Stroll to the Vatican — G ontheroll

Stroll to the Vatican (Testaccio >> Vatican)

Camera: Leica M3 w/ 50mm Summicron
Film: Ilford XP2

95 degrees in the blistering Roman sun, no goal in mind but to walk in the general direction of the Vatican.

Birks on, camera loaded, I make my daily commute to the Piramide metroline which was about 0.6km mile from my apartment.

Especially in the summer the weather in Rome can make even the shortest walk is quite exhausting…

… with sweat beating down my face, the piramide you are about to see was my reference point to know that I was close to the subway line and cold beer.
Truly a divine landmark that did not belong.

>> WALK THE STREETS IVE WALKED

Piramide di Caio Cestio (English translation: Pyramid of Cestius). This ancient pyramid in Rome, Italy was built in 12BC as a tomb for Gaius Cestius. A dedicatory inscription is carved on the west and east sides of the piramide, and reads as follows:

WEST FACING INSCRIPTIONS
C · CESTIVS · L · F · POB · EPVLO · PR · TR · PL
VII · VIR · EPVLONVM
“Gaius Cestius, son of Lucius, of the gens Pobilia, member of the College of Epulones, praetor, tribune of the plebs septemvir of the Epulones”

EAST FACING INSCRIPTIONS
OPVS · APSOLVTVM · EX · TESTAMENTO · DIEBVS · CCCXXX
ARBITRATV
PONTI · P · F · CLA · MELAE · HEREDIS · ET · POTHI · L
”The work was completed, in accordance with the will, in 330 days, by the decision of the heir [Lucius] Pontus Mela, son of Publius of the Claudia, and Pothus, freedman”

This is Castel Sant’ Angelo.
A building that has been repurposed, by its ancient tenants, more times than any other building in Rome. Originally built in 135AC as personal and family mausoleum for Emperor Hadrian, this building has served as a defensive fortress for the pope, prison, and Renaissance residence. Almost 2000 years later, it is serving as a museum / cultural venue, but who knows what else this building will be used for in the next 100 years.