Ancona
The highlight of visiting the city of Ancona – a main seaport in Italy on the Adriatic Sea – was to view the Arch of Trajan. Erected by the Romans in 115 AD, it is a magnificent structure. To get out of the port is a fair walk and then the road along to the Arch itself gave me the impression I was taking the wrong route, despite my map informing me otherwise. It’s an industrial area, with next to no pavement and cars nipping back and forward so care needs to be taken. The situation reminded me of having visited Newark Castle or Queen Mary’s Bath House in Scotland (see blog post part 99 and 150). Civilization has grown up around it, while the Arch has stood for over 1900 years, surviving every event. It never fails to amaze that circumstances align in such a way that sees these historic sites continue into the present day and I’m forever grateful for it. The two Scottish examples I mention provide good illustrations of this.
The Arch stands beside a road on the left leading down towards the docks, with the wall to the right protecting an area which had security on the gate. There is very little pavement, and a small roundabout occupies the approach to the Arch itself. There were tall cranes further along and a cruise ship in the background which is to be expected being a busy port. Fortunately as you can see from the photo I took, none of this detracted from obtaining a great shot of the Arch. At this point I was very conscious of not inadvertently trespassing, with the question of ‘should I be walking here?’ uppermost in my mind. It’s an odd spot, but there is no one in charge, no one to speak to. You can simply walk up and onto the Arch itself for free. As I climbed the steps I couldn’t help imagine myself stepping back in time as I walked through the centre of the Arch, imagining if I turned around I wouldn’t see the world I had just come from. It has that sort of vibe.
Built in the reign of Emperor Trajan and constructed in marble, it stands 18.5 metres high, and the archway three metres wide. It was designed by the architect Apollodorus of Damascus and was constructed to honour Emperor Trajan for paying from his own finances to repair and expand the harbour. The arch is flanked by pairs of fluted columns. There are inscriptions along the top, but other than that there is little decorative features. I read the inscriptions were gilt in bronze and with bronze statues of Emperor Trajan, his wife Plotina, and his sister Marciana on top. These would have served as a landmark for approaching ships, but these are long gone. It is still an impressive arch and well worth the effort to head along and view it. I’ve read it is quite spectacular at night when lit up and the area is one of the best for catching the sunset. However, I couldn’t hang around as time was tight.
From there it was the long uphill climb of the Guasco hill to visit the Cathedral of San Ciriaco. Despite having left before nine in the morning, the temperature was on the rise and climbing steps certainly takes it out of you. It is a bit of an effort, but the view of the city from the top is well worth it. I was disappointed to see that a service was already underway, but out of respect for the local population I didn’t enter and contented myself with taking photographs of the exterior. Sometimes these things happen and it wasn’t to be. Excavation work in 1932 indicated that a Greek temple was on the site as early as the 4th century BC with a Christian basilica built on top of it in the 6th century. The church was enlarged during the 10th and 11th centuries and became a cathedral. Further work from the late 12th and early 13th centuries included a new entrance towards the south-west, resulting in the church facing the port and the surrounding ancient neighbourhoods. Interestingly, the bell tower stands to the side on its own. Apparently the earliest mention is 1314 and was built above a pre-existing late 13th-century tower.
Adjacent to the Cathedral is the Diocesan Museum. Founded in 1834, it is open on Saturday and Sundays by reservation so I was out of luck visiting on a Monday morning. It houses paintings from the 14th to 19th centuries, with more than 460 exhibits, including sculptures, parchments, tapestries, jewels and terracotta objects. There is also a collection of coins and medals from Ancient Rome and the Middle Ages, along with ancient silverware, textiles and sacred ornaments from the Cathedral.
It’s a fantastic spot to view the city from, and I’m glad I made the effort to take it all in. It’s never possible to see everything I would like on such trips, but what I did manage to experience was hugely enjoyable.