Attractions

The Rome Colosseum and Must See Rome

When asked which city she liked most on her European tour, Audrey Hepburn's character in Roman Holiday replied “By all means, Rome ”. And it's no surprise. There's so much to do and so much to see. Here are some sights that your Roman holiday just can do without.

The Rome Colosseum

The Rome Colosseum owes its name to a colossal bronze statue, representing the Emperor Nero, more than 35 m. tall, that used to stand in this area. Symbol of Rome worldwide, the Colosseum was built by the emperors of the Flavian dynasty between 72-80 A.D., on the site once occupied by an artificial lake belonging to the magnificent Domus Aurea, a compound of buildings and gardens built by Nero now in ruins but with beautiful decorations which inspired Renaissance painters. As many as 100.000 cubic meters of travertine from the Tivoli quarries were used to build this amphitheatre, the largest ever built in Roman empire.

The Rome Colosseum could hold more than 70,000 spectators who could watch the fights between gladiators, the hunting of animals and, at the very beginning, the naumachias: naval battles that took place in the arena that was flooded. The architect who designed the Rome Colosseum is said to have been thrown alive to the wild beasts "as a reward for his own work", thus inaugurating the long story of blood and cruelties of the building he himself had conceived.

In the Middle Ages the Rome Colosseum was transformed into a fortress. Later on, stripped of its structures, it became in turn a quarry for building materials and finally the seat of hospitals, fraternities and craft guilds. It was only towards the middle of the 18th century, that Pope Benedict XIV had it decreed "sacred site", and the plunder and devastation was stopped.

Capitoline Hill

The Capitoline Hill, now the seat of the city's municipal authorities, was the centre of government of ancient Rome, and is the geographical centre of the modern city. It is especially beautiful at night, when it is usually deserted.

The piazza were designed by Michelangelo in 1538. It is bordered by three buildings (also by Michelangelo): the Palazzo Nuovo and the Palazzo dei Conservatori, which together house the Capitoline Museums, and the Palazzo Senatorio at the rear.

The bronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius in the centre of the piazza is a copy made from a mould created through computer-generated photographs. The original, which dates from the 2nd century AD, was badly damaged by pollution and pigeon dung and was removed in 1981. It has been restored and is now housed behind glass inside the Palazzo Nuovo.

For the greatest visual impact, approach the Capitoline Hill from Piazza d'Aracoeli and ascend the cordonata, a stepped ramp also designed by Michelangelo. It is guarded at the bottom by two ancient Egyptian granite lions and at the top by two mammoth statues of Castor and Pollux, which were excavated from the nearby ghetto area in the 16th century.

Castel Sant' Angelo

Reached by one of the world's most beautiful bridges - Bernini's billowing, angel-clad Pont Sant' Angelo - this strange, circular tank of a building was originally constructed as the mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian.

It was converted into a papal fortress in the 6th century, and is linked by underground passages to the Vatican palaces. Several popes have felt the need to take advantage of the secret routes in times of threat.

The mausoleum is now an interesting museum, and its evocative atmosphere is heightened by the knowledge that it was from here that Puccini's Tosca plunged to her death.

Forum

The commercial, political and religious centre of ancient Rome, the Forum spreads along the valley floor between the Capitoline and Palatine hills. It was constructed over about 900 years, with Republican buildings sitting in juxtaposition with temples from the Imperial era. The site's disrepair and disintegration into pastureland mirrored the fall of the Roman Empire, and excavations have been underway since the 18th century.

The Forum is entered from the piazza leading from the Rome Colosseum - that house of horrors cum marble quarry, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre. You immediately enter another world: the past. Columns rise from grassy hillocks, and repositioned pediments and columns aid the work of the imagination. Just some of the many must-sees include the Arch of Septimus Severus, the Temple of Saturn , the House of the Vestals, the Temple of Antoninus & Faustina and the Arch of Titus.

From the Forum, you can climb the Palatino - where the wealthy and powerful built their palaces and personal temples. A layer of medieval churches and Renaissance gardens and villas transformed the hilltop ruins into a magical, ivy- and agapanthus-covered land of grottos and secret vistas. Look out for the House of Livia, the Domus Augustana, the Palace of the Flavians and the ruins of the Baths of Septimus Severus. You can look down on ruins of the Circus Maximus, though not much remains of what was once a chariot racetrack that held more than 200,000 spectators.

Galleria Borghese

This 'queen of all private collections' was formed by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, the most passionate and knowledgeable connoisseur of his day. The collection and the mansion were acquired by the Italian state in 1902; a lengthy restoration took place in the 1990s.

The ground floor contains some important classical statuary and intricate Roman floor mosaics. But Bernini's spectacular carvings - flamboyant depictions of pagan myths - are the stars. His precocious talent is evident in works such as Pluto and Proserpine , where Pluto's hand presses into Proserpine's solid marble thigh, and in the swirling Apollo and Daphne , which depicts the exact moment at which the nymph is transformed into a laurel tree, her fingers becoming leaves, her toes turning into tree roots, while Apollo watches helplessly.

