| Written by Teodora Gaydarova |
FLAMINIOThe central location and abundance of cultural, sports and outdoors attractions and landmarks make Flaminio one of Rome’s most popular districts. There is something for everyone here – galleries and museums for the art connoisseurs, romantic spots for lovers, large landscaped gardens for family outdoor activities and stadiums for sports fans.
Villa Borghese and the vast park it is set in were designed in 1605 for cardinal Borghese, a wealthy patron of the arts. Nearly 300 years later the park was obtained by the city and opened to the public. Over four centuries the gardens that span 80 hectares have been redesigned and embellished numerous times so that today the visitor can spend days exploring this them at leisure. Today the palatial villa Borghese is a museum and gallery that houses the rich collection of artworks accumulated by the Borghese family. One can see masterpieces by Titian, Rafael, Caravaggio and Rubens, among others. A number of villas throughout the large parkland which were once private residences have been transformed into cultural venues, such as the Etruscan museum and the National Gallery of Modern art. The Borghese gardens are dotted by numerous themed gardens, ponds, fountains, gazebos and statues embellish the vast park. There are three secret gardens, a Renaissance invention that offered the noble owners of the villas seclusion and privacy. Today one can find lots of leisure facilities, such as an ice rink in winter, designated areas for rollerblading and skating and boating facilities. There is a theatre that was built in the manner of Shakespeare’s Globe, a tiny cinema housed in a bar and a zoo called the Bioparco.
This bridge that spans the river Tiber was built back in 206 BC by a Roman consul. In the 4th century it was the site of a historic battle in which Constantine defeated his opponent and became the sole ruler of the empire. The bridge has survived 2200 years owing to a number of renovations carried out throughout its history. A huge antiques market featuring 200 stalls is held here today. There is so much on display that one can easily waste hours browsing the various antiques. In the mid-noughties couples started a tradition of attaching padlocks to the lampposts and throwing the keys into the river as a symbol of their love. As a result of this The Milvian bridge was nicknamed Lover’s bridge, while the bars and cafes in the area have become preferred spots for romantic dates. MAXXI Among the sea of ancient architecture, the National Museum for the 21st century Arts or simply MAXXI is a stunningly modern building. The venue that opened doors in 2010 is dedicated to modern art and architecture. It comprises various galleries, libraries, educational spaces and recreational areas. Sports Stadiums Flaminio is home to two of Rome’s largest sports venues, namely the Flaminio Stadium and the Foro Italico. The Flaminio Stadio that was built in the late 1950s on the site of an earlier stadium was the venue where the final football game of the 1960s Summer Olympics was held. Throughout its history the Flaminio has been used mostly for football and rugby matches, although it boasts a variety of indoor sports facilities. Foro Italico is a modern sports complex built in the 1930s by Mussolini in the manner of the imperial Roman forums. The Foro comprises a number of impressive sports venues such as the Olympic Stadium – the largest in Rome. The Stadium of Marbles which impresses with its design rather than size, features marble steps and is adorned by 59 marble statues of athletes. The Olympic Swimming Stadium is a large swimming complex used for various local and international competitions.
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