What to see in Rome, a two-day itinerary including the main monuments and places of interest, including the Colosseum, St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, the Trevi Fountain and the Roman Forum.
Tourist information
Capital of Italy, Rome is a world-class tourist destination, its historic center is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Also called the eternal city, it is the cradle of western civilization and the heart of Catholicism.
What see
The numerous artistic testimonies that we can appreciate in this city today reach us through centuries of history, starting with ancient Rome, which tradition claims was founded on April 21, 753 BC. from Romulus and Remus, while the first settlements date back to the 10th century BC.
On the right bank of the Tiber there is the Vatican, an independent state placed under the authority of the Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, with an area of only 0.44 sq km, where monuments known all over the world are located, such as St. Peter's Square and the homonymous Basilica.
First day
Colosseum - Forums - Capitol
The most famous monument of ancient Rome, which has come down to us, is the Colosseum, namely the Flavian Amphitheater.
Its construction dates back to 72 AD, in the days of Vespasiano and the inauguration was made by Tito in 80 AD.
Various types of public demonstrations took place in the Colosseum, including gladiator shows, animal fights, killing of condemned by animals.
The amphitheater was restored several times due to natural damage caused by fires, lightning or earthquakes, but as early as the sixth century it fell into disuse and used as a burial area.
In 1084 it came into the possession of the Frangipane family, who transformed it into a fortified palace.
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For a long period it became a quarry of building material, in particular in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries the travertine blocks of the structure were completely removed and used for the construction of other buildings.
In 1749, when the Colosseum was declared a church consecrated to Christ and the Christian martyrs, there were already the newsstands of the Via Crucis built some years earlier by Pope Benedict XIV, but it is necessary to wait for the nineteenth century for the first effective maintenance interventions of the 'Opera.
A short distance away is the Arch of Constantine, erected in 315 to celebrate the emperor's victory over Maxentius at Ponte Milvio.
Imperial Forums
Another precious testimony of Roman civilization is the archaeological area of the Imperial Forums, an area where archaeological investigations are still carried out today.
Via dei Fori Imperiali, is a large artery created in 1932 to connect Piazza Venezia to the Colosseum.
Looking in the direction of the Colosseum, at the beginning of the road on the left side, there is a part of the Trajan's Market, a splendid complex intended for commercial and public functions.
On the right side of the road, after the Altare della Patria, there are the ruins of the Forums: the Forum of Caesar with the Temple of Venus Parent, the Forum of Augustus with the Temple of Mars, the Forum of Peace, the Forum of Nerva and the Trajan's Forum.
After that, the archaeological area is interrupted by Via Cavour.
Back on the main road we find ourselves close to the Roman Forum and then to the Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills of Rome, where the first residential nucleus of Rome was built.
A symbolic place with an excellent location, where the emperor Augustus had his palace built, an example which was followed by his successors and by many noble and wealthy Romans.
The Campidoglio is one of the seven hills of Rome which can be reached by climbing the staircase of Santa Maria d’Aracoeli and through the cordonata created by Michelangelo Buonarroti, at the top of which there are some trophies and columns from the imperial era.
On the Campidoglio, the smallest Roman hill, are the Palazzo Senatorio, the representative seat of the municipality of Rome, and the Capitoline Museums, housed in the Palazzo dei Conservatori and in the Palazzo Nuovo, buildings that together with the Palazzo Senatorio delimit the Piazza del Campidoglio, designed by Michelangelo in 1536 and completed in the seventeenth century.
In the center of the square is a copy of the statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius on horseback, the original of the monument is kept in the Capitoline Museums.
Santa Maria in Aracoeli, with a simple terracotta facade, is an ancient basilica which can be accessed from the Capitol and where the elderly met in the Middle Ages to discuss public affairs.
Second day
San Pietro - Castel Sant'Angelo - Piazza Navona - Pantheon - Spanish Steps
The Basilica of San Pietro was rebuilt on the ancient Constantinian Basilica dating back to the fourth century, erected on the burial site of San Pietro.
The works for the construction of the current Basilica began in 1506 on a project by Donato Bramante, who was succeeded by Raffaele Sanzio and Baldassare Peruzzi.
After Raphael's death and the sack of Rome, the work was carried out by Antonio da Sangallo the younger.
Subsequently took over the genius of Michelangelo Buonarrotti, who began work on the grandiose dome, then completed by Giacomo della Porta.
After 1602 the direction of the factory was entrusted to Carlo Maderno, and in 1626 it was finally consecrated by Pope Urban VIII.
Inside the Basilica we can distinguish the grandiose bronze canopy almost 29 meters high made by Bernini, Michelangelo's Pietà, the tomb of Clement XIII of Canova, and the mosaic of Giotto's Navicella.
Gian Lorenzo Bernini was also entrusted with the construction of the square in front of the Basilica.
Inside the path of the magnificent Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel is inserted, built between 1475 and 1483 during the Pontificate of Sixtus IV, from which it takes its name.
The conclave and other official ceremonies take place inside the chapel, splendidly frescoed by Michelangelo.
In Castel Sant'Angelo, the Fortress of the Popes built in the Middle Ages on the remains of the tomb of Emperor Hadrian, second century AD, you can visit the National Museum of the same name, which includes, inter alia, the sepulchral cell of Hadrian, the prison of Cagliostro, the Terrace of the Angel, and the rooms of the papal apartments.
The Castle is connected to the Vatican State through the Passetto di Borgo, an elevated walkway about 800 meters long which, in case of danger, allowed the Popes to take refuge inside the Castle (the passetto is visible through guided visits).
Piazza Navona retains the size and shape of Domitian's stadium, of which some remains are still visible under the houses north of the square, built in Baroque style, with in the center the fountain of Bernini's rivers dating back to 1651, located in front of the church of Sant'Agnese in Agone, designed by Borromini.
From here, through Corso Rinascimento, you reach various streets in Piazza della Rotonda and the Pantheon, the best preserved monument of Ancient Rome, a masterpiece of engineering and architecture.
The temple was built by Agrippa, Augustus' friend and son-in-law, in 27 BC.
Under Hadrian it was entirely rebuilt and is presumed to have been inaugurated between 125 and 128 AD.
In 609 it was dedicated to Christian worship and consecrated to Santa Maria ad Martyres by Pope Boniface IV.
The Pantheon today houses the tombs of Raphael, Vittorio Emanuele II, Umberto I and Queen Margherita.
The visit to the Spanish Steps is completed by passing through Piazza di Trevi, with the famous Baroque fountain, a work started by Nicola Salvi in 1732 and completed in 1762 by Giuseppe Pannini.
Piazza di Spagna, in Baroque style, famous for the scenic staircase of the Trinità dei Monti, built between 1723 and 1725, to connect the Spanish Bourbon embassy to the church of Trinità dei Monti, designed by Francesco De Sanctis.
In the center of the square stands the Barcaccia fountain from 1629, the work of Pietro Bernini and his son Gian Lorenzo.
Via Condotti is perpendicular to via del Corso and in it there are famous shops, at the bottom stands the splendid staircase with the church of Trinità dei Monti.
