Part 5

[Illustration: EXPOSITION BUILDINGS, TURIN, ITALY.--The city of Turin was the capital of the county of Piedmont in the Middle Ages, and in 1418 it became subject to the Dukes of Savoy, who frequently resided here. From 1859 to 1865 it was the capital of Italy, and the residence of the King. It lies on an extensive plain on the banks of the River Po. Turin was the chief centre of those national struggles which led to a unification of Italy. The removal of the seat of government to Florence seriously impaired the prosperity of the city for a time, but it long since recovered, and celebrated its commercial success in 1884 by the exhibition.]

[Illustration: DUKE FERDINAND OF GENOA, TURIN, ITALY.--In the centre of the piazza Solferino stands the equestrian statue of Duke Ferdinand of Genoa, commanding-general at the battle of Novara. The statue was executed by Balzico, and is remarkable for the life-like expression of the wounded horse, with extended nostrils and gasping breath, sinking under the burden of his gallant rider. This piazza is one of the prettiest spots of Turin. Private residences face it on every side, with sloping lawns relieved by beds of flowers.]

[Illustration: GENOA, ITALY.--Genoa, with a population of about 200,000, is located in the northern portion of the Peninsula, and is the principal seaport of Italy. The city is in the form of a crescent, and its gradual ascent from the shore, renders its appearance beautiful and attractive. It is enclosed by a double line of fortifications, which places it among the leading fortified cities in Europe. A beautiful light-house on the west side, 300 feet in height, stands like a sentinel on the edge of the bay. In the older portions of the city, the streets are only ten feet wide and are lined with high buildings on both sides.]

[Illustration: STATUE OF COLUMBUS, GENOA, ITALY.--In the front of the principal railway station, rises the statue of Columbus, who was born at Genoa in 1435. The statue is in the centre of the spacious Piazza Acquaverde, embosomed in palm-trees. The pedestal is adorned with ships' prows. At the feet of the statue, which leans on an anchor, kneels the figure of America. The surrounding allegorical figures represent Religion, Science, Geography, Strength and Wisdom. Between these, are reliefs from the history of Columbus, with the inscription, "A Christoforo Colombo la Patria."]

[Illustration: LEANING TOWER, PISA, ITALY.--Pisa is principally noted for its famous "Leaning Tower," begun in 1174, and built of white marble; it is 178 feet high, and fronted with 207 columns. It is 50 feet in diameter, and leans 13 feet from the perpendicular. The foundation being made insufficiently solid, it began to incline before it was one-third completed. The Cathedral on the right was begun in 1604, and consecrated in 1618 by Pope Gelasius; it contains the famous chandelier which Galileo saw swinging, and which led to his invention of the pendulum of the clock. The Baptistry, close by, is noted for its marvelous echo.]

[Illustration: PALACE OF THE DOGES, VENICE, ITALY.--This magnificent edifice, founded in 800, and destroyed five times, has as often been re-erected in grander style. The palace is flanked with colonnades, forming two pointed arcades on the south and west. The upper portion of the building is constructed of red and white marble. The interior presents a noble specimen of Venetian art. Many famous masters are here represented, the subjects either portraying the glory of Venice, or being of a religious order. The Bridge of Sighs connects the palace with the prison adjoining, which contains a series of gloomy dungeons, a torture chamber and a place of execution for political criminals.]

[Illustration: GRAND CANAL, VENICE, ITALY.--This canal, the main artery of the traffic of Venice, nearly two miles in length, and thirty-three to sixty-six yards in width, intersects the city from north-west to south-east, dividing it into two unequal parts. Steam-launches, hundreds of gondolas and other vessels are seen gliding in every direction. Handsome houses and magnificent palaces rise on the banks, for this is the street of the _Nobili_, the ancient aristocracy of Venice. A barge, with a military band, navigates the canal every Sunday evening. A trip on the canal is extremely interesting; the posts are painted with the heraldic colors of their proprietors.]

[Illustration: CATHEDRAL OF ST. MARK, VENICE, ITALY.--Facing the piazza of St. Mark, which is in the heart of Venice and the grand focus of attraction, rises the magnificent Cathedral of St. Mark, decorated with almost oriental splendor. The building dates back to the tenth and eleventh centuries, and portions of the materials used in its construction have been brought from almost every country in Europe. The ceiling of the interior is richly adorned with mosaics in the form of various noted paintings. Behind the High Altar repose the remains of St. Mark, while further back stand four spiral columns said to have belonged to the Temple of Solomon. The building to the right is the Ducal Palace.]

