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VISITING ROME
Ara Pacis Augustae
The altar of the Pace Augustea was constructed between the
13th and 9th centuries B.C., by decree of the Roman
Senate, to honor Augustus and celebrate the peace that
followed his victories in Spain and Gaul. The altar, in
white Carrara marble, is decorated with elegant decorative
motifs, with interlaced flowers and leaves alongside
historical and mythological scenes: Aeneas, the birth of
Rome, and the celebrated Procession in which the Emperor
with his family took part.
After its archaeological discovery, the Ara was
reconstructed using the few original fragments available
from various museums, substituting cement reproductions
for the missing parts, and covering all with a protective
transparent structure.
Arch of Costantine 
Among the oldest of Rome's monuments, the Arch of
Constantine was erected to commemorate the victory of the
emperor over Massenzio, in the battle of 312 a.D. at Ponte
Milvio. Almost 25 meters high, it has three arched passageways,
mostly decorated by ornaments taken from other buildings,
such as the monuments of Trajan, Marcus Aurelius,
Domiziano, Hadrian, and Commodo. Worthy of note are the
stupendous bas relieves over the central part of the arch
and the eight rectangular bas reliefs in the upper part.
Arch of Titus
Situated at the eastern edge of the Roman Forum, at the
end of the via Sacra, is the oldest triumphal arch
surviving in Rome.
Built at the time of Domiziano to commemorate the
victories of Titus and his father Vespasiano, it is covered with marble with columns and
reliefs showing the triumphs over Jerusalem and the
apotheosis of Titus.
Castle Sant'Angelo
The emperor Hadrian had this castle built between the
years 130 and 139, as a tomb for himself and his family.
Over the centuries it underwent various transformations
and served as fortress, prison, barracks, and museum. Now
it appears closed within a square block of defensive walls
with angular towers named for the sts Mathew, Mark,
Luke, and John. The tower of Benedict IX, in the XI
century, and the pontifical apartments, during the
Renaissance, were superimposed onto the cyclindrical
construction of the Roman epoch . On top, the Angel took
the place of Hadrian's statue.
The castle was restored at the beginning of our century
and in 1933 was transformed into a vast museum covering
four floors. The style is predominantly military, but
paintings, antique furnishings, and tapestries are also in
the collection.
The Catacombs of Priscilla
Along the via Salaria, one of the oldest Roman roads, used
to transport salt from the Adriatic to the Tyrhennian Sea,
one finds the Catacombs of Priscilla, founded by a group
of Christians belonging to a senatorial family. 
Only the first of the two levels, the older one, can be
visited. This small space contains one of the first
representations of the Madonna and Child, from the second
century. After traversing the long tunnels, one arrives at
the Greek Chapel, named for the Greek writing on the
walls. It is divided in the middle by an archway covered
with frescoed scenes from the Old and New Testaments.
Catacombs of San Callisto
These are the largest catacombs of the city. They
originated as private tombs of the second century and
become the official tombs of the Roman bishops in the
third century. They extend over four floors, but the visit
is limited to the second. Burial recesses carved into the
rock line both sides of the corridors.  Some recesses that
were created to hold many bodies, for many members of the
same family, have also been excavated. Via a fourth
century ladder, one reaches the Crypt of the Popes, one of
the oldest nucleuses, where various pontifical martyrs,
recorded in the Greek inscriptions, were buried. In the
crypt alongside this one finds the tomb of Saint Cecilia,
martyred at the beginning of the third century. Her
remains were transferred to the Church of Saint Cecilia in
Trastevere. The cubicle is decorated with frescoes from
the fifth to ninth centuries.
Catacombs of San Sebastian
These are the only catacombs to have stayed open in every
era and therefore they are in bad condition. They were
excavated on four levels, but the first is partially
destroyed. 
The visit begins on the second floor, where one finds the
crypt of Saint Sebastian, containing the bust of the Saint , attributed to Bernini. Interesting also are the
remains of a third-century environment called "Triclia,"
where three funeral niches were posed one above the other.
The walls are covered with drawings that represent Peter
and Paul. Near the entrance to the galleries is the Church
of San Sebastian, founded in the fourth century and
rebuilt in the seventeenth century by Ponzio and Vasanzio.
Inside, a single nave with three side arches and a ceiling
made of wood one finds the statue of Saint Sebastian, the
work of Antonio Giorgetti.
Circus Maximus
Situated in the valley between the Palatino and the
Aventino, it is the largest circus in Rome, dating to the
era of Tarquinius. Enlarged and often rebuilt, it could
hold more than 200,000 spectators. The track where the
horses ran was more than one kilometer long and in the
arches stores and taverns were located.
