Rome's history as a city spans over two and a half thousand years, as one of the founding cities of Western Civilization. Rome has a considerable place in Christianity and is the present day home of the Roman Catholic Church and the site of the Vatican City, an sovereign city-state run by the Catholic Church within as an enclave of Rome.



These are the 10 top places to visit while in Rome:

The Colosseum

The oval building is immense, measuring 188m by 156m and reaching a height of more than 48 meter (159 ft). The Colosseum could contain some 55,000 spectators who could enter the building through no less than 80 entrances.

Above the ground are four stories, the upper storey contained seating for lower classes and women. The lowest story was preserved for prominent citizens. Below the ground were rooms and cages containing wild animals and mechanical devices. The cages could be hoisted, enabling the animals to appear in the middle of the arena.

The Forum

The forum was the centre of political, commercial and judicial life in ancient Rome. The principal buildings were the basilicas, where legal cases were heard. For many it was the center of the universe.

The Pantheon

The Pantheon is the oldest standing domed structure in Rome, originally built as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome. It is the best preserved of all Roman buildings, and perhaps the best conserved building of its age in the world. It has been in continuous use throughout its history, since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a Roman Catholic church.

St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City

St. Peter's Basilica (Italian San Pietro in Vaticano) is a major basilica in Vatican City, an enclave of Rome. St. Peter's was until recent times the largest church ever. Emperor Constantine, the first Christian emperor of Rome, ordered to build a basilica on Vatican Hill. The site was symbolic: this was the place where Saint Peter, the chief apostle, was buried in 64 A.D. Other popes are also buried in and below the basilica.

The Trevi Fountain

The Trevi Fountain, certainly the most famous and spectacular fountain in Rome. The fountain is the terminal part of the Vergine aqueduct built by Agrippa, a general of Augustus, in 19 B.C. to bring the water coming from the Salone springs, 19 km away, to Rome. Around 3,000 euros are thrown into the fountain each day. The money has been used to fund a supermarket for Rome's needy. However, there are regular attempts to steal coins from the fountain.

Villa Borghese

Villa Borghese is considered the city's most significant green space. Painted by famous artists, the muse and inspiration of writers and celebrated musicians, Villa Borghese is perhaps Rome's best known ?villa?, or park. Exclusive in the world for its concentration of cultural institutions, the park contains five museums and is ringed by a string of overseas academies representing Romania, Egypt, Sweden, Denmark, Austria and Britain.

Piazza di Spagna

The Piazza di Spagna or Square of Spain is famous for its numerous stairs (135) covered with flowers during Spring and Summer. It was conceived by the architects Francesco De Sanctis and Alessandro Specchi in 1723. It was inaugurated for the 1725 jubilee by pope Benedict XIII. The stairs were to link the Spanish embassy to the church of the Trinity of the Mounts to celebrate the peace between the French and Spanish crowns.

Capitoline Museums

The Capitoline Museums are composed of three main buildings; Palazzo Senatorio, Palazzo dei Conservatori and Palazzo Nuovo, surrounding the Piazza del Campidoglio and interlinked by an underground gallery beneath the piazza. they were built on the Campidoglio as part of the design of the Square drawn up by Michelangelo.

Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums are among the greatest museums in the world, since they display works from the immense collection built up by the Roman Catholic Church throughout the centuries, originated as a group of sculptures collected by Pope Julius II and placed in what today is the ?Cortile Ottagono? within the museum complex

Arco di Costantino

The Arch was built at the beginning of the fourth century in honor of Constantine, following the victory over Maxentius. It is considered one of the last great monuments to be constructed by the Romans. It stands beside the Colosseum in the huge square which in summer is the site for one of the proceedings of the Estate Romana.