*Space and Place - Forum Romanum

The Forum as a space seems like an oxymoron for me to describe. It’s open, yet constricting, and free yet controlled. Though it seemed much more open in comparison to other forums that we had to look down upon from the street, there was still the feeling that getting up close to the ruins was simply not possible. More places seemed accessible than others however, such as the garden of the Vestal Virgins, which I enjoyed. However, the walk through the forum is still very controlled, or as Sandy put it, “corralled."

Of course, one has to understand excavations and renovations, and that the old architecture can be ruined with simply the oils from our fingers. There is no way to get close – and I still wish I could. I felt many of us, though tired, connected to the forum when we could really get close, but if held back, it was more difficult. It was as if the light at the end of the tunnel was there – and yet you still can’t reach it.

Of course, one has to understand excavations and renovations, and that the old architecture can be ruined with simply the oils from our fingers. There is no way to get close – and I still wish I could. I felt many of us, though tired, connected to the forum when we could really get close, but if held back, it was more difficult. It was as if the light at the end of the tunnel was there – and yet you still can’t reach it.

Despite that, my memories of the forum served me well in way of nostalgia. I remembered several structures from my previous visit, though this time instead of abstract marble, I felt as if I connected a bit more since I knew what the buildings were. Though I couldn’t go up and stand with the three columns of the Temple of Castor and Pollux, the nostalgia was fulfilling.

When imagining what the space must have felt like when the buildings were not in ruin, it must have felt much more controlled and crowded than the constriction of fences and paths today, but the comparison was still quite something to imagine.

As an oxymoron, I both couldn’t quite fully connect, but did so with my nostalgia. The open, yet controlled area of the forum still produced awe despite its touristy construction.

For future reads - I will be noting required writing with a *. Other writings will probably be much more picture heavy, jokey, and will outline my days a little more. Ciao! More to come!