2,000-year-old Rome pyramid getting visibility after cleanup

[inanna]

Source: Associated Press

By Associated Press February 3 at 12:54 PM

ROME — Rome’s only surviving pyramid from ancient times is getting fresh visibility.

After a Japanese clothing magnate paid for a cleanup, archaeologists are eager to show off the monument, constructed around 2,000 years ago as the burial tomb for a Roman praetor, or magistrate, named Caius Cestius.

Although soaring 36 meters (119 feet) high, the pyramid has long been ignored by most tourists. Decades of grime blackened the creamy white Carrara marble exterior of the monument near a traffic-clogged intersection near a subway stop. The pyramid’s base is lower than street level since Rome has been built up over the centuries, so many don’t appreciate the monument’s height.

Archaeologist Leonardo Guarnieri told reporters Wednesday that tours, including of the frescoed burial chamber, are given twice monthly upon reservation.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/2000-year-old-rome-pyramid-getting-visibility-after-cleanup/2016/02/03/317c7338-ca9f-11e5-b9ab-26591104bb19_story.html

[tabasco]

1. Fascinating

Thanks for posting.

[houston16revival]

2. Sad

that it takes foreign philanthropy to restore historical monuments.

Everything is about profit in the corporate universe.

Wonder if his donation got reasonable contractors? Or government
type (Pentagon) contractors? Or New York City rates?

[Saviolo]

4. I learned that visiting the Sistene chapel

I was in Italy a couple of years ago, and the Sistene Chapel is a site that was restored by Japenese investors, as well. You're not allowed to take any photos within the chapel, with or without flash. With flash makes perfect sense, as it damages the pigments that make up the art, but the reason all photography is banned is that the consortium that paid to have the chapel restored (apparently) made a deal that the only images that could be taken of it for some x number of years after the restoration had to come from them so they could be the only source for the photos. Money money money!

I snuck a (flashless) photo with my cell phone very discreetly of the ceiling.

[Hestia]

6. Did you see the angel flashing his bum above the door where the pope comes in?

They found paintings like that when the restoration was done. The book I cite below has a lot of the frescoes and paintings post-reproduction. Very droll book, almost like reading a textbook in some places, others a narrative. 3 1/2 stars.

Some images that appeared in the print edition of this book are unavailable in the electronic edition due to rights reasons.

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017SYOTM?keywords=secrets%20of%20the%20sistine%20chapel&qid=1454528396&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1

[Saviolo]

13. Sadly...

I don't remember that closely. We had a very capable tour guide who was giving us a rather in-depth tour (we were a group of travel agents!) and he pointed out tons of little things like that. It was one of those headphone tours, where we had earbuds in, and he was talking into a small mic at almost whisper level, and we could all hear him.

Sadly, I don't remember every little detail he pointed out, it was all such a whirl! And of course I couldn't obviously take any photos I even saw a teenage girl get escorted out by the Swiss Guard for taking a photo sans flash.

[xocet]

3. Very cool! n/t

[KamaAina]

5. So the Romans stored grain, too?

[Hestia]

7. +1

[MatthewStLouis]

9. This is why I love DU! Liberals have the best sense of humor!

[mahina]

11. OH. Rofl rofl!!!

[zipplewrath]

8. Always wondered.

I've seen that several times and always wondered what it was. Looks really out of place.

[mahina]

10. Our cab driver in Rome said "It was a small pyramid, but we took it"

Sounds better a la Father Guido Sarducci

[Aristus]

12. I've known about the pyramid of Gaius Cestius for years.

I'm glad to see it's gotten a cleaning.

It's easy to surmise that his ashes were looted and scattered during the sacking of Rome in 410 a.d.

It's also good to see a pyramid from the Classical period retaining it's outer cladding, perserving the smooth, angular finish the builders intended. The Great Pyramids of Giza were this way originally, until the marble cladding was cannibalized in order to build medieval Cairo.

[Princess Turandot]

14. You can see it in Google Street View..

https://goo.gl/maps/3D7vg2Rnxwq (You can also see what it looked like (pre-renovation) in 2008 as well: https://goo.gl/maps/2e5icLpaoWr )

It looks a little out of place.

[JunkYardDogg]

16. COOL!!!!!

Thanks
I missed that
But I think that I was in Rome before that pyramid was built

[brooklynite]

15. For those looking for context, Caius Cestius was the Roman Donald Trump...

...he was a wealthy Aristocrat who decided that, if the Pharaohs could be buried in a pyramid, so could he. So he built one (just outside the City walls).