The Capitoline is the most sacred, famous, and highest hill amongst the Seven Hills of Rome. It is located between the Roman Forum and Campus Martius. The hill consists of the sacred temples of Jupiter and the Capitoline Triad. Presently, the medieval palaces have been turned into a museum. The museum consists of Roman artifacts. The Tabularium (hall of records), which was a reserved place for the city’s archives, has now been turned into the Palazzo Senatorio, and a major tourist attraction.

History

The great temples of Jupiter and Capitoline were built under the reign of Rome’s last emperor Lucius Tarquinius Superbus. It got destroyed three times by fire and was rebuilt by Emperor Domitian. Michelangelo on the order of Pope III in1536 designed the present structure.

The magnificent grandeur of the hill was re-established and re-worked in order to welcome and create memorable impression on Charles V. The pavement, staircase ramp, buildings, and facades on the three sides of the hill were refurbished and the Capitoline hill returned to its former mesmerizing visual appeal.

Attractions for Tourists

A tourist visiting the Capitoline hill can view a number of collections of the Roman period, most of which have been carved or built by the great Michelangelo.  The main attraction for tourists visiting Capitoline hill is the Capitoline museum in Piazza del Campidoglio. The museum consists of three palaces, which are surrounded by a trapezoidal piazza. These three places are the Palazzo Senatorio, Palazzo dei Conservatori, and Palazzo Nuovo.

The museum collection consists of ancient Roman statues, medieval art, renaissance art, nscriptions, artifacts, jewels, and coins. Various other attractions for tourists at the Capitoline hill also includes the statue of Marcus Aurelius, council halls, treasures of classic art, and the monuments of Roman emperors.

Visiting the Site

The archeological museums of Capitoline hill are a must visit for tourists visiting Rome. They consist of Roman sculptures, art galleries, frescoes, and Greek sculptures. Tourists just need to buy one ticket, which is valid for visiting the two famous museums of Palazzo Nuovo and Palazzo dei Conservatori. There is no entry fee levied on the last Sunday of the month. The museums are closed on Mondays.
There are numerous modes of transport in Rome which tourists can use to visit the Capitoline hill. Some of these are trains, trams, buses, taxis, metro, and bikes. These modes of transport help the tourists in visiting the magnificent sculptures and monuments of Rome.
Facilities for the Handicapped any manual and electric wheelchairs are available and constantly used in Rome, for the benefit of the physically challenged. This allows these people to visit and enjoy the various ancient tourist attractions of Rome. In Capitoline hill, handicapped visitors can visit Piazza del Campidoglio through the steep winding path to the right of Michelangelo’s Cordonata staircase. Palazzo dei Conservatori also has access for the handicapped through a path, which leads to an elevator. Palazzo Nuovo also consists of stair lifts for the convenience of visitors.
Best Season to Visit

The best season to visit Rome is spring and autumn with sunny skies and mild temperature. These seasons see the highest turnout of tourists. Tourists also come from different parts of the world for Easter week celebrations. July and August are relatively hot and in these months, the residents of Rome also leave for a vacation trip to various colder destinations to beat the heat. The best time of the day to visit Capitoline hill is before sunset in spring and summers when the sun shines right on the square.
The Capitoline hill is a fine example of the rich architectural history of Rome. The sculptures and art galleries of the museums are unmatched in their beauty and you will not see this kind of architecture anywhere in the world.

The city of Rome has to be slowly savored and cherished like a glass of wine – you need to plan and organize your touring activities before embarking on touring Rome. Choose the most popular and crowded tourist attraction first and begin your tour from there. This will give you time to enjoy the pace of the city which is an integral part of every tourist experience and the freedom to lounge and enjoy your tour.

Piazza Navona: Discovering the history

Technically speaking, Piazza Navona is a long shaped square ringed by steps and houses. In the glorious days of the Roman Empire, the Piazza used to serve as a stadium. It was called the ‘Circus Agonalis’ which stands for the literal translation of competition area. In the 15th century, the Piazza became the center of the city’s thriving market center and later came to be reputed as the Baroque architectural center.

Architectural and historical marvels

The Piazza market place was moved in 1869 and henceforth, the Piazza became the hosting site for Sunday feats, theatrical shows and horse races. The Piazza has three major manmade water attractions of an artificial lake and two impressive foundations sculpted by Giacomo della Porta. The fountains are called the Fontana di Nettuno built in 1574 and, the Fontana del Moro built in 1576. Originally designed by Bernini, the Piazza also has beautiful sculptures by Girolamo Rainaldi and by Bernini himself. It also holds a church designed by Pietro da Cortona.

Traveling and Sightseeing

Getting to the heart of the city, i.e. the Piazza Navona is usually by foot. As the Piazza is undergoing heavy restorations of its building and churches, admittance is free. Your best mode of traveling is getting to the street opposite the Piazza by bus or by train. People with disabilities prefer traveling by bus. Certain routed buses offer a one euro pass. The pass allows you to travel that entire day without any worry of travel cost. The area is always crowded with tourists all year round but international tourists prefer the seasonal time of late autumn in early October. A tourist is advised to dress appropriately – shorts and sleeveless clothing are frowned upon inside the Piazza churches.

Stay and have fun

Tourists usually view the Piazza as a fun area. It is considered romantic and adventurous. But one has to beware of pickpockets and, always travel in groups. As a tourist you will prefer to live in a nearby inn and prefer roadside eating. The area is dotted with many eateries and cyber cafes. Head for a Pizzeria and treat yourself to Italian food delights of kosher, ice cream, pizza and trippa. The Piazza also boasts of some vegetarian restaurants and wine shops. Bargaining forms the best possible method to buy any type of item in the Piazza. The Piazza has something for everyone. Piazza Navona is an extremely lively place with open air cafes around it. During the summer there are numerous artists who draw or paint members of the public for a fee. The place is crowded each day and there are often buskers and sometimes mimes to entertain. At Christmas time the piazza is filled with stalls selling figurines of all sizes and forms for cribs. It is an adequate spot for picnickers with safe drinking water from the fountains. The fountain water is safe fresh spring water. The fountains at Piazza run constantly offering you drinking water all round the clock.

Accommodation

Tourists who choose the Piazza as their first tourist stop usually look to stay near the sea. It provides the sounds of the exotic old world charm as well the hustle and bustle of the Piazza. Hotel Belvedere Century and Hotel Ping Pong provide modern and traditional facilities. Another option for the more daring and adventurous tourist would be camping. This is a cheap option and gives you freedom to choose your mode of sightseeing at your own pace. Happy Valley and Camping Tiber form the two popular camping sites of the city. Sightseeing in Rome is incomplete if you have not toured the Piazza on foot.