Rome, Italy is an iconic city with great historical events and locations. Rome is home to many ancient artifacts, culture, architecture, and engineering. All Rome tourists have to visit The Colosseum. The Colosseum was originally known as The Great Flavian Amphitheater. It was home to gladiatorial fights, contests between men and wild animals, and races. It got it’s nickname from a reference to a large statue of Emperor Nero that stood nearby, which was also called The Colosseum. It began by Emperor Vespasian and was completed in ten years in 80 A.D. under Emperor Titus. It stands 187 feet high, has a circumference of 1,729 feet, and seated 50,000 people. The Colosseum consists of two Greek semicircular theatres joined together. The exterior is decorated by Greek columns and statues of the gods in the arches of the two upper floors. The interior included a wooden floor covering a hypogeum, an underground structure of tunnels and cages still visible today. The hypogeum was used to house prisoners, gladiators, and wild animals before fights.
Another iconic structure of Rome is The Pantheon. The Pantheon was built in 27 B.C. by Marcus Vipsanius as a temple to all the gods. Vipsanius was a close advisor to Augustus. In 124 A.D., it was rebuilt and converted to a church under Emperor Hadrian after a fire. The Pantheon was the largest dome of the ancient world measuring 141 feet in both height and diameter. With an opening in the center of the dome, The Pantheon ranks as one of the world’s largest unreinforced concrete domes.
Another Roman site with such great history is Trevi Fountain. Trevi Fountain is considered the largest Baroque fountain in Rome. The fountain marks an aqueduct supplying water to Rome. According to ancient tales, in 19 B.C. with the help of a virgin, she located the source of pure water where Trevi Fountain was later built. This particular scene of the virgin finding the water source is depicted in the fountain’s façade. A tradition of coin tossing in the basin began. The myth claims if one tosses a coin, they will return to Rome. With an estimated daily intake 3,000 euros, a subsidized market for the needy was created with the funds.
The Vatican and The Sistine Chapel prove to be other historical Roman structures. Vatican City State is one of the smallest city states in the world with an approximate area of 110 acres and a population of just 800 people. It was created in 1929 by the Lateran Treaty. Many historical buildings are located in Vatican City such as St Peter’s Basilica, the Apostolic Palace, and The Sistine Chapel. The Sistine Chapel has become one of the best known chapels in the Apostolic Palace, which is the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City. It was decorated by artists such as Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturricchio, and many others.
These are some of the structures all Roman tourists absolutely have to visit. Check out my next blog to see some places “off the beaten path” in the Tuscan region.