Julius Caesar and Marc Antony.

Caligula.

Cardinals afoot near St Peter's!

The pope and his security.

Driving home.

Tuesday was the feast of Sts Peter and Paul, the patron saints of Rome, and on Monday night fireworks were set off at the Castel S'Angelo to start the festivities.  Apparently these fireworks were designed by Michelangelo back in the day.  I don't know if that's true or not, but they were beautiful, and since we won't see any on the 4th of July, they were fun to watch.

The crowds before the show.

Cars stopped on the side of the road to watch.

Walking home from the fireworks.

We interrupt this blog to bring you the World Cup

Last night we made our way to the Villa Borghese where a huge Fifa Fan Fest was set up in Piazza di Siena.  A few of these are set up around the world (in Paris, Berlin, Mexico City, etc.), where there is a huge screen set up to watch all the World Cup action.  All of the games are shown live, but our first venture out was for Italy's debut.  Being in a country that is obsessed with soccer/football/calcio is so much fun, and it's really hard not to be swept up in all the excitement.  With this past AS Roma season, and now the World Cup, I have turned into a serious fan.

Me and Katie.  The hats we wore were quite a hit, and we were photographed a lot by various reporters.  I need to check all the local papers to see if we are famous!

This guy wins the award for most team spirit.

The crowd before the game began. 

Our team on the big screen.

Daniele de Rossi (from Rome!) scores Italy's first and only goal.  We tied with Paraguay 1-1.  It's only the beginning.

Greece: Delphi

On Thursday transportation was back up and running, so we made our way to Delphi, a short bus ride away.

 A charming street in downtown Delphi.

 Breathtaking view of the landscape, with Mt Parnassus on the left.  In antiquity, Delphi was the site of the Delphic Oracle, as well as an important center of worship for the god Apollo.  Our bus ride took about 3 hours from Athens and made its way along small, winding roads.  It's amazing to think about those in antiquity who made the trek by foot, how long it must have taken them, and the path they covered over the rugged terrain.

 A whole sanctuary was built in the hills, including a massive temple to Apollo, a stadium, a theater, and several treasuries, among other things.

Doric columns from the Temple of Apollo.

Original location of the Siphinian Treasury,

 which is now reconstructed inside the Delphi Archaeological museum.

The rock where, according to legend, the Delphic Sibyl sat when giving her prophecies.

Closeup of the remaining columns of the Temple of Apollo.  I love the juxtaposition between the ruins and the spring flowers.

Enormous Dandelion poofs!!

Holy shit!  I think red means stay away!!

View of the Temple of Apollo.  The columns in the previous shots are on the far left.

View of the theater.

Katie: "Who says women can't act in the Greek theater?"  It's a bit hard to tell, but Ashley (black dress on the left) is smiting me while Clelia (jeans and black shirt in front) tries to stop her.  As I'm dying in the center, Katie (white dress on right) is swooping in to crown me with laurel.

The ancient stadium, at the very top of the complex.

On our way down the hike to the stadium we saw what we think is a jackal.  Nature!  It's everywhere in Greece!

A half mile away from the main complex lies an ancient Gymnasium.

The highlight of this site is the Tholos of Athena Pronaia.

After our trek in the mountains we waited for the bus with drinks and desert at a cafe with a stunning view.

The bus stop itself.