19 Sep

Determining what is the connection between a building and ground in a place like Rome can become a tedious task, where finding one answer might be impossible. In fact in most cases the answer changes depending on where you stand, and the meaning of ground becomes relative. Although we think of land as something static and stable that is measured horizontally, in Rome ground has constantly been moving and changing with the city in all directions. An example to consider is the Castelo Sant’Angelo with its multiple expansions of ground. It was first built as a Mausoleum for the emperor Hadrian in 139 A.D. In 270 A.D., the building was fortified to help protect the northern entrance to the city. Finally in 401 A.D. the building was converted into a military fortress by Favius Augustus. The layering of barriers created a change in the ground level, and consequently this affected the access to the building.  Today the ground that connects the building to the city is used as a public park. The multiple layers create sheltered spaces, and unique areas for kids to explore, hide in, jump, and climb.