I just discovered that Abraham Lincoln was so impressed with Giuseppe Garibaldi, the man credited with unifying Italy and driving out those nasty French and Austrians, that he offered Garibaldi a command post in the Union Army.
It’s rained nonstop for the past four days, and as Arielle pointed out last week, even when it sprinkles, Roman rain is wetter. This morning the rain finally stopped at around 10, andĀ I stuck my head far enough out of the window to see over the top of the buildings to a patch of bright blue sky.Ā Today’s itinerary was Janiculum Hill in Trastevere, the site of the battle for Rome in 1849 in which Garibaldi led a force of Red Shirts (independence/unification fighters) against the French and where his wife Anita, pregnant at the time, fought alongside him.Ā Italian history is hard for me to get at since most of it is written in Italian, but Garibaldi won the battle on Janiculum Hill and lost Rome in a subsequent battle.
A lot of people died here. In spite of the open park-like quality of the place, and the grand views, Janiculum Hill is really a necropolis. The death theme prevails. This street sign commemorates a 13-year-old boy who died in the battle. 
And this one commemorates young men from Varese.
A wonderful equestrian statute of Garibaldi dominates the hill,
which offers sweeping views of the city, including the ugly wedding cake, the Vittorio Emmanuel II monument, which sticks out like a white canker on the pretty cityscape (see the big white box center right).Ā Vittorio Emmanuel did not treat Garibaldi well, and it seems fitting that as hard as architects tried to make his monument dominate the city, it’s Garibaldi who looks down on it.Ā And who knew that Rome was surrounded by white-capped mountains. I need to pay more attention to the local geography.
Anita’s monument is very touching. Actually, touching isn’t the word for it. Wild is a better one. Here she is riding a galloping horse, pistol raised, with a baby in her arms. She was 28 years old when she fought in this battle.
After the Red Shirts lost the last Roman battle, they fled to San Marino. Anita died of malaria and was buried along the way. According to one account I read, dogs dug up her grave. Whatever happened, her mortal remains are now on Janiculum Hill under a glorious statue.
Sometime when you need your spirits lifted, track down the story of the love affair of Giuseppe and Anita Garibaldi. It serves as a template for every swashbuckling romance ever written. What a couple! As I was walking around the statue to photograph the wonderful sculptures on the base, I stopped just in time not to interrupt a couple (middle-aged!) who hidden from view and kissing passionately. Anita would have loved it.
Who are these men? Nothing I found in guidebooks or online explained these statues, about a hundred of them, that line the walkways on the hill.
They are definitely portrait busts, and I’ll track down their significance and relevance to this place. If anyone has any information, please share.
Another hilltop monument, this lighthouse, was erected by the Italian community of Argentina and represents the last view they had of their homeland as their ships sailed away to the New World. There was a huge emigration of Italians to Argentina in the 19th century, just as to the United States, prompted by economic conditions in Italy. I’ve met lots of Italian-Argentinians on my visits, including my cousin Mario, who came back to Italy. Argentina, which is in big economic trouble these days, was apparently a promised land back then.
The necropolis theme persisted on the road back down the hill. This is the tomb of Italy’s unknown soldier from the Great War.
Along the road that passes the monument, I saw these little shrines. I don’t know their significance.
A little fountain that looks ancient lightened the mood.
As if to match the somber mood of the place, the day that started out sunny turned cold and overcast. On my way home I stopped in Piazza St. Calisto for lunch, pulled pork with pickled zucchini (turned out to be a Vietnamese restaurant run by an Italian).
I walked home through Trastevere, past my new favorite bookstore
and stopped at my new favorite bakery for a half-loaf of bread (mezzo filone). I couldn’t resist the pizza, which makes me take back what I said about American pizza being better than Italian pizza. The variety here is astounding. I chose eggplant with sun-dried tomatoes and ham with ricotta, but I plan to try every other kind by the end of the trip.
I’m hopingĀ all this walking is going to save me from all the pizza and pasta I’m consuming.
Check out the river view from Ponte Sisto. The Tiber is rising! Last week you could see a walkway down there with people strolling along. Now the water is at least a meter over it.
Home! Via Giulia at last with Michelangelo’s little bridge to greet and reassure me that I’m going in the right direction.
By the way, Garibaldi declined Lincoln’s offer for two reasons: first, Garibaldi said Lincoln had not adequately condemned and abolished slavery, and second, Lincoln wouldn’t give Garibaldi supreme command of the Union Army.
I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you are the person sharing this adventure with us – you write so well, and offer a rare blend of history, photography, and personal perspective. Thank you! We will toast you at Coven this evening!