The eternal city is a special place. Every stone under the feet of a tourist here remembers the greatness of the ancient empire, any building or construction can turn out to be the most valuable historical relic, and the atmosphere, despite the crowds of those who suffer to touch the antiquities, is still unique and special and depends little on the number of tourists on the streets. The Italian capital attracts millions of pilgrims and art critics, photographers and models, scientists and researchers of architectural masterpieces every year like a magnet. It seems pointless to ask the question of what to see in Rome, it is enough to leave the hotel and look around. By the way, the hotel itself can be located in a building with such a turbulent history that a real royal palace in another place of the planet will envy.
TOP 10 attractions in Rome
Trevi Fountain
There is no better place for dating in Rome. The largest and most famous fountain in the Italian capital adjoins the façade of the Poli Palace, making Trevi seem even more majestic and monumental.
The Trevi Fountain is a classic example of the Baroque architectural style. It was built in the first half of the 18th century by the architect Nicolo Salvi, who probably had no idea that his brainchild would eventually become such a popular landmark in Rome. Crowds of tourists come to see the Trevi fountain, and the city services annually catch about 1.5 million euros from the fountain with coins thrown into the water according to the good old tradition.
Trevi is especially beautiful in the evening and at night thanks to the illumination and in the early morning due to the lack of crowds of tourists.
Coliseum
When asked what to see in Rome, even a not too enthusiastic schoolboy will confidently recommend the Colosseum. The Flavian Amphitheater has long and firmly established itself on the top step of the podium of popular attractions of Italy and its capital.
Built in the 1st century AD the largest amphitheater of the ancient world - the most grandiose structure of that era, which has survived to this day. The first customer for the construction was the Emperor Vespasian, who decided to eradicate all memory of Nero and build an amphitheater for public entertainment on the site of the lake at the palace of his predecessor.
In the arena of the Colosseum, battles took place with the participation of gladiators and animals. Its size and appearance are awe-inspiring even today:
- The outer edge of the Colosseum is 524 meters long, the arena is 85 meters long and 53 meters wide.
- The height of the walls of the amphitheater reached 50 m.
- On the plan, the Colosseum is an ellipse with a major axis length of 188 m.
- The thickness of the foundation of the Flavian amphitheater is 13 m, and 80 radially directed walls and floor pillars form the basis of the structure.
- The building could accommodate at least 50 thousand spectators.
Eighty evenly spaced entrances around the perimeter allowed the public to fill in and out of the Colosseum in just 15 minutes. The sailors of the Imperial Navy, placed on the roof, pulled up the awning almost instantly, protecting the spectators from the sun or rain.
Ticket price: 6 euros.
Roman forum
The public space in ancient Rome, where city social life took place, negotiations were held, meetings were made and deals were made, today it has survived only in the form of ruins. Initially, the Roman Forum was a marketplace, but then its functions expanded and architecture varied considerably.
The first works on draining the swamps on the site of the Forum were carried out in the 6th century BC. The system of gutters and drainages provided the desired result, and a few years later in the valley at the foot of the Palatine Hill appeared the sanctuary of Venus-Cloaquin, Rhegia, which served as the residence of the kings, and other ancient objects.
The most notable buildings of the Roman Forum, preserved in the form of ruins to this day, are the Temple of Venus and Roma, the Arch of Titus, the House of the Vestals, the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine and the Arch of Tiberius.
Ticket price: 12 euros.
Trajan's Column
In honor of the victories of the Roman emperor Trajan, who ruled the empire in the 1st century AD, the architect Apollodorus of Damascus erected a monument in 113 that has survived in the capital of Italy to this day.
Trajan's column is made of Carrara marble. 20 stone blocks form a structure, the height of which reaches 38 m, and the diameter of the base is 3.6 m. The barrel is wrapped 23 times by a spiral of a 190-meter ribbon depicting episodes of the war between Dhaka and Rome. Selected bas-reliefs are a historical guide for a detailed study of weapons and garments of soldiers of the era of the Trajan Wars.
Pantheon
The Temple of All Gods in Rome was built in the 2nd century AD. NS. Emperor Hadrian. Previously, on the site of the Pantheon, its predecessor was located, built 200 years earlier.
The uniqueness of the architectural solution during the construction of the Pantheon suggests that one of the authors of the project was Apollodorus of Damascus, who built Trajan's Column and some structures of the Roman Forum.
