Day Six began inauspiciously. I took the metro out to EUR to visit the Museo della Civilta Romana only to find it closed. It was a shame because this museum holds a model of ancient Rome that I wanted to see. Next time.
Back into town to the Piramide metro stop. Just opposite this stop are two small remnants of ancient Rome – the Porta San Paolo/Museo della Via Ostiense and the Pyramid of Calius Cestius.
The pyramid is the tomb of a Roman magistrate and member of a college of priests built between 12 and 18 BC. It was built along the Via Ostiensis, the road that lead to Rome’s port, Ostia.
A short walk away is the area of Testaccio and Monte Testaccio, the hill created by centuries of discarded ancient clay amphorae.
From here I walked to the Baths of Caracella. These baths, dating from AD 212, are located in a gorgeous setting and are impressively tall.
The baths were decorated with mosaic flooring.
And tiles on the wall.
On the grounds of the Baths of Caracalla a modern artist Michaelangelo Pistoletto has created a piece from ancient fragments of the baths called The Third Paradise.
A short walk and then a metro ride from the Circo Massimo stop and I’m back in my own neighbourhood.