Column of Marcus Aurelius
 Raised between 180 and 196 near the present piazza, it
celebrated the victories of the emperor Marcus Aurelius
over the Sarmati, the Quadi and the Marcomanni. It is in
spiral form, with 190 internal steps, in Lunese marble,
decorated by a circular frieze whose reliefs, though less
refined than those of Trajan's Column, are still very
effective likenesses. At the top of the column was the
statue of Marcus Aurelius, substituted in 1588 by that of Saint Paul
Trajan's Column 
Raised in the Trajan Forum in 113 A.D., it is one of the
most representative monuments of imperial Rome and for a
long time conserved the golden urn with the ashes of the
emperor. Twenty-seven meters high, it is encircled by a
marble shaft with over 200 meters of bas reliefs narrating
the two Daci wars of Trajan. It is considered one of the
greatest masterpieces of sculpture of all time. Probably
the author was Apollodorus of Damascus, the architect of
the Forum. On the summit was situated the statue of the
emperor, later substituted by that of San Peter. The
column is winding, and can be negotiated inside via a
spiral stairway leading to the top.
The Colosseum
Begun by order of Vespasiano in 72 A.D., on the site of
the Domus Aurea of Nero, the great amphitheatre was
finished by his son Titus, eight years later. It was
called Colosseum because of the gigantic statue of Nero
that was erected nearby, with the help of 24 elephants.
It is the greatest monument of antiquity: elliptical in
shape, with a circumference of 527 meters, the major axis
of 188 meters, the minor one of 156 meters, the maximum
height 57 meters. The total length of the stands is 30,000
meters, the seats numbered 68,000, standing places 5000.
The public entered the arena, divided into four levels,
through four entrances and 80 arcades,numbered
progressively. Entrance was free for everyone, but the
places were subdivided according to the census: for
senators were reserved the places nearest the arena.
Thousands of men and animals were massacred there solely
for the pleasure of the crowd massed in the stands. In the
fifth century the emperor Onorius prohibited the
gladiatorial games and successively the Colosseum belonged
to the Frangipane, who used it as a castle-fortress, and
then to the Annibaldi. In 1312 Henry VII gave the
amphitheatre back to the city. In 1451 the pope took away
part of the building materials for the stairway at Saint Peter's and the door at Ripetta.
Within the amphitheatre there were houses, shops, a
cemetery, a church, a theatre, and a hospital. From the
highest levels one has a beautiful panorama of Rome,
especially of the Forum.
Domus Aurea
Ruins of the old residence of Nero, built after the fire
of Rome in 64. After his death successors dismantled or
covered up the constructions, erecting new buildings in
some areas. Trajan had his baths built and walled up part
of them to serve as his library. Nero's house was called
"aurea" (golden) because its facade was in fact covered
with gold. The floor plan was rather complex and the
internal decorations were of an incredible luxury.
Alcoves, courtyards, a temple dedicated to water spirits
with mosaics of Polyphemus, beautiful rooms such as the
Octagonal Room, surmounted by a dome, and the Room of the
Golden Vault, have all come to light.
Trevi Fountain
This is the most famous fountain in Rome. Built alongside
the Poli Papace and fed by the aqueduct of the Virgin
Waters, it was initially of modest proportions.
It assumed grandiose form, 20 meters long and 26 meters
high, thanks to the plan of Nicola Salvi in 1732.
Finished in 1762, it is one of the last examples of Roman
baroque.
The statue of Neptune , surrounded by allegorical figures
and by four statues representing the seasons, dominates
the fountain. Below, two tritons drive the chariot of the
Sea God.
According to legend, whoever throws a coin into the pond
will return to Rome. Few tourists avoid this tradition.
Forum of Trajan
In the tenth century B.C., between the Campidoglio and the
Palatino, there was a stagnant plain dotted with primitive
habitations. 
During the monarchy the swamp was blessed and chosen as
the center of political, commercial and religious life. In
the time of the Republic, it was enriched by new
monuments, but the expansion of Rome necessitated new
areas designed for public activities. Thus the antique
Forum was abandoned, buried by fortresses and churches
that were constructed over the ruins. Those now
recognizable include the 12 columns of the Temple of the
"Consentes" Gods, the vestiges of the Temples of
Vespasiano and Concordia, the Arch of Settimio Severo, the Temple of Saturn, the Curia, the Arch of
Tiberius, the Basilica Giulia and the Basilica Emilia, the
Temples of Antonino and Faustina, Castor and Pollux, and
Julius Caesar, the Domus Regia, the Temple of the Vestal
Virgin (the oldest marble temple in Rome, dating to the
second century B.C.), the House of the Vestal Virgins, the
Arch of Augustus, the Fountain and Altar of Giuturna, the
Oratory of the 40 Martyrs, Santa Maria Antica, the Temple
of Romulus, the Basilica of Massenzio, Santa Maria Nova
and the Arch of Titus.