[Illustration: VENICE, ITALY.--The capital of the Province of Venice, is situated on the lagoons, a long breast of lowlands in the Adriatic. For a time it was the first maritime and commercial power of the world, and one of the finest cities in Europe, but now it is nothing but a vast museum. The eighty islands on which Venice is built, are divided by wide and narrow canals, while small foot-paths wind throughout the city, occasionally crossing a canal, as is seen by the bridge in the above picture. Venice is popularly known as the "Queen of the Adriatic."]

[Illustration: THE RIALTO, VENICE, ITALY.--This famous bridge, one hundred and fifty-eight feet long and forty-six feet wide, rests on twelve hundred posts. It was erected from 1588 to 1591. Its sides are lined with little shops, extending from a fish-market at one end, past jewelry-shops in the centre of the structure, down to a fruit-market at the other side. It always presents a busy appearance, and is considered a marvel of engineering skill, and one of the finest bridges in the world. The picture represents the annual parade on the Grand Canal, with the Rialto in the background, which is always the rallying centre on such occasions.]

[Illustration: THE CATHEDRAL, FLORENCE, ITALY.--This stately edifice, erected from 1294 to 1462, on the site of the earlier church of St. Reparata, is a striking example of Italian architecture. The church was finally consecrated in 1436, but the lantern on the top of the dome was not completed until 1462. The building is one hundred and eighty-five and one-half yards long, and one hundred and fourteen yards wide; the dome is three hundred feet high. The bell-tower, a square structure adjoining the cathedral, two hundred and ninety-two feet in height, is regarded as one of the finest existing works of its kind. It consists of four stories of richly decorated and colored marbles.]

[Illustration: VECCHIO BRIDGE, FLORENCE, ITALY.--Florence is situated on both banks of the Arno, but by far the greatest part of the city lies on the right bank. The bridge in the picture dates back to the fourteenth century, and is flanked on both sides with shops which have belonged to gold-smiths ever since their erection. It forms one of the principal bridgeways between the city proper and that portion of Florence which stands on the south bank of the Arno, and has always been considered one of the greatest sights of the town.]

[Illustration: MONK, ITALY.--Monasticism primarily meant the state of dwelling alone; and then, by an easy and natural transition, it came to denote a life of poverty, celibacy and divine obedience under fixed rules of discipline. The radical idea of the term, in all its varieties of age, creed and country, is the same, namely, retirement from society in search of some ideal life, which society cannot supply, but which is thought attainable by self-denial and withdrawal from the world. The picture represents an Italian monk in funeral attire.]

[Illustration: LOGGIA DEI LANZI, FLORENCE, ITALY.--This magnificent open-vaulted hall is one of the kind with which it was usual to provide both public and private patrons of Florence, in order that the inmate might enjoy the open air or participate in public demonstrations, without being obliged to descend to the street. The style of architecture shows a falling off from the Gothic, while the works of sculpture, representing Faith, Hope and Charity, Temperance and Fortitude, exhibit an incipient leaning toward Renaissance forms. Every afternoon the Loggia is crowded with the poorer people of Florence, who seek a cool spot in the open air.]

[Illustration: UFFIZI BUILDINGS, FLORENCE, ITALY.--This gallery originated with the Medici collections and was afterwards so improved with the numerous additions by the Lorraine Family, that it is now one of the best in the world, both for value and extent. The Portico of the Uffizi Gallery, seen on both sides of the open court, contains niches, which are adorned with marble statues of celebrated Tuscans. At the farthest end of the court, rises the Vecchio Palace, a castle-like building, with huge projecting battlements, being originally the seat of the Signora, and subsequently used as a casino.]

[Illustration: RAPE OF POLYXENA (BY FEDI), LOGGIA DEI LANZI, FLORENCE, ITALY.--Polyxena, according to Greek legend, was the daughter of Priam, King of Troy. Having by her grace and beauty captivated Achilles, the Grecian hero, she was betrothed to him. But Achilles was slain by Paris, son of Priam; and after his death and the destruction of Troy, his manes appeared to the returning Greeks, and demanded of them the sacrifice of Polyxena. The Greeks consented, and Neoptolemus, the son of Achilles, sacrificed her on his father's grave. This work of art is of modern execution. It was placed in the Loggia in 1866.]

