Roof Gardens II; The Roof Terraces of Rome
The panorama of Rome includes a melange of roof terraces enlivened by rustic pergolas with trailing vines, potted shrubbery and modern antennae; the roofscape is as though the traditional orti (market gardens) of the region has been raised on high above the city. Interspersed in this landscape of tiled roofs and terraces are domes, bell towers, obelisks and monuments, many of which are flood-lit at night.
Rome benefits from a mild Mediterranean climate, and the enjoyment of al fresco living is enhanced by the western breezes off the sea, known in Rome as Er Ponentino. Arriving in the Roman spring and extending into summer, these gentle winds cool the city and its citizens. Romans have for centuries climbed to their rooftop terraces to catch the breeze and enjoy a siesta ( from Latin sexta or sixth hour), partaking of a leisurely midday meal and rest. Er Ponentino and the roof terrace are inextricable to the rythyms of the city. Henry James wrote of spring in Rome: “There are days when the beauty of the climate of Rome alone suffices for happiness.”
Such reverie is forgotten in the days of the Sirocco, where Rome is subjected to the hot dry winds which carry from its origin the gritty bite of the Sahara.
Saint Ambrose (340-397 CE) in his advice to Saint Augustine wrote: “Si fueris Romae, Romano vivito more…” (when you are in Rome live in the Roman style…)
In the many visits I have made to Rome, our best experiences have been when we have heeded this advice ourselves. In the image above the great dome of the Pantheon looms over our roof terrace.The Pantheon, constructed in 125 CE by the Emperor Hadrian is the best preserved of the ancient Roman monuments, and is considered one of the most influential structures in the history of western architecture. I think of the Pantheon as the hub of Rome’s Centro Storico, that historic district of old Rome which incorporates the Piazza di Popolo to the north, the Spanish steps to the East and Piazza Navona and neighborhoods to the West. It is a place of pedestrian only streets and surprising piazzas where the theatre of la passeggiata takes place: Romans of all ages descend from their apartments and roof terraces to stroll in the cool of the evening in the convivial atmosphere.
Russell Page (1906-1985), the influential 20th century garden designer wrote of the Roman roof garden in his book, The Education of A Gardener, “…only in Rome does a miscellaneous pot-grown greenery seem to fit, perhaps because in this hilly town the flowery roof-top of one house is often the terrace of the one above.”
Viewed from the roof terrace Rome’s famed quality of light appears dense with diffused atmosphere; the city basking in an amber luminosity. The chiarascuro of light and shadow on the ochre colored walls gives the city a theatricality as though staged for an opera.
Above the pedestrian-only streets of the Centro Storico, the traffic and noise of Rome seems far away . The cadence of footfall, the passing of a flock of pigeons, low snippets of Italian conversation echo up from the cobbled streets below the terrace. Without automobiles, the sound of the city is like a kind of music; this I felt, was the way Rome sounded for centuries.
Rome has about 400 churches, each possessing at least one if not dozens of bells. This combined with schools, convents and other institutions with a bell or two, means that at nearly all hours of the day there is a bell ringing in Rome. On the roof terrace one can hear them from great distances; bells for the hour, for the quarter and the half, bells for the Angelus, bells that caused Francoise Rabelais to call Rome L’Isle Sonnante, The Ringing Island.
One does not need to rent an apartment with a roof terrace to enjoy this uniquely Roman experience. In the Centro Storico there are a few rooftop restaurants where one can enjoy a Campari and soda or a leisurely meal. I was recently asked to describe my most memorable meal, ever. I immediatly thought of a lunch in Rome shown in the above image. In heat of the afternoon, the city surrounded us in a somnolant haze; the gentle breeze and the distant sound of bells was our accompaniment on a rooftop terrace overlooking the eternal city, Rome.