There are six Caravaggios, including the wonderfully naturalistic Madonna dei Palafrenieri (Madonna with the Serpent), whose uninhibited realism led to its rejection by its ecclesiastical commissioners, allowing Scipione to snap it up.

The paintings on the first floor are testimony to Scipione's connoisseur's eye, and include masterworks by Giovanni Bellini, Giorgione, Veronese, Botticelli, Guercino, Domenichino and Rubens, among others. It's advisable to book.

Holy See

Not many religions actually own a country, but Catholicism isn't just any religion. The Vatican is probably per square foot the richest country in the world, making up for its total lack of natural resources with an astonishing collection of priceless art treasures.

No-one passed on that stuff about the camel and the needle's eye to the Vatican: it's probably the most hysterically, hyperbolically lavish display of wealth you'll ever see. For art lovers it's the mecca of meccas, with iconic treasures ranging from the Sistine Chapel to Bernini's imposing piazza.

St. Peter's Cathedral

The largest church in the world, built over the tomb of St. Peter, is also the most imposing and breathtaking architectural achievement of the Renaissance. Its history goes back to AD 349, when the emperor Constantine completed a basilica over the site of the tomb of St. Peter, the Church's first pope. The original church stood for more than 1,000 years, undergoing a number of restorations and alterations, until it was in danger of collapse toward the middle of the 15th century. In 1452 a reconstruction job began but was quickly abandoned for lack of cash. In 1503 Pope Julius II instructed the architect Bramante to raze all the existing buildings and to build a new basilica, one that would surpass even Constantine 's for grandeur. It wasn't until 1626 that the basilica was completed and consecrated.

Pause a moment to judge the size of the great building. The people near the main altar seem dwarfed by the incredible dimensions of this immense temple. The statues, the pillars, and the holy-water stoups borne by colossal cherubs are all imposing. Brass inscriptions in the marble pavement down the center of the nave indicate the approximate lengths of the world's other principal Christian churches, all of which fall far short of St. Peter's Basilica's 186-meter span.

Immediately to your right is Michelangelo's Pietà, one of the world's most famous statues. It was safely screened behind shatterproof glass after being damaged in 1972 and masterfully restored in the Vatican 's workshops. Exquisite bronze grilles and doors by Borromini open into the third chapel in the right aisle, the Cappella del Santissimo Sacramento (Chapel of the Most Holy Sacrament), with a baroque fresco of the Trinity by Pietro da Cortona and carved angels by Bernini.

In the central crossing, Bernini's great bronze baldacchino -- a huge, spiral-columned canopy -- rises high over the altare papale (papal altar). Bernini's Barberini patron, Pope Urban VIII, had no qualms about stripping the bronze from the Pantheon to provide Bernini with the material to create this curious structure. The Romans reacted with the famous quip "Quod non fecerunt barbari, fecerunt Barberini" ("What the barbarians didn't do, the Barberini did"). A curious legend connected with the baldacchino, which swarms with Barberini bees (the bee was the Barberini family symbol), relates that the pope commissioned it in thanks for the recovery of a favorite niece who had almost died in childbirth.

The antique casket in the niche under the papal altar contains the pallia, bands of white wool that are conferred by the pope on archbishops as a sign of authority. These pallia are made by nuns from the wool of two lambs blessed every year in the Church of Sant'Agnese on her feast day, January 21. When completed, they are blessed by the pope during the rites of the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul on June 29 and are stored in the casket that you see.

The splendid gilt-bronze Cattedra di San Pietro (throne of St. Peter) in the apse above the main altar was designed by Bernini to contain a wooden and ivory chair that St. Peter himself is said to have used, though in fact it doesn't date from further than medieval times. (You can see a copy of the chair in the treasury.) Above it, Bernini placed a window of thin alabaster sheets that diffuses a golden light around the dove, symbol of the Holy Spirit, in the center.

Continue to travel down the left nave past Algardi's tomb of St. Leo. The handsome bronze grilles in the Capella del Coro (Chapel of the Choir) were designed by Borromini to complement those opposite in the Cappella del Santissimo Sacramento . The next pillar holds a rearrangement of the Pollaiuolo brothers' austere monument to Pope Innocent VIII, the only major tomb to have been transferred from the old basilica. The next chapel contains the handsome bronze monument to Pope John XXIII by contemporary sculptor Emilio Greco. On the last pier in this nave stands a monument by the late-18th-century Venetian sculptor Canova marking the burial in the crypt below of the ill-fated Stuarts -- the 18th-century Roman Catholic claimants to the British throne, who were long exiled in Rome.