[Illustration: WILD BOAR, UFFIZI GALLERY, FLORENCE, ITALY.]

[Illustration: THE GRINDER, UFFIZI GALLERY, FLORENCE, ITALY.--This magnificent statue was found in Rome in the sixteenth century. It has never been exactly ascertained what it represents, but it is supposed to be a Scythian whetting his knife to flay Marsyas.]

[Illustration: APPIAN WAY and TOMB OF CAECILIA METELLA, ITALY.--This military road, paved with stone blocks, and extending from Brindisi to Rome, was constructed by Appius Claudius Caecus, 312 B.C. Even at the present time its proud ancient title is that of the "Queen of Roads," and it is remembered as being the way on which St. Paul came to Rome. The tomb of Caecilia Metella, which forms an interesting and conspicuous object, is a circular structure sixty-five feet in diameter, erected in honor of the daughter of Metellus Creticus, wife of the younger Crassus, son of the triumvir.]

[Illustration: PYRAMID OF CESTIUS AND ST. PAUL GATE, ROME, ITALY.--The pyramid enclosed by Aurelian within the city and wall is the tomb of Caius Cestius, who died in the year 12 B. C. The Egyptian pyramidical form was not unfrequently adopted by the Romans in their tombs. That of Cestius is built of brick and covered with marble blocks. Immediately to the right of the pyramid is the gate of St. Paul, leading on to the church of St. Paul beyond. Midway between the gate and church, legend says, St. Peter and St. Paul took leave of each other on their last journey.]

[Illustration: ROMAN FORUM, ROME, ITALY.--After the Sabine tribes were amalgamated into a single state, they chose the Forum as its centre; and it was there that some of the most noted events in the history of the Roman Empire transpired. After the Samnite War, which resulted in the extension of Rome's supremacy over all Italy, the Forum became too small for its multifarious business; and therefore underwent many changes. After its destruction, during the Dark Ages, its remains were gradually buried beneath the rubbish and debris of some former centuries, but have recently been excavated.]

[Illustration: FORUM OF TRAJAN, ROME, ITALY.--This forum, which adjoined that of Augustus, contained a collection of magnificent edifices, and is said to have been designed by Apollodorus of Damascus. Trajan's forum must have measured two hundred and twenty yards in width, and was probably of still greater length; it was considered the most magnificent in Rome. On the north side of the Basilica rises Trajan's Column, one hundred and forty-seven feet high, constructed entirely of marble. Around the column runs a spiral band, covered with admirable reliefs from Trajan's War with the Dacians. Beneath this monument Trajan was interred; on the summit stood his statue, now replaced by St Peter's.]

[Illustration: BATHS OF CARACALLA, ROME, ITALY.--These ancient baths were begun in 212 by Caracalla, and completed by Alex. Severus, and they could accommodate 1600 bathers at one time. The magnificence of these baths was unparalleled; numerous statues, including the Farnese Bull, Hercules and Flora at Naples, have been found here; and the uncovered walls still bear testimony to the technical perfection of the structure. The establishment was quadrangular in form, and surrounded by a wall.]

[Illustration: COLOSSEUM, ROME, ITALY.--The Colosseum, originally called the Amphitheatrum Flavium and completed by Titus in 80 A.D., was the largest theatre and one of the most imposing structures in the world. It was inaugurated by 100 days' gladiatorial combats, in which 5000 wild animals were killed. It contained seats for 87,000 spectators. Only one-third of the gigantic structure now remains, yet the ruins are still stupendously impressive. The Colosseum has ever been a symbol of the greatness of Rome, and gave rise in the eighth century to a prophetic saying of the pilgrims: "While stands the Colosseum, Rome shall stand; when falls the Colosseum, Rome shall fall; and when Rome falls, with it shall fall the world!"]

[Illustration: INTERIOR OF COLOSSEUM, ROME, ITALY.--The arches of the first tier are marked by Roman numbers, as they formed so many entrances, through which, by means of internal stairways, the upper balconies were reached. The Arena had two openings enclosed by railings of bronze, through which the gladiators and wild beasts entered. Above was the Podium, a place intended for the Emperors and their families, for the magistrates, the senators, the priests and the vestals. Thousands of Christians in this place suffered martyrdom, by becoming the prey of wild beasts. The picture presents the imposing spectacle of the interior of this monument at the present day.]

