Day minus1 and counting

Off to Rome today. Thanks to Michael Vergason and Brian Kelly for their guidance and inspiration.  Brian gave me a book - "The Families who made Rome" - which will be act as my guide each day. The Nolli Map will also be a guide as it has been for countless architects before me.  This map is prominently displayed in my partner Luanne Green's kitchen.....

Giambattista Nolli (or Giovanni Battista, April 9, 1701 – July 1, 1756) was an Italian architect and surveyor. He is best known for his ichnographic plan of Rome, the Pianta Grande di Roma which he began surveying in 1736 and engraved in 1748, and now universally known as the Nolli Map. The map is composed of 12 copper plate engravings that together measures 176 centimetres (69 in) by 208 centimetres (82 in) and was published in response to the commission of Pope Benedict XIV to survey Rome in order to help create demarcations for the 14 traditional rioni or districts.^[3] It was by far the most accurate description of Rome produced to date at a time when the architectural achievement of the Papacy was in full flower.