To reach the dome of St. Peter's, proceed from the vestibule and follow the signs; you can either take the elevator or climb the long flight of shallow stairs to the roof of the church (06/69883462; COST: Elevator EUR5, stairs EUR4; Daily 8-5; closed during ceremonies in the piazza). From here you'll see a surreal landscape of vast sloping terraces punctuated by cupolas that serve as skylights over the various chapels. The roof affords unusual perspectives on the dome above and the piazza below. The terrace is equipped with the inevitable souvenir shop and with rest rooms. A short flight of stairs leads to the entrance of the tamburo (drum) -- the base of the dome -- where, appropriately enough, there's a bust of Michelangelo, the dome's principal designer. Within the drum, another short ramp and staircase give access to the gallery encircling the base of the dome. From here you have a dove's-eye view of the interior of the church. It's well worth the slight effort to make your way up here -- unless you suffer from vertigo.

The entrance to Le Sacre Grotte Vaticane (Tombs of the Popes; COST: Free; Apr.-Sept., daily 7-6; Oct.-Mar., daily 7-5) is at the base of the pier dedicated to St. Longinus. Because the only exit from the crypt leads outside St. Peter's Basilica, it is best to leave this visit for last. The crypt is lined with marble-face chapels and simple tombs occupying the area of Constantine's basilica and standing over what is believed to be the tomb of St. Peter himself. COST: Free. Apr.-Sept., daily 7-7; Oct.-Mar., daily 7-6. Free 1-hr guided tours in English available; inquire at Centro Servizi (information office), as times vary.

Pantheon

The Pantheon is an impressive example of the exquisite architectural technique of ancient Rome. It consists of a huge cylindrical body of equal height and width, covered by a great hemispherical dome.
Important artists such as the painter Raphael are buried there, as well as the Italian Sovereigns of the period when Italy was a monarchy.
Opposite to the Pantheon is Piazza della Rotonda with its beautiful fountain designed by Giacomo Della Porta. Built as a temple dedicated to all the gods, erected by Marcus Agrippa in 25 B.C. and later rebuilt by Hadrian around 120 A.D., the Pantheon underwent several transformations: a Christian church in 609 and a fortress in Medieval Times.

Via Appia Antica

Known to ancient Romans as the 'regina viarum' (queen of roads), the Via Appia Antica extends from the Porta di San Sebastiano to Brindisi on the coast of Puglia. It was started around 312BC by the censor Appius Claudius Caecus, but didn't connect with Brindisi until around 190BC.

The first section of the road, which extended 90km (56mi) to Terracina, was considered revolutionary in its day because it was almost perfectly straight - perhaps the world's first autostrada. Every Sunday, a long section of the Via Appia Antica becomes a no-car zone. You can walk or ride a bike from the Porta di San Sebastiano for several kilometres.

Monuments along the road near Rome include the catacombs and Roman tombs. The Chiesa Di Domine Quo Vadis is built at the point where St Peter had a vision of Christ as he was escaping the Neronian persecution. Noticing he was going towards the city, Peter asked 'Domine, quo vadis?' - ('Lord, where are you going?') When Jesus replied that he was going to Rome to be crucified again, Peter took the hint and returned to the city, where he was arrested and martyred.

Piazza Navona

From an air view, the arena-like shape of Piazza Navona can be easily noticed. As a matter of fact, the piazza was built on the Stadium of Domitian, whose ruins can still be admired in the adjacent church of Sant'Agnese in Agone. The church, designed by the great architect Francesco Borromini, is an excellent example of the Roman Baroque architecture. In Piazza Navona are three fountains: Fontana del Moro, Fontana di Nettuno and in the centre of the square Bernini's magnificent Fontana dei Fiumi. Four allegorical statues portray the Nile, the Ganges, the Danube and the Rio de la Plata, symbolizing the four corners of the world. Traditionally, from the beginning of December till the Epiphany, this piazza is occupied by stalls selling sweets and toys.

Piazza di Spagna

A meeting place for both Romans and tourists, Piazza di Spagna is famous for its theatrical staircase, a creation of Francesco De Sanctis, and for its fountain known as La Barcaccia, designed in 1629 by Pietro Bernini and his son Gian Lorenzo in the shape of a boat semisubmerged in water.
At the top of the Spanish Steps is the Church of Trinità dei Monti , erected by order of the king of France Louis XII in 1502. Farther along, on the left, is Villa Medici, today seat of the Academy of France. The streets that host the most important fashion shops, but also the sites that have left a mark on the history and the culture of Rome depart in rays from Piazza di Spagna. In this respect a visit to Caffè Greco in Via Condotti is not to be missed. Originally Piazza di Spagna was named after the imposing church at the top of the great flight of steps, Trinità dei Monti, one of the French churches of Rome. Only in the 17th century, when Palazzo Monaldeschi became seat of the Spanish Embassy, did the square become knows as Piazza di Spagna in order to win the rivalry with France, owner of Trinità dei Monti.