I Gatti di Roma

 

I came upon Largo di Torre Argentina as I was finding my way home along Corso Vittorio Emanuel II after dark, from a late appointment at the Vatican. Despite my hurry-home nerves (landmarks don't look the same at night) the dramatically lit ruins stopped me in my tired tracks. 

Largo is a "sacred area" archeological site opened only in 2023. Turns out the ruins were not far from my room next to Piazza della Rotunda. Nevertheless, it took some doing to find them again the next day! 

Time didn't permit a visit, but I spent a long time on the piazza above, with its marvellous interpretive panels. This site protects and explains an astonishing complex of four ruined temples from the Republican era, and the Theatre and Curia of Pompey, where Julius Caesar was assassinated! Here's a fabulous site about the site.

And here I met - at a distance, which is the way they like it - the feral cats of Largo di Torre Argentina.

If you play 'Where's Waldo' you can see the occasional cat in these photos. They are part of the 150 or so in residence at any one time. 

The Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary gained momentum during the 1950s when cat-loving theatre types began feeding the felines. Their goal is to spay and neuter but also to feed, provide medical services and arrange adoptions. 

Here is a link to theirwebsite which contains cat stories, adoption opportunities and media coverage. From here you can make donations or arrange a virtual adoption.  I have developed a soft spot for goofy Bossanova.