Rome - Appian Way- Diocletian's Baths 15/7/10

Port de San Sebastian, the beginning of the Appian Way

On the battlements of the Port de San Sebastian, the gate through which the Appian Way passes through the city walls into Rome.

Via Appia Antica

Outside wall of Diocletian's baths.
Shopping note: new top and bag!

Anna was museum-ed out and wanted to do some shopping and laundry, but Riccardo and I still had to visit Diocletian's Baths. We had walked past it several times as it is straight opposite Termini Train station, but had no idea until we went in that it was such an oasis of green and quiet in the middle of this very noisy, dusty, concrete part of town. There was not much to see of the baths, just lots of marble and statues.

For most of the last millenium the baths have been a convent and church with this beautiful tranquil garden in the central courtyard.

Not much left of the baths.

Diocletian's baths from across the road.

And to finish off our last day in Rome we popped into another museum,
Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, also very close to Termini.
The first marvel we found there was the vault and coin collection. We entered the vault through huge metal doors, 50 cm thick. Punctuating the edges of the doors were the massive dead bolts that presumably lock the doors each night. I hoped that they wouldn't shut while I was in there because I could see no way of ever breaking through.
Even if the coins hadn't been really old and interesting the big magnifying glasses that you could program to slide over the coin you wanted to examine were fun to play with.
Because the ancient Romans liked to put their faces on the coins many of the collections were like family photo albums with noticeable likenesses between them.
And that wasn't all!!!
The top floor of the museum was devoted to preserving some of the most beautiful frescos from the walls of the Villa Farnese. Walls were painted as if they had marble pillars and panels framing "windows" and gardens, animals, flowers, trees and birds.
I am going to repaint my house just as soon as I can find copies of the paintings. This museum shop needs to improve their postcard selection!! Especially as photos were prohibited.