Wednesday, December 10, 2014

December 10, 2014: Horses in Rome Advent Calendar

The Baths of Diocletian, built between 298 and 306 AD, were the grandest of public baths in ancient Rome. Today the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri (designed by Michelangelo) occupies the space that was originally the frigidarium.


These colossal horse heads, discovered in Trajan's Forum in 1586, are in the garden of the nearby cloister (also designed by Michelangelo).


A museum exists today in other parts of the old bath structure and these horses can be found there.







1 comment:

Ann B. said...

What a wonderful post, Larry. I had no idea that Michelangelo designed that church and cloister--those circle/square windows are so unusual. And the horses...I'm learning a lot this Advent.