Wilmington daily gazette., 1872-11-14
From the Reading Times and Dispatch.
Rome-"One Of the Most Beautiful
Cities in the World"
A Look At Some Of ner Attractive
Features.
Odd Sights on the Streets Of the
Cjtv.

Odd sights on the Streets Of the lo
City. o, Of
READING, Oct. 3Oth, 1872. p
Measrs EDIToRs Home again once more
among my good old friends, and having now I
finished my European trip for the present. the !;
questions being numerous-repeiitions great |! II
and yet wishing to satisfy oil, have been PEI. +
sAaded to publish few more letters concerning =
the different countries and cities visited during
the last four months. 40 will continue with q
Rome. This city, which has population Of =,
100000 inhabitants, IL situated on the river 8
Tiber, some Is or 20 miles FROM its mouth, and
may yet, notwithstanding the many changes
be considered one Of the most beautiful cities in
the universe.
WHAT MAKES ROME GREAT.
To her ancient maeni6csnce, 10 the columns,
to the statues, to the master pieces Of remote
epoch, disnterred from The ruins Of her first
grandeur. are united the splendid creations OF
modern art. Her many and sumpuous churches,
her great and majestic palaces, fountains and
galleries, filled with the most valuable paintings
Of the great masters, are wonderful to Behold
Among the first attractions is st. Peter O. Of ofcouree
the largest church in the world by far. Words |
are inadequate--it battles description. Think |
Of its enormous size: over six hundred feet long
and five hundred feet to the top of the cross 1t
has been said that twelve Of the largest churches
in the city Of New York might easily be placed
within its walls, and have ample room left for
an ordinary congregation. This will give you
, some idea Of its magnitude, and the sensation
7 created by the great church from within, ia
really indescribabe, rs you stand under the
: great dome in the midst Of its splendors in orna.
mentatation. gorgeous bronzes, statues Is or 20
feet high, some resting u?en immense lions that
: seem to groan with their weight, so wonderful
SV>., Sto url. - Al
manship. Pigeons and doves most exquistely
carved in costly marble Of various colors. Much
solid gold and elaborate mosaics and frescoes.-
u Immediately under the mighty dome is
THE TOMB OF ST. PETER,
d over which there is grand canopy res,ir upon
N four spiral shaped pillars about Fifty feet in
,f height in bronze inlad with gold end surround.
of cd by u costly balustrade of sntinQue marble
Upon extra occasions there are often Eve hun
IL dred voices in the choir.
70 The Vatican to the right Of st. Peters, will
70 10 from 5000 to 10000 Chambers in its thre,
tv Pstories is where may he found the
10 THE GRANDEsr WORKS OF ART IN THE WORLD
'r Kaphaers greatest works are here, Paul Vero
W nese, Coreggia, &c.
Next We have the Coliseum Of Rome, the grea
walls Of which are still standing. bat presenting
rather dilapilated appearance. The amphi
ne theatre where 5.OOO wild beasts and thousand
ne of gladiators were killed during the seaso
'as (which continued for three months ut time. J.
At II is three stories high has eighty arches cover
80 six acres and is said 10 have seated 10000 PEI
sons. There are fourteen small chapels in th
interior, (in remembrance Of the thousands
christians who suffered martyrdom,) all becom
tlv ing the prey Of wild beasts. A short drive b
ne yOnd this we reach the
T CATAC0Mns OF ST. CALLIsTo.
Is, They we're excavated by the early christians vi
Ira during the persecution, assembled in them
nd celebrate tho mysteries of religion and 10 dedica
ide themselves to prayer.
eat There are many corridors in which the bodi
Of Of the martyrs were placed About l65, ,0'
o. christians were buried there, besides some Il
Tor or twelve Popes They are said TO coptin
under ground for sixty or seventy miles, al
The there have been instances where visitors We
TIE dered away from their guides and were nev
Eier heard Of again. Nov We come TO
,wn THE LArERAN,
.sst where the Popss are crowned. This is one
has the iirst and oldest churches in Rome All
pol, having existe.l for ten centuries it was alm
NIX entirely destroyed BY Gre in 1908. Statues
i've the twelve apostles stand in inches ornament
IAN by two columns Of verde antique. The dome
pI ornamented with gilt stuccoes and in the sub
..a' ranean chapel which contains the remains Of
t.r. Corsini family, there is ON the altar Piety
now Ant. Montaiti. Tins family boil. an addition
nce chapel 1t their own sxperse of1O 900 600 fran
shs equal to $2.OO000O gold.
ana INvEREsTINo RELICS.
!, :. In The rapal altar, under gothic taberna,
lauN are number Of old relics, and the heads Of
Peter and 81. Paul; also the original table ul
which the Last Supper was taken, and the ST
case OF Pilates house up which Christ was le.
~ bs judged.
xots Afew miles beyond the walls Of Rome il
other interesting church built by the anci
apa. christians on the site Of the martyrdom Of
and Paul. There are In the interior the three fo
They tains which sprung miraculously in the h
rove places which were touched by the head Of
"oe' Saint when he was beheaded. They are
I A., decorated With columns OF verde antique. and
AZ. very handsome. Afer the usual description
,ntiy I we'll informed guide. ending with an e.
,wds flourish aud expatiating considerably upon
- ktsste of.Ls water, inssting that 1t waa colde
J: IRE r.. the second spsing than :! the 6'st,
The very much colder at the third! l was permi
~ q to taste Of them all. But may a. we'll COZ
= etas lthatI Was Obliged 10 work my Imagination
10 ito fullest extent to perceive even the sligl
difference.
The pillar Of white marble to which
CAM Paul wsstied before he suffered martyrd
noon' ,S stands near the right fountain. and from
mere 20 those i! the' Gcsr some beautiful mo: mo.
lie:r- imiles from there among old ruins by
'oosn. HOLY Father and presented to this chu
osaes under which, also, tho bodies Of
Iursd. rLnysN THOUSAND MARTYRS WE'RE BUl
vas between the second aud third centuries