The Monte Mario as a Portal to the City
Title
The Monte Mario as a Portal to the City
Description
"Monte Mario was the first overlook of the city for all travellers and pilgrims coming south along the old Via Cassia and then the Via Francigena into Rome. It was the first chance for those who had survived long and arduous journeys to finally look upon their destination. Though the Via Cassia does not exist as it did then, it is still possible to see what those pilgrims would have seen from the crest of the hill. The modern view is also obscured by development.
Rome was, and still is to some extent, famed for its campanila, and the view from the Monte, as pictured, gives a very clear view of the city, affording those on top an excellent view from the northern perspective. Master Gregorius, a 13th century English visitor to the city, said that he “strongly recommend[s] the wonderful panorama of the whole city [from Monte Mario]. There is so great a forest of towers, and so many palatial buildings, that no one has counted them.” The view was in fact so spectacular that it was often sketched.
Given how unbelievably difficult pilgrims’ journeys often were, such a view could only have come as a welcome sight. Pilgrims’ journeys were often severely constrained by the contemporary political climate, and while pilgrims were supposed to be given free food and shelter along the way, almost all pilgrims to Rome until the Renaissance wrote out their last will and testament before going as a safeguard.
Rome was, and still is to some extent, famed for its campanila, and the view from the Monte, as pictured, gives a very clear view of the city, affording those on top an excellent view from the northern perspective. Master Gregorius, a 13th century English visitor to the city, said that he “strongly recommend[s] the wonderful panorama of the whole city [from Monte Mario]. There is so great a forest of towers, and so many palatial buildings, that no one has counted them.” The view was in fact so spectacular that it was often sketched.
Given how unbelievably difficult pilgrims’ journeys often were, such a view could only have come as a welcome sight. Pilgrims’ journeys were often severely constrained by the contemporary political climate, and while pilgrims were supposed to be given free food and shelter along the way, almost all pilgrims to Rome until the Renaissance wrote out their last will and testament before going as a safeguard.
Abstract
Monte Mario was the first overlook of the city for all travellers and pilgrims coming south along the Via Francigena which followed the ancient Via Cassia into Rome. It was the first chance for those who had survived long and arduous journeys to finally look upon their destination. Though the Via Cassia does not exist as it did then, it is still possible to see some of what those pilgrims would have seen from the crest of the hill.
Creator
Spencer Dillon (2017)
Source
Krautheimer, Richard. Rome: Profile of a City, 312 – 1308. Princeton: Princeton University Press: 1980
Master Gregorius. The Marvels of Rome, trans. John Osborne, Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies, 1987.
Olsen, Katherine. “Welsh Pilgrimage and Travel to Rome c. 1200-1350” in The Welsh History Review, Vol. 24, No. 2, (2008): 1-40.
Raju, Alison. Via Francigena: Pilgrim Trail Canterbury to Rome, vol 2. The Great St Bernard Pass to Rome. Milnthorpe: Cicerone, 2014.
Master Gregorius. The Marvels of Rome, trans. John Osborne, Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies, 1987.
Olsen, Katherine. “Welsh Pilgrimage and Travel to Rome c. 1200-1350” in The Welsh History Review, Vol. 24, No. 2, (2008): 1-40.
Raju, Alison. Via Francigena: Pilgrim Trail Canterbury to Rome, vol 2. The Great St Bernard Pass to Rome. Milnthorpe: Cicerone, 2014.
Identifier
montemario_2015
Coverage
Spatial Coverage
00136 Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome
Description
"Monte Mario was the first overlook of the city for all travellers and pilgrims coming south along the old Via Cassia and then the Via Francigena into Rome. It was the first chance for those who had survived long and arduous journeys to finally look upon their destination. Though the Via Cassia does not exist as it did then, it is still possible to see what those pilgrims would have seen from the crest of the hill. The modern view is also obscured by development.Rome was, and still is to some extent, famed for its campanila, and the view from the Monte, as pictured, gives a very clear view of the city, affording those on top an excellent view from the northern perspective. Master Gregorius, a 13th century English visitor to the city, said that he “strongly recommend[s] the wonderful panorama of the whole city [from Monte Mario]. There is so great a forest of towers, and so many palatial buildings, that no one has counted them.” The view was in fact so spectacular that it was often sketched.
Given how unbelievably difficult pilgrims’ journeys often were, such a view could only have come as a welcome sight. Pilgrims’ journeys were often severely constrained by the contemporary political climate, and while pilgrims were supposed to be given free food and shelter along the way, almost all pilgrims to Rome until the Renaissance wrote out their last will and testament before going as a safeguard.
Creator
Spencer Dillon (2017)Coverage
1200sSource
Krautheimer, Richard. Rome: Profile of a City, 312 – 1308. Princeton: Princeton University Press: 1980Master Gregorius. The Marvels of Rome, trans. John Osborne, Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies, 1987.
Olsen, Katherine. “Welsh Pilgrimage and Travel to Rome c. 1200-1350” in The Welsh History Review, Vol. 24, No. 2, (2008): 1-40.
Raju, Alison. Via Francigena: Pilgrim Trail Canterbury to Rome, vol 2. The Great St Bernard Pass to Rome. Milnthorpe: Cicerone, 2014.