Rome 2017: Conclusion

Rome is engraved with cultural landscapes exposing travelers and Romans alike to the history and progression of the Roman Empire to medieval Rome to now Modern Rome. Cultural landscapes expose viewers to what was valued and cherished at the time. It is so interesting to see the transformation from the role and influence of the gods through mythology to the role and influence of God through the Christian faith. These changes are revealed through ancient temples and more modern basilicas. In addition, sculptures have played a huge role in cultural landscapes as they tell the story from biblical leaders, to Greek gods to emperors of Rome. The paintings, also, depict the progression of thought and intellect in a timeless matter. Everything that is seen and touched in Rome tells a story, a story of conquest, defeat and victory, a story of pain and triumph. I challenge readers to look past simply what is observed, dig deeper and attempt to understand the story that is being depicted. Every society has cultural landscapes, but often we are too busy to take the

time to understand what the landscapes are depicting. The world is our oyster- let’s go cultivating cultural landscapes.