Roman Ruins, and more

This is day 3 in Rome.  We are on our own today and decide to visit the Pantheon and the Jewish Quarters.  We start out in the same direction we have been going and so pass by some of the same buildings and monuments.

Then into new territory - the Pantheon.  We pass by a store entirely focused on Pinocchio.

 And the fountain in front of the Pantheon.

 The Pantheon was used as a church for a while so has a lot of religious images etc, still inside.

 And in the back of the Pantheon - a damaged section that must have been so beautiful.

The Santa Maria Sopra Minerva church.

 There is this statue of Christ by Michelangelo.  You could pay a Euro to have the light shine on the statue - I learned this because someone else told me - then he paid for the light and I got the picture!

Passing by Ruins that are sign posted, but not in any tourist book we say is becoming common in Rome. 

 With its own scholar contemplating the ruins.

We passed another fountain - the turtle fountain - actually I have no idea what it is called.  I just liked it.

Next we headed for the Jewish Quarters.  I glance down a side alley and saw this courtyard.  We do not know what it was, but seemed to have something to do with a library.

We located the synagogue, but the next tour was not for another hour.  We decided to have lunch.  Mike was excited to try the local Jewish food as it would be different that what he grew up with.

 This restaurant name sounds pretty good.  But when you contemplate how the Jews were lived and were treated in the Ghettos it was pretty awful.

After lunch we returned for the tour.  The museum had the gadgets to listen to and press a number by each item to hear all about it.  You could only go into the synagogue with a tour and then only for a few minutes.  In the Ghetto the Jews were only allowed one synagogue.  As people migrated to Rome from all over the world trying to accommodate all the different methods of prayer and worship was difficult.  At one time the synagogue was actually many different synagogues under the same roof to make this a reality.  Now they try to blend it all into one - so Spanish influences vs French vs Italian, etc are all melded into one way of worship.

Mike had picked out a couple of museums he wanted to visit.  The first one was closed on Mondays so we went on to Galleria Doria Pamphilj.  Of-course we passed more ruins.  Also includes a shot of the Jewish Quarters street where we ate lunch.

Back to the Galleria.  This is the private collection of a very rich family - the Pamphilj family.  They still live in part of the palace.  This art collection is immense - it is hard for me to wrap my head around one family owning so much.

 I like the expressions on these faces.  It is supposed to show greed.  The two guys on the left or Jewish money lenders - one of two careers open to Jews at the time - the other was dealing in second hand items.  The two guys on the right are Romans who are greedy to get more money. 

 This is a bust and a picture of Pope Pius the X.  He is the one who set this family on its track to great wealth - as he was a relative and favored them.