19 Sep

What did one wall say to the other?

What remained of the Baths of Agrippa stood proud in its half circle of glory as the city of Rome grew up with housing all around it. As the buildings began closing in, the now named arco di ciambella new what was to come. One day a new wall approached longing to connect to the arco di Agrippa on the outside. The two walls came to an agreement that they could touch as long as the new wall did not attempt to go through the arco di agrripa. The new wall pushed right up against the old one and nestled into a corner that was created by the remains of the old wall. Soon buildings started following suit all around the tall half circle of the arco di agrrip and all that was left was the hollow interior of the semi circle. Yet more housing was needed and again the arco di Agrippa was hesitant to give up its interior, which now housed a public space, somewhat resembling the public space that used to exist there when it was part of the Agrippa baths. However the space was big enough to fit 3 more apartment buildings giving more Romans a place to live. Rome had been the arco di ciambella’s home for so long that denying the home of another seemed wrong. So soon enough three new apartments grew up inside the outstretched arms of the arco di ciambella. Today you can still see how the ancient walls hold the apartment buildings, and how the gardens have grown from the roof of the buildings onto the ruins creating a bridge between the new and the old as if they always belonged together.