Constantine’s Colossus and Corkscrews on Churches

I’ve never been a big fan of the “If-it’s-Tuesday-this-must-be-Belgium” kind of travel, where in an effort to squeeze in as many countries or attractions as possible, it all becomes an indistinct blur. Or worse, like ‘museum fatigue’, you’re left with nothing but an impression of being impressed, without really remembering anything specific. 

Which is why the last time I planned a visit to Rome, I planned next to nothing. In fact, other than organizing an apartment to rent for a week, Henk and I decided to play each day by ear, and wander the city. And it was because we were looking for nothing in particular that we found something of particular interest…

Stumbling onto the Colossus of Constantine

We had wandered up to the Campidoglio, thinking we would take advantage of the high point to enjoy a view over the Forum, when we saw that there was a Michelangelo exhibit in the Capitoline museum to the right of the piazza. Being a huge fan, we went in and not only got to see some pretty remarkable architectural drawings, but discovered an atrium filled with some pretty famous bits and pieces that I’d seen on postcards everywhere but never in real life: the remnants of the Colossus of Constantine.

The Colossus of Constantine in the Capitoline Museum

This huge statue (colossal, even!) dated from 280-337 AD and would have been about 40 feet high based on the scale of these marble fragments, which had been re-discovered in 1487 by none other than Michelangelo himself. Although the complete statue had been made of various materials, only some of the carved marble pieces survive, creating a strange tableau of disconnected body parts around the perimeter of the atrium. Impressive nonetheless.

One of the Best Terraces in Rome for a Drink With a View

Another surprise waited for us in the museum when Henk and I decided to visit its cafe for a drink (a mandatory break on any ‘unplanned’ excursion!) Off the cafe itself was a huge rooftop terrace, with an equally expansive view of Rome’s rooftops! After enjoying the panoramic view we parked ourselves at a table, ordered some drinks, and in true Roman fashion, enjoyed an hour of utter relaxation identifying piazzas and monuments in the city below.

The outdoor terrace’s view of Rome

This was when we spotted an odd corkscrew-shaped spire on top of one of the churches, and when we decided to make it our day’s mission to find out what and where that spire was.

Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza church

Following our Noses to Discover Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza

It took the better part of two hours, a few wrong turns, some questioning of passersby, and another drink in nearby Piazza Navona, before we found the church of Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza and its unusual corkscrew spire. Set atop a church designed by Francesco Borromini, the design for the counter-clockwise spiral ‘lantern’ was considered novel in the mid 1600’s when it was built.

Close up of Sant’Ivo alla Sapienza spire

In fact, 100 years later, a similar design was used on a Danish church (Vor Frelsers Kirke in Copenhagen) whose architect modelled his spire after Borromini’s. Talk about inspired. (apologies but I couldn’t resist!)

The Vor Freisers Kirke in Copenhagen has a similar corkscrew spire

As unique and beautiful as the church was, what we enjoyed even more was the sheer randomness of the day and how it had unfolded into a surprising and impromptu treasure hunt.

These are the delightful surprises that ‘slow travel’ can reveal, whether you slow it down for a month, a week, or even just one day. I can’t think of a better way to explore Rome than to follow where it leads you – whether it’s to the top of the Capitoline Hill, or even, perhaps, to Copenhagen!

TIP: Racing around Rome trying to check off a list of attractions will only prove frustrating, since many museums are only open in the mornings, and many sites have lineups. (The lineups for the Vatican museums, for example, can be huge in high season.) So if you have the time in your itinerary, give yourself a little breathing room in Rome, to just breathe in the city itself.

Jane Canapini

Jane is an award-winning travel writer and photographer and an accredited member of the Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC). In their annual awards competition, TMAC named GrownupTravels.com as the Best Self-Published Travel Blog in 2025 .
She is also a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association, and a freelance travel writer contributing to both print and online publications.