Rome is the center of Italian politics, economy and culture. It is famous for its long history and beautiful scenery. It has a history of more than 2,750 years. It is an ancient city with a long history and a treasure house of art in the Renaissance. It’s said that the founder of Rome, Romulo, was raised by the female wolf. Therefore the Roman city emblem is the mother wolf feeding the baby. Rome is called “Seven Hills City” and “Eternal City” because the city is built on seven hills and has a long history. “All roads lead to Rome” vividly shows that Rome is the transportation hub of Italy. It has railways and highways leading to all parts of the country. Rome is centrally located in the Mediterranean region and is one of the centers of international air transport. Let’s follow me to discover the eternal city.
1. Colosseum
The Colosseum was built by the three emperors of the Flavius dynasty and was built for the triumph of the army and for praising the great ancient Roman Empire. The architectural design of the Colosseum is still modern. In fact, every modern large stadium has more or less imitated design styles of the ancient Colosseum! See from the outside, the Colosseum consists of a series of 3-story circular arcades and the highest fourth floor is the top pavilion. The pillars in the three-story arcade are designed according to the classic standards that are the Doric columns, Ionian columns and Corinthian columns starting from the ground. They are the three columns seen in ancient Athens. The first area on the ground floor is the seat of the emperor and the nobility; the second floor is the Roman high-class citizen; the third floor is the general civilian seat. And the upper is the large balcony where the general audience can only stand to watch the performance.
2. Pantheon
Michelangelo once praised the Pantheon as “the design of angels.” The ‘Pan’ Pantheon of the Pantheon refers to ‘all’, ‘theon’ is the meaning of ‘God’. It refers that it worships all the gods in Rome. The Pantheon was built by Agrippa in 25-27 BC. The frontal Van Gun column is reminiscent of ancient Greek architecture. There is inner a skylight with a diameter of 9 meters at the circular roof. The light coming in from the skylight shines on the mosaic floor, which form a solemn atmosphere that is perfect for the nature of religious architecture. The temple surrounded by walls was once for worshipping the gods. It is now the tomb of Raman and Emmanuel II, Winbert I and others who contributed to the unification of Italy.
3. Venice Square
The Venice Square is the circular square in the heart of Rome. The front of the square is a neoclassical building built of white marble with the nickname “Wedding Cake” and “Typewriter.” The memorial hall built to celebrate the unification of Italy in 1870 took 25 years to complete. The curved facade formed by 16 columns is the most attracting part. The two fountains under the steps are meaningful. The right one symbolises the Tyrrhenian Sea and the left one symbolises the Adriatic Sea. The figure riding the horse in the center is Victor Emmanuel II, who reunified Italy. There are two huge bronze statues on the building. The right statue represents “love for the victory of the motherland”, and the left one represents the “victory of labor.” There are always two soldiers who are still guarding the tomb of the unknown soldiers no matter it rains or it’s sunny.
4. Sant’Angelo Bridge
The Sant’Angelo Bridge also known as the Hadrian Bridge is an ancient Roman bridge spanning the Tiber River. It was built in 134 AD by the Roman emperor Hadrian for connecting the city center with his new mausoleum that is today’s Castel Sant’Angelo. The bridge is paved with marble and has three bridge arches. This bridge is currently only for pedestrians. In the past, pilgrims passed this bridge to St. Peter’s Basilica, so it is also known as the “St. Peter Bridge”. In the 6th century, Sanctus Gregorius PP. I named the castle and the bridge as “Sacred Angels”. In the leap year of 1450, many people fell into the river and drowned because of the arrival of a large number of pilgrims. Therefore, the houses at the bridgehead and a Roman Triumph of Arc were removed to widen the pilgrimage route.
5. Ancient Roman Forum
Located among the Palatine Hill, Mount Quirinal and Capitoline Hill, the Roman Forum was once the political and economic center of the Roman Empire. Although the Roman Forum is a historical site of ancient Rome, the ruins of its majestic historical buildings are the places where tourists imagine and cherish the glorious but cruel history of ancient Rome. There are a lot of dazzling ancient architectural remains. There are several sites worth visiting in the Roman Forum: the Triumphal Arch of Titus, the Anthony Shelter and the Temple of Faustina, the Senate, the Holy Road and the Maximus and the Emperor’s Hall of Constantine.
6. Four Rivers Fountain
The Four Rivers Fountain is located in the center of Navona Square. It was built in 1651 for the Side Philip Bishop Innocent X. It is one of the masterpieces of Baroque art. Designed by Benigni, the fountain represents four rivers on the four continents according to geographer during the Renaissance period: the Nile River in Africa (the head is covered because the source was not yet discovered), the Ganges River in Asia (the character is relaxed), the Danube in Europe (turning to stabilize the obelisk) and the La Plata River in the America (the bald head is rotating). You cannot miss the Four Rivers Fountain if you travel in Rome, which is also the center of Rome’s nightlife, which is lively every night.
7. Sant’ Angelo Castle
Located on the banks of the Tiber River and close to the Vatican Holy See, Sant’Angelo Castle is a mausoleum designed by the Emperor Hadrian. It was first used as a fortress to prevent the invasion of Visigoth and East Gothic, and then used as a prison, and finally converted into a magnificent palace of the Pope. The building was not only well preserved, it also witnessed the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. Now the Sant’Angelo Castle has become a museum. Sant’Angelo Castle is the site of the last story in <Roman Holiday> and the shooting location of <Angels and Demons>.
8. Navona Square
Navona Square is an open square that is not very large but there are three fountains in the square: the Neptune Fountain, the Four Rivers Fountain and the Moor Fountain. They are quite famous and made by the masters. Nowadays, there are many street painters and juggling gathered in the square, which is lively and extraordinary. Look closely at the surrounding houses, you will appreciate that it’s the most beautiful Baroque square in Rome. The outline of the square is a wide oval that matches the shape of the Agonalis Arena. The name of the square originates from the arena – a large stadium with 30,000 seats built by Emperor Domitian in AD 86.
9. Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain is also known as the Maiden Fountain with the nickname ‘Wishing Pool’. The fountain was built next to the palace of the Marquis of Eboli and was completed in 1762 that took 30 years. The theme is the return of Neptune. We saw that Neptune was standing on the war chariot of the sea shell shape. There are two horses leading the chariot. The left horse was wild and the right one was meek and serene, which symbolize turmoil and calm. There is a goddess at both sides of the sea god standing respectively for abundance and health. At the top of the wall pillar, there are four goddesses that symbolize the four seasons holding different artifacts.
10. Vittoriano Italian Reunification Memorial Hall
The memorial hall was completed in 1911 and was built to commemorate the unification of Italy and Emmanuel II who united the country. The front of the memorial hall is a curved facade formed by 16 cylinders. There are two huge bronze statues on the memorial hall. The right statue means “thought” and the left one means “action.” On the second step leading to the memorial desk, there is a statue of a flying lion created by Michelangelo.
