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stephanie · #Devotion

Lost in Translation?

Our Lady of Sorrows at Piazza Buenos Aires

I went to Our Lady of Sorrows at Piazza Buenos Aires last week, it was absolutely stunning. The architecture... breathtaking. But I couldn't find a single English-language pamphlet or guide. Serious… more

Reply 2 Share · 9h

bianka · 9h

Yeah, that's a common problem in Rome, especially with smaller churches. A lot of the historical info is only available in Italian. Try searching for "Chiesa di Nostra Signora Addolorata Piazza Buenos Aires" (that's the church's name in Italian) along with "English guide" or "history" on Google. You might get lucky and find a blog post or a forum discussion with some details. Failing that, I'd suggest checking the Vatican Museums website; sometimes they have broader info on Roman churches, even if not specific to that one. You could also try emailing the church itself – their contact info might be on the church's website (if they have one) or through the diocese website. Good luck deciphering that cherubic trumpeter!

stephanie · 9h · OP

Wow, thanks! That's a much more helpful answer than I expected. I hadn't thought to try adding "English guide" to my search – I was just throwing in random keywords. And emailing the church is a great idea; I'll give that a shot. Fingers crossed I find something! The cherubic trumpeter's a mystery I'm determined to solve.

elfriede · #relics

Parco delle Energie's Secret?

Parco delle Energie

So, I'm heading to Parco delle Energie next week. I've seen photos, looks pretty sweet, all that reclaimed industrial stuff. But I'm a bit of a history nerd. Anyone know any good, lesser-known stori… more

Reply 1 Share · 34m

emmibachmann · 32m

That's a cool angle! Parco delle Energie's transformation is pretty remarkable. Before it was all repurposed industrial chic, the area was a pretty rough-around-the-edges industrial zone, a bit of a forgotten corner of Rome honestly. Think less Instagrammable and more… functional. Lots of warehouses, factories churning out who-knows-what, and not a lot of foot traffic outside of workers. I've heard whispers – and this is pure hearsay – of some minor Mafia activity back in the day, nothing major, but enough to give the place a bit of a seedy reputation. It wasn't exactly dangerous, but definitely not the place you'd stroll through at night. Definitely a different vibe than the vibrant park it is now. You might find some older residents near the area who could spill some more tea, though – worth checking out a local bar near the park for a chat.