At the beginning of December 2004, Barnaby Bear visited Rome for a few days with his friends Joe and Katie.
Rome is the capital city of Italy, in Europe. See if you can find it on a map.
This is what the time and temperature are in Rome right now. Is the weather the same as where
you are?
Barnaby Bear set off for Rome with his new friends on an aeroplane.
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When we got there it was dark.
We travelled around by metro and tram. All the signs were in Italian. |
The next morning, Barnaby Bear enjoyed a lovely breakfast at the hotel with his friend Katy. He needed lots of energy for all the sight-seeing he was about to do!
The first place Barnaby Bear and his friends visited was the Colosseum. It was gigantic!
Ceaser (Romes's ancient ruler) used to come here to watch the gruesome games.
Here I am inside the Colosseum with Joe. People look tiny when they walk around here. I felt even smaller! I was very glad I had my friends to look after me!
After visiting the colosseum, we walked down to the Pantheon.
Can you find a route on the map?
(Click on the map to open a larger version in a new window)
Rome is an ancient city. All the yellow buildings on the map are very old, and some are quite famous.
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This is the Pantheon. It is the oldest church in the world, built in 27BC (or BCE). |
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Barnaby Bear also saw severel famous and ancient arches - can you find them all on the map?
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Constantine was born in Serbia, and died of an illness in 337 CE or AD. He became Augustus
(or emperor) in the year 305.
The "Arch of Constantine" is the biggest Roman arch, and was built in 315 CE or AD (ten years after Constantine became emperor) to celebrate Constantines victory at Milvian Bridge in the year 312. The arch was partly built using statues and sculptures made for other emperors, like Hadrian (famous for Hadrian's Wall). Some of the sculptures were altered to make them look more like Constantine! |
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Titus was born in Rome. He became emperor in 79 CE and died in 81 CE. No one is quite
sure how he died, but some historians blame his brother Domitian.
The "Arch of Titus" was built in the year that Titus died, to celebrate his conquoring Jerusalem. It is the oldest arch in Rome. One of the most famous pictures on it show the victorious Romans carrying Jewish items (the spoils of war) back to Rome. |
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| Settimio Severo was a Roman general, born in Africa, and died during his last battle in Britain. He bought the Roman throne in 192 AD or CE and his arch was built for him and his two sons roughly 10 years later, in 203 AD or CE to celebrate his many victories. The sculptures show scenes from some of his wars. The arch was "vandalised" by one of his sons years later. |
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Barnaby Bear wondered what it would take to have a "Arco Di Barnaby Bear" built! I wonder what the pictures on an Arch of Barnaby Bear would look like!
Before Barnaby Bear travelled home again, his friends decided they would take him to see St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Vatican City is the smallest country in the world! Can you see its border on the map? This is where the pope lives. The city is guarded by its own army - the Vatican Swiss Army. Barnaby Bear met some of them when he entered the city!
It was pouring with rain, so Barnaby couldn't see their colourful uniforms. Can you see one of the guards
sheltering from the rain in his 'tent'?
Unfortunately the Pope was having a rest, when Barnaby Bear visited, but he still enjoyed visiting St. Peter's
Basilica.
St. Peter's Basilica is the largest church in the world! (Can you remember which is the oldest?)
Thank you to Joe and Katie and family for taking Barnaby Bear on holiday with them and for all these amazing photographs.
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