[Illustration: PANTHEON, ROME, ITALY.--This is the only ancient edifice at Rome which is still in perfect preservation, as regards the walls and vaulting. The original statues and architectural decorations have long since been replaced by modern and inferior works, but the huge circular structure with its vast colonnade still presents a strikingly imposing appearance. The walls are twenty feet in thickness and were originally covered with marble and stucco. The height and diameter of the dome are each one hundred and forty feet. The opening of the dome at the top is thirty feet in diameter, and through this aperture the ancients supposed the gods to descend. The building is supposed to have been constructed in the first century B. C.]

[Illustration: BRIDGE OF ST. ANGELO AND TOMB OF HADRIAN, ROME, ITALY.--This bridge is of most ancient construction. It was built by Hadrian in 136 A. D., to connect his tomb with the city. Ten colossal angels, formerly much admired, and executed in 1688, testify to the low ebb of plastic art at that period. The tomb was built by Emperor Hadrian for himself and his successors. The massive circular tower stands on a square basement on the banks of the Tiber. The bronze statue of St. Michael, the Archangel, which is seen on the summit, gives the tower its present name, Castello S. Angelo.]

[Illustration: ST. PETER'S AND VATICAN, ROME, ITALY.--St. Peter's is fronted by an elliptical piazza, enclosed by imposing colonnades, and is the largest and most beautiful Catholic Cathedral in the world; it was founded by Constantine and erected where St. Peter is said to have suffered martyrdom. Its erection and improvements cost over $50,000,000. The great Obelisk in the centre of the piazza, having no hieroglyphics, was brought from Heliopolis. The Vatican on the right is the Pope's residence, and is elegantly fitted up, being adorned with paintings and statues by the world's greatest masters.]

[Illustration: INTERIOR OF ST. PETER'S, ROME, ITALY.--This most marvellous church in the world was built on the place where stood the temple of Jupiter Vaticanus. The first church here is said to have been built A. D., 90. It was a memorial chapel to St. Peter, and was, according to tradition, erected on the spot where the saint was buried. Constantine built a Basilica on the site. The present structure, the glory of Michael Angelo, was begun about 1503. The picture shows the high altar with the statue of St. Peter to the very right.]

[Illustration: ROMULUS AND REMUS SUCKING THE WOLF, CAPITOL MUSEUM, ROME, ITALY.--Thus wrote Virgil ("AEN." VIII-630):

"By the wolf were laid the martial twins, Intrepid on her swelling dugs they hung; The foster dam lolled out her fawning tongue; She sucked secure; while bending back her head, She licked their tender limbs, and formed them as they fed."]

[Illustration: TRANSFIGURATION (BY RAPHAEL), VATICAN GALLERY, ROME, ITALY.--The last great work and masterpiece of this celebrated artist, unfinished at his death and completed by Clement VIII., was preserved in St. Peter's until 1797. The upper part is by Raphael's own hand; Christ hovers between Moses and Elias; Peter, James and John are prostrate on the ground, and dazzled by the light. The figures to the left, in an attitude of adoration, are St. Lawrence and St. Stephen. The lower half, where the other disciples are requested to heal the possessed boy, was partly executed by Raphael's pupils.]

[Illustration: LA BALLERINA (BY CANOVA), ROME, ITALY.--Here is another of the masterpieces of this famous master-sculptor. It is hewn out of a solid block of marble, and comes under the head of "grace and elegance," one of the divisions of Canova's works. This subject is a most striking one. Like all his other subjects of grace, it is in all its details, an expression of attitude, delicacy of finish and elegance. The profile is charming, the twist of the hair natural, and the lines and curves of the arms perfect, while the drapery is next to real.]

[Illustration: LAOCOONTE, VATICAN GALLERY, ROME, ITALY.--This famous group represents Laocoon and his two sons, who were strangled by serpents at the command of Apollo. According to Pliny, it was executed by three Rhodians, and placed in the Palace of Titus. It was discovered under Julius II., in 1506, near Sette Sale, and was termed by Michael Angelo a "marvel of art." The work is admirably preserved, with the exception of the three uplifted arms, which have been incorrectly restored. The dramatic suspense of the moment, and the profoundly expressive attitude of the heads, denote the perfection of the Rhodian school of art.]

