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Largo di Torre Argentina - Cat Sanctuary

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IMSAustin
IMSAustin
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Largo di Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary

  • May 20, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by IMSAustin from Austin, Texas
Largo di Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary

Largo di Torre Argentina is one of the most famous crime scenes in history. It is a relatively small site, sunken about 20 to 30 feet beneath the street level of modern Rome. It is surrounded by busy streets, tram lines, shops, and hotels. Filled with broken columns and crumbling, grassy walls, several temples and the Theatre of Pompey once stood here over 2,000 years ago. This is also where Julius Caesar met his Brutal end in 44 B.C.

Me and my fiancee weren't sure what to look for when we arrived, because the area is unexpectedly hemmed in by modern life. We didn't really notice the ruins until after we saw *them*--the cats!

Cats are everywhere. Lazy, friendly, sun-bathing cats. On the streets above and among the ruins below. They're on the columns, on the walls, on the grass. They go anywhere they please--and so they should. Despite its historical significance, few tourists visit this place in comparison with Rome's other hot spots. But for many of the tourists and locals who do visit, the cats are the main reason. For over 10 years, this place has been a sanctuary to hundreds of Rome's stray cats.

Run by some very dedicated, compassionate, and friendly locals and foreign citizens (many speak English), the Roman Cat Sanctuary at Torre Argentina now serves as a home to around 250 cats. The sanctuary provides food, water, shelter, health care, and neutering for the felines that care to stop by. They also provide adoption services for those seeking a family addition.

Entry to the grounds of the ruin is prohibited to the public without making special early arrangements. But it's free to the cats. Human guests can peer down at the cats from above, envious that the cats can freely tread around the stones that memorialize the greatness and drama of Rome's past. A cavernous area adjacent to the ruins is where the volunteers perform much of their work tete-a-paw with the cats. The cats roam freely there, too, and many are happy for a little attention. (As with all shelters, there may be unpleasant but tolerable odor.) Visitors can also purchase books, shirts, jewelry, and other decorative items to help support the sanctuary's efforts. The sanctuary operates entirely on voluntary contributions with minimal facilities. If you visit, please remember that a gift for yourself or a friend back home means meals and care for cats.

Largo di Torre Argentina has a special mystique due to its historical relevance and ironic charm. It is a unique and special congregation of cats and humanity. What it lacks in grandeur it makes up with care, fun, and furry friends.

The site is just east of Teatro Argentina, and may be difficult to spot because it lies hidden within the bustle of modernity. Just ask around. Keep your eyes open for piles of food and the cats themselves, for they will guide your way.

Open daily from noon to 6pm. Free.

Also visit the sanctuary's website at http://www.romancats.com/

From journal Stories of Ruins and Cats in the Eternal City

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