Accolades for Italy

It is no surprise that Italy remains number one for the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world. A new addition this month, taking the total to 60, is the Appian Way.

An over-looked attraction in Rome that will transport you back in time

The Appian Way, known in Italian as Via Appia Antica, is arguably the world’s oldest surviving road. It was ancient Rome’s vital lifeline, serving as both a military and economic artery. It is also believed to have played a role in inspiring the famous saying “All roads lead to Rome”.

The Appian Way was a crucial road for the Roman Empire. It connected Rome to some of its most distant settlements. Originally built by Appius Claudius Caecus, the then censor of Rome, the road connected Rome to Capua near Naples. The road was originally built predominantly for military purposes. Julius Caesar walked it along with thousands of other soldiers, leaders and consuls. The famous slave leader, Spartacus, was crucified on the Via Appia in 71 BC.

Eventually, it spanned 563 kilometres to Brindisi, Puglia, on the Adriatic Coast, making it the widest and longest road in existence at the time. Called the “Queen of Roads”, its construction was truly momentous, considering it was built in 312 BC.

Although much has been covered up over the centuries, a 16 kilometre stretch remains, beginning at the Porta San Sebastiano and running through the Parco Archeologico dell’Appia Antica, which is the largest urban green area in Europe.

The Appian Way is incredibly well preserved, made of flat, large stones firmly set in place by thousands of years of rain, wheels and feet passing over them. You can still walk the original road in the footsteps of Roman emperors, merchants, saints and maybe even Saint Peter, the grooves worn by carriage wheels still visible beneath your feet.

Graves had to be outside the city walls in ancient times and the many tombs that were built along the Appian Way still stand.

The Porta San Sebastiano is the largest and best preserved gate in the Aurelian Walls. It was originally known as the Porta Apppia, after Via Appia, but the gate was later renamed in honour of Saint Sebastian, whose relics are kept in the nearby church of San Sebastiano fuori le mura (San Sebastiano outside the walls) on Via Appia.

Aurelian Walls

The Aurelian Walls that surround the historic centre of Rome are the longest city walls in the world, covering a distance of 19 kilometres. Today, around two thirds of the walls are still mostly intact. They were built between 270 and 275 AD and enclosed the seven hills of Rome. By 500 AD the walls had 383 towers.

A pyramid in the Aurelian Walls

The Pyramid of Cestius was built to house the remains of Caius Cestius Epulo. Tombs including the pyramid had to be built outside the walls, but as Rome grew rapidly the pyramid slowly became surrounded by buildings. In the 3rd century BC when Emperor Aurelian ordered the construction of a new set of walls, known as the Aurelian Walls, it was decided that the Pryamid of Cestius would be incorporated into the new walls to save money.

Who was Caius Cestius Epulo?

He was a prominent Roman magistrate and priest who lived in the 1st century BC. During this period the Romans were fascinated with all things Egyptian and the ancient Egyptian monuments. The construction of the Pyramid of Cestius took 330 days, but following the fall of the Roman Empire, the history of the Pyramid of Cestius was lost to time.

UNESCO - United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation

The organisation was born on 16th November 1945. Italy’s first site to be added to UNESCO’s list was the Ancient Rock Art of the Valcamonica in 1979. Valcamonica is one of the largest valleys of the central Alps in the region of Lombardy.

Of Italy’s 60 sites, 54 are cultural and 6 are natural.

Three of the natural sites are included on Ciao Italy itineraries.

They are Mount Etna in Sicily, the Aeolian Islands and the Dolomites.

Of the 54 cultural sites, we either stay in or visit 17 places:

Rome’s historic centre, Florence’s historic centre, Siena’s historic centre, Pienza’s historic centre, Val d’Orcia (Tuscany), Cinque Terre, Assisi, Porticoes of Bologna, Verona, Mantua, Venice and its lagoon, Sassi of Matera and the Rupestrian Churches of Matera, Trulli of Alberobello, Naple’s historic centre, Pompeii, Amalfi Coast, Val di Noto including the towns of Noto and Ragusa.

These are all places that will amaze you and stay in your heart forever.

Ci vediamo la prossima settimana.

Deb