In the movie "Roman Holiday..."
 

Hi fellow travelers,

I'm finalizing my Rome itinerary and realized I've forgotten one thing. Remember when Audrey Hepburn stuck her hand into a hole in the wall and said that her hand would be bitten off if she lied (or something of the sort)? What is that place called? And where exactly is it? I believe it is called something like Mouth of Truth (do you happen to know it in Italian)? I read it in a guidebook but can't remember where.

Thanks!

Good Morning Muimei,

It is call La Bocca della Verita at the Santa Maria church in Cosmedin. If you have a map of the city, (ie streetwise is helpful for this particular purpose), look at the Palatine hill area, circo massimo and the street V.C. Greca Via Del Circo Massimo. The Church is not far from the river. Parallel to this street is Via d. Cerchi. Look for the cross that marks churches on the Streetwise maps and you will see S.Maria in Cosmidian. This is where the "mouth of truth" is located.

My next visit has this one marked. I hope this was helpful.

Have a great time.

I thought those statues (not sure what to call them) were placed in several places by the church to allow people to effectively 'tell on each other' by writing various offenses on paper and puttng them in the mouths.

To Mdtravel;

You are thinking of the "Bocca di Leone" (Lions Mouth) in Venice, wich was used during the republic as repositories for accusations of crimes. The accusation would be written on a piece of paper an anonymously slipped into the lions mouth (although the symbol could look more like a face). These were collected and investigated. Most of these were knocked off during the revolution but there are still a few around Venice. I've a picture of one taken in the Doges courtyard.

The La Bocca Della Verita in Rome is supposed to an old roman drain cover.

If you saw a picture of these side by side you would see they look different and from a size they are different as well.

Hope the clarification helps out.

Santa Maria in Cosmedin a Byzantine Church ,was built originally in the sixth century over the altar of Hercules, by Byzantine Monks.
Originally was known as Santa maria in Schola Greca.

Tradition claims that the 'Mouth of Truth' was a drain/sewer cover or a wellhead but they really don't know.
If it was there should be alot more of them around. Also it would be very expensive and far too elaborate just to cover a sewer :).
It was possibly a wall fountain from an ancient Roman villa.
But if you are interested in sewers :) nearby is the 'Ponte Palatino' bridge. Walk ~40m across on the leftside and then turn around and look at the riverbank. That setback opening is the original 'Clocina Maxima' which even today still drains from the Roman Forum.
And if you look downriver 100m you'll see another one like that one, that was built to drain the area where the Colosseum is.
Regards, Walter

Hi PL,

'Clocina' or "cloaca"?

Funnily enough, I watched that movie the other night. We are going to Rome on the 19th July, so I thought we'd get in the mood.
Apparently, Gregory Peck improvised the scene with Audrey Hepburn and she didn't expect him to actually come out without his hand - hence her real look of horror that was caught on film.

Ira: Opps :), I was thinking of the 'Shrine of Venus Cloacina' which marks the spot where the 'Cloaca Maxima' enters the Roman Forum. And I even spelled that wrong :). Regards, Walter

Don`t they also show it in the movie, Only You, with Robert Downey Jr, and Marisa Tomei? At least, I think that was the name of the movie.

If you are talking about the La Bocca della Verita at the Santa Maria church, it is located at the end of Circo Massimo toward the river. If you get off the Circo Massimo metro stop, look toward it and walk the whole length on the left. You'll go across alittle street and at the next street, hang a right and it's right there. It was hard to find the first time but once found, it was so simple. Got great pictures because there was no crowd.

We went there as well, and spent a long time looking for it. Its on the other side of Palantine hill. Great pic spot :)

Thanks for the info, everyone. I will head over there on my way to Trastevere.

So should I look for the Bocca della Verita inside the churchgrounds (e.g., in the cloister? If so, when is it open?), or on the exterior wall? Sounds like it is a bit tricky to find, but at least I've found the church on my map.

Did they show it in 'Only You?' I don't remember. I will rent Three Coins in the Fountain too. Any suggestions for Paris-themed or Swiss-themed movies? ;)

muimei: Go to http://www2.siba.fi/~kkoskim/rooma/pages/232_022B.HTM that is a view from the piazza across the street (Note the fountain).
The 'Mouth of Truth' is in the vestibule behind those 7 arches in front of the church.
This is a view of the piazza in front of the church (note the same fountain) http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maece...ac8611711.html.
No matter what direction you come in you will probably see the circular 'Temple of Hercules Victor' (wrongly aka the 'Temple of Vesta') 1st. So use that temple and the church's high belltower as landmarks and you will find it easily plus look for the tourists :).
Regards, Walter

Thank you PL for the pictures; this is most helpful in planning. I recall when we were leaving Rome for the airport, the driver went past this circular building and we thought of all we still did not see.

I am looking forward to the return and excited about having some movie nights for mom & my niece in preparation.

Thank you Walter. Like what DAJ said, your pictures were very helpful. Now I know what I'll need to look for when I get there.

Have a great trip, DAJ!

One of the most frustrating excursions was trying to find this damn thing with my 2 teenagers who wanted to see it. We started out at 4 - which was too late. We tried to take a bus which the DK eyewitness book said went there, but it did not. Best bet would have been to take the metro to Circus Maximus, but my kids had had their fill of being squished in that hot, crowded train.

Anyway by the time we found it it was 6:30 and I believe it had closed at 6. Good news is that it is in a portico, enclosed by bars - so you can see it and even take a picture of it but alas, you cannot put your hand it it and test your truthfulness.

You can take the 95 bus right to it. I believe the 95 also stops at the Barbarini metro stop. Taxi is probably your best bet.

Joelle

"Good news is that it is in a portico, enclosed by bars - so you can see it and even take a picture of it but alas, you cannot put your hand it it and test your truthfulness."

Bumping an old thread that I dug up on search. Does anybody know if this is still the case? Just saw the movie a couple of nights ago and would like to try the truth test?

Fun thing to do.

Hi MUIMIE,

I also love ROMAN HOLIDAY - glad you found your answer.

For those going to VENICE, I recommend watching SUMMERTIME with Katherine Hepburn and Rossano Brazzi from 1955. Produced by David Lean, the photography is smashing. Great love story too.

And then regarding Rome, of course, there is THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN from the same era...