The Pantheon is an example of the classic clarity and integrity of the exterior and interior. Its artistic image is so majestic that when entering the temple, even modern visitors are in awe.
The diameter of the dome covering the brick rotunda exceeds 43 m. In its center there is a round hole reaching 9 m in diameter. The oculus is the only window through which daylight enters the Pantheon. The most impressive pole of light can be seen at noon.
Some famous people are buried under the vaults of the temple of all the gods. Among them is the artist Rafael Santi.
Spanish Steps
Reminiscent of the wings of a butterfly spread out to the world, the Spanish Steps leading up to Pincho Hill is one of the finest landmarks in Rome. From its top you can look at the Spanish Square, and at its foot you will find the "Barcaccia" fountain in the form of a boat, the author of which was the architect Bernini the father in the first third of the 18th century.
The architectural style of the Spanish Steps project is luxurious baroque. 138 steps lead to the Trinita dei Monti church, whose patrons were French kings for several centuries. The representation of the Spanish crown was located on the Plaza de España, and the diplomat Etienne Geffier, who decided that it was necessary to connect two points on the map of Rome, left a colossal amount after his death for the implementation of his idea.
Every spring on the Spanish Steps you can see the participants of the Flower Parade - magnificent azaleas are delivered from the greenhouses of Rome.
Castel Sant'Angelo
Hadrian's Mausoleum on the banks of the Tiber is often called the Sad Castle. It was built by a Roman emperor in the 2nd century AD. and for a long time acted as a burial place for the powerful. Caracalla was the last to rest in the castle of St. Angela.
For some time the castle was used by the popes as a fortification during the raids of the barbarians, until in 410 it was completely destroyed by the Visigoths. The current name of the fortress, as the legend says, appeared in the 6th century, when, during an epidemic of the plague, Pope Gregory the Great saw an angel standing at the top of the castle and sheathing a sword.
The castle, reconstructed in the 16th century, has turned into a luxurious papal apartment and a concurrent prison. Giordano Bruno spent six years here in captivity. The famous sculptor Benvenuto Cellini is the only prisoner of the Castel Sant'Angelo who managed to escape from custody.
Today within the walls of the fortress there is an exposition of the Military History Museum of Italy
To get there: Rome metro station Lepanto and Ottaviano-San Pietro.
Ticket price: 10 euros.
Villa d'Este
The most beautiful mansion on the outskirts of Tivoli, not far from Rome, appeared in the 16th century. Villa d'Este was built by order of Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este, Governor of Tivoli. The task of the architects who built the mansion and developed the project of the park was the need to emphasize the high prestige of the palace as a future meeting place for people of art.
The interiors of the villa are decorated with Flemish tapestries and stucco moldings, frescoes and statues, and the park design served as a model for the creation of the Peterhof ensemble.
During its existence, Villa d'Este has gone through a lot. The periods of prosperity were followed by years of oblivion and desolation, and the most ambitious and final restoration was carried out after the end of the Second World War.
In 2007, Villa d'Este deservedly received the title of the most beautiful park in Europe.
Santa Maria Maggiore
In the list of Roman churches, Santa Maria Maggiore occupies a worthy place in the top five main basilicas and is famous for the fact that its appearance has hardly changed throughout its existence.
The temple was founded after a vision to the then Pope of Liberia. The Madonna, who dreamed of the pontiff, commanded to build a temple in the place where the snow would lie in the morning. This is how the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore appeared.
The bell tower of the Basilica is the tallest in the Italian capital. It soars into the sky 75 meters, and its construction dates back to the XIV century. The current facade with a portico was erected four centuries later. On the wall in the loggia, on the old façade, you can see mosaics from the early 14th century.
The most valuable relic of the temple is the mosaics of the central nave. They date back to the 5th century and the paintings tell about the most important events in the life of the Mother of God - the Annunciation and the birth of the Savior.
Borghese Gallery
The collection, exhibited in the grounds of the Villa Borghese, contains several works by the great 16th century artist Caravaggio. The gallery also displays paintings by Raphael and Titian, Veronese and Correggio.
The building of the Borghese Gallery was built in the 17th century. The park area around Villa Borghese is an excellent example of landscape design.
Ticket price: 8, 5 euros.
