Piazza del Campidoglio

The great ramp approaching Capitol Square, flanked by restored Egypian lions, was designed by Michaelangelo.

The stairway ("Cordonata") leading to the square is topped by huge statues of Castor and Pollux, emblems of Romulus and Remus in Roman history. Straight ahead is the Palazzo Senatorio, now the Rome city hall.

The Palazzo Senatorio is flanked by two elegant buildings housing the Musei Capitolini, or Capitoline Museum. My memory, which was pretty good here, was that this was one of my favorite museums in the world. It still is.

The Campidoglio centerpiece, the great sculpture of Marcus Aurelius on a horse.

The Capitoline Museum