[Illustration: TOLEDO STREET, NAPLES, ITALY.--This famous city is beautifully situated on the Bay of Naples, with Mount Vesuvius in the distance. Its charming position has given rise to the phrase "See Naples and die." It was founded by the Greeks, and here Virgil spent his time in study, his tomb being one of the points of interest for travelers. The city is still surrounded by a wall. It has often suffered from earthquakes and eruptions. The manufactures are numerous, of which macaroni and vermicelli are of first importance. The photograph represents Toledo Street, which intersects the city from south to north, and with its immense amount of well-conducted business, presents a very interesting sight.]

[Illustration: CRATER OF MOUNT VESUVIUS, ITALY.--This volcano, with a crater of nearly a quarter of a mile in circumference, rises in lonely majesty from the Bay of Naples, and varies in height from 3900 to 4900 feet, according to the varied eruptions. Vesuvius in the time of Nero manifested itself by a fearful earthquake, damaging Herculaneum and Pompeii. An eruption occurred in 79 A.D. by which the two cities named, were lost to the world for seventeen centuries. Another most terrific eruption occurred in 1631, by which a stone weighing twenty-five tons was thrown a distance of fifteen miles, and streams of lava poured from the summit, destroying over three thousand people.]

[Illustration: STREET OF TOMBS, POMPEII, ITALY.--This photograph exhibits a suburb of Pompeii named Pagus Augustus Felix, in honor of Augustus; it lay outside the city walls. It consisted chiefly of one main street, which has been partly excavated. This is the so-called Street of Tombs. The ancient custom of burying the dead by the side of a high road is well known. It has been ascertained that rows of graves, similar to those discovered here, exist beyond other gates of Pompeii. The Street of Tombs is, in point of situation, the most beautiful part of the town.]

[Illustration: CIVIL FORUM, POMPEII, ITALY.--The ancient market-place in the central part of Pompeii was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A. D. The Forum has been excavated during the present century, and found to be five hundred and fifteen feet long and one hundred and seven feet wide; it is surrounded by granite columns of the Doric order. From the discoveries made, it is supposed that the Forum was far from complete when the eruption occurred. The smoking mountain is still seen in the distance, while the ruins of the ancient market stand prominent in the foreground of this photograph. The Forum is a most interesting spot, and is familiar to all readers of "The Last Days of Pompeii."]

[Illustration: ISLAND OF CAPRI, ITALY.--This is a small mountainous island of oblong form; its picturesque outline forms one of the most charming points in the view of the Bay of Naples. The highest point is the Monte Solarno, nineteen hundred and twenty feet above the level of the sea. The island, which contains five thousand inhabitants and the two small towns of Capri and Anacapri, yields fruit, oil and excellent red and white wines in abundance. The inhabitants receive their support mainly from strangers who visit the island yearly to the number of thirty thousand. The above picture shows the principal landing-place of Capri.]

[Illustration: CASTELLO, ISLAND OF ISCHIA, ITALY.--The climate of these charming islands is genial, the sky rarely overcast, the winters mild, the inhabitants bounteously supplied with the necessaries of life, and the sick with healing springs. Trees, shrubs and all kinds of plants thrive luxuriantly in this volcanic soil. Here and there are observed groves of young oaks and chestnuts. The inhabitants are distinguished by a peculiar costume, dialect and figure. Fashion is unknown; not one of the islands can boast of a horse or carriage. Castello, in the foreground, is a most curious volcanic formation.]

[Illustration: HARBOR, ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT.--The perfectly flat coast of Egypt, and even Alexandria itself, are not visible to the steam-boat passenger until very shortly before the vessel enters the harbor. The latter consists of an outer breakwater, forming an obtuse angle nearly two miles in length. A second pier, nearly a mile in length, protects an inner harbor covering nearly five hundred acres of water, twenty-seven feet deep. No fewer than thirty thousand artificial blocks, weighing twenty tons each, and two million tons of natural blocks of stone were used in the construction of these magnificent harbor works.]

[Illustration: PLACE OF MEHEMET ALI, ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT.--The site of this open square is embellished with trees and fountains. It became a scene of destruction during 1882. In the centre rises the equestrian statue of Mohammed' Ali, the founder of the reigning dynasty of Egypt. The Mohammedan religion forbids the pictorial or plastic representations of the human form. The erection of this monument was long opposed by the Ulama, or chief professor of divine and legal learning. The buildings on both sides are shops. That at the further end is the English church.]