L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 12 L'Italo-Americano tourists. Via Veneto is also home to the Hard Rock Café and, more importantly, the E m b a s s y o f t h e U n i t e d States of America in Rome w h i c h i s h o u s e d i n t h e m a j e s t i c a n d i m p o s i n g Palazzo Margherita. Via Veneto had lost its lustre and sadly became a bit of a tourist trap, sad and often vulgar. Only the great h o t e l s , f i r s t o f a l l t h e Excelsior, tried to resist to the doom of the 90s. The bars were bought by mafia from Calabria, just before bankruptcy set in. Farewell to fame and high fashion, goodbye to VIPs drinking martinis after they parked their Ferrari or Rolls R o y c e s , a n d a b i g f a t arrivederci to old fashioned g l a m o u r s i t t i n g i n t h e restaurants and bars every night of the week. Nobody seemed to be interested in the destiny of this old lady: it was almost as if everyone was just waiting for the end. The early years of 2000 s a w a f e w s h o p s c h a n g e hands, and a few souvenir s h o p s o p e n t o p l e a s e tourists. Many historic bou- tiques and clothing stores c l o s e d d u e t o e c o n o m i c p r o b l e m s , o r t h e p o l i c e c l o s e d t h e m d o w n i n a n effort to drive out the mafia. So why do we hope and w a i t f o r a r e n a i s s a n c e ? Because times change, and Via Veneto, winding like a l o n g s n a k e m o v i n g d o w n from Villa Borghese, is still a beautiful street. Wide and majestic, it is nice to walk a l o n g a n d a t l e a s t t r y t o imagine the time that was " L a D o l c e V i t a , " a n d t h e laughs of those happy and beautiful people who once k e p t i t a l i v e : i t w a s t h e amazing 60s, after all. T h e r e a r e s t i l l s o m e p o i n t s o f i n t e r e s t t o s e e : although there are not many a n c i e n t m o n u m e n t s , o n e can marvel at a beautiful f o u n t a i n , t h e F o n t a n a delle Api (Fountain of the B e e s ) w h i c h i s l o c a t e d w h e r e V i a V e n e t o e n t e r s P i a z z a B a r b e r i n i . I t w a s sculpted by Bernini, com- p l e t e d i n A p r i l 1 6 4 4 a n d originally was meant to be a drinking trough for horses. One fascinating building not to miss seeing when you are next in Rome, is some- what tucked back from the r o a d o n V i a V e n e t o : t h e amazingly eerie Capuchin Crypt. It consists of small chapels located under the church of the Santa Maria d e l l a C o n c e z i o n e d e i Cappuccini. Here you can view the skeletal remains of 3,700 bodies believed to be Capuchin friars. The artistic display of their bones is not intended to be macabre, but instead, a silent reminder of t h e b r i e f t i m e o f l i f e o n earth and of our own mor- tality. I find it all incredibly beautiful…. A little spooky sure, but beautifully creative at the same time. I t w o u l d b e a l m o s t impossible to walk along Via Veneto and not end up (or s t a r t f r o m ) P i a z z a Barberini. Here, in the centre of the piazza is the i m p r e s s i v e F o n t a n a d e l T r i t o n e , w h i c h w a s a l s o s c u l p t e d b y B e r n i n i i n 1642/3. I n r e c e n t t i m e s , R o m e has shown some little signs o f a r e b i r t h i n t h e h o t e l industry. International com- panies have bought many buildings or old hotels, also thanks to our recent eco- nomic crisis, and have start- e d t o p l a n s o m e e x c i t i n g new projects. Maybe not all of them will be good, or get the difficult seal of approval o f l o c a l R o m a n s , b u t w e have to have hope. And we have to hope that at least one of these new ventures will bring lights, music, life and happiness back to Via Veneto. Exciting news, though, for Via Vittorio Veneto is the n e w o p e n i n g o f t h e F i v e - Star Intercontinental Rome A m b a s c i a t o r i P a l a c e . Bookings will open January 1 st , 2022. "Located in the heart of Via Veneto, built in 1900 originally to host ambas- s a d o r s s t a y i n g i n R o m e , b e f o r e s e r v i n g a s t h e American Embassy Library in 1946, a truly historical b u i l d i n g , a n i c o n o f ' L a Dolce Vita.'The hotel will f e a t u r e 1 6 0 r o o m s a n d suites styled with intriguing warm tones, natural materi- als, combining neo-classical details with contemporary design, rendering the per- f e c t r e l a x e d a t m o s p h e r e . Both public areas and exter- nal look and feel retain the c h a r m o f t h e h i s t o r i c a l s p l e n d o u r . " I n t e r C o n t i n e n t a l R o m e Ambasciatori Palace - Rome (ihg.com) Maybe it will be the first step for a Renaissance of the Dolce Vita? Who knows… I think the fabulous 60s are g o n e , b u t I a m s u r e t h a t t h e r e w i l l b e f u n t i m e s again… ……. keep in touch, I will let you know! The iconic Harry's Bar, symbol of Rome's Dolce Vita in the 1960s (Photo: Valerio Rosati/Dreamstime) HERITAGE HISTORY IDENTITY TRADITIONS Via Veneto extends like a big snake from Piazza Barberini to Porta Pinciana, which is one of the entrances to Villa Borghese (Rome's most beautiful and famous park) A waiter attracting tourists to his restaurant. Today, Via Veneto is more of a tourists' hub than a place for VIPs (Photo: Konstantinos Papaioannou/Dreamstime) Continued from page 10

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