Forum of Augustus
Financed by the booty of wars, this forum was built by the
emperor Augustus to commemorate the victory of Filippi, in
42 B.C., when Brutus and Cassius died. Within one can
still admire the three columns of the Temple of Marte
Vetore, avenger of the homicide. The Senate met here to
declare war and to ratify peace treaties. Inaugurated in 2
B.C., it symbolizes, with the beauty of its Corinthian
columns, the ideals of the Augustan period.
It was surrounded by a high wall that isolated it from the
turbulent Suburra neighbourhood.
On the left rises the House of the Horsemen of Rodi. Built
in the twelfth century and rebuilt in the fifteenth, it
presents all the characteristics of a Renaissance
dwelling, with large, richly decorated rooms
Mausoleum of Augustus 
The Mausoleum of Augustus has the typical structure of
Etruscan tumulus tombs and was the burial place of the
emperor's family.
Erected in 29 B.C. after the conquest of Egypt, in the
twelfth century it was transformed into a fortress for the
Colonna family. Then it became an arena for bullfights and
in the nineteenth century was used as a concert and circus
hall. Only in 1926 did archaeological research begin.
Three niches were uncovered, containing the ashes of
Augustus and of his wife Livia, his sister Ottavia, and
his nephews Caius and Lucius Caeser. The mausoleum is
circular, ringed by internal corridors.
At the summit of the tumulus, covered by cypresses, the
statue of the emperor was erected.
Trajan Markets
Situated next to the Forum of Trajan, the markets formed
an authentic shopping center, extending over two levels
and including 150 rooms.
They were almost certainly built by Apollodorus of
Damascus, the architect of the Forum of Trajan. The lower
level was semicircular, connected to the rounded doorway
at the northeast extremity of the Forum with three rows of
storerooms.
The market is dominated by a thirteenth-century Militia
Tower.
Aurelian Walls
The Aurelian Walls, which enclosed the seven hills, were
19 kilometers long, had 18 doors and were defended by 381
towers. They were built between 272 and 279 to protect the
city from the menace of the Germans, defeated by the
Emperor Aurelius.
Servian Walls 
In front of Termini Station and in the underground
passageways, one can see the few remains of these ancient
walls, built in the fourth century B.C. Compared to the
Aurelian Walls, they enclose a much more limited area.
Vatican City
Formed as a sovereign and independent State after the
Lateran Accords of 1929, stipulated between Italy and the
Holy See, Vatican City extends over an area of 44
hectares, along the right bank of the Tevere between the
eastern peaks of Monte Mario and the western peaks of the
Gianicolo. It includes the piazza, San Peter's Basilica
(see chart) and the palace of the Vatican. 
It is surrounded by a high wall and has its own
administration and services: post, bank, newspaper, radio
station, train station, and supermarkets. All tax-free.
Argentine Tower Zone
The Argentine Tower is a building from the fifteenth
century built by Bishop Burckhard of Strasbourg,  then head
of the diocese of Argenturatum, from whence comes its
name.
In the broad zone of the Argentine, four temples from the
republican period were found during the excavations of
1926 to 1930: temple A, on a rectangular plan, was erected
in the third century B.C.; temple B, on a circular plan,
is the most recent of the four, built in 101 B.C. by
Lutazio Catullus; temple C, the oldest, was built in the
third and fourth centuries B.C.; temple D dates to 200
B.C. and is thought to be dedicated to Lari Permarini. To
the west of this zone is the Argentine theatre, whose
facade dates to the eighteenth century.
Palatine
According to legend, on this hill Romulus traced with a
plough the limits of the city, thus founding the "squared
Rome". 
Confirming the legend, the remains of a village dating
from the eighth century B.C.have been discovered. In the
Republican era many influential citizens, among them
Catullus and the orator Hortense, had their villas built
on Palatine Hill, the freshest and most peaceful place in
the city.
Since the time of Augustus, it was the residence of the
Roman Emperors. With the arrival of Christianity,
churches, convents, and fortresses were added to the
ancient buildings.
The Palatine has remained even today one of the most
beautiful places in the capital, not only because of its
archaeological remains, but also because of the rich
vegetation and splendid panorama.
Porta Pia
Ordered built by Pius IV in 1561, this was one of the
final works of Michaelangelo, later rebuilt in 1853-61 by
Vespignani. Here one finds the Historical Museum of the
Bersaglieri, containing relics of the heroes of the Roman
"Risorgimento" (the period of Italian nationalism).
Porta Portese
The present door was constructed in the seventeenth
century to substitute for the ancient Porta Portuensis.
Each Sunday, in the piazza of the same name created by
Urban VIII, a well-known flea market resembling that of
Portobello in London is held.
Porta San Paolo
The old doorway was called Ostiensis and led through the
Aurelian walls. The interior front portion dates from the
third century, while the external portion with its two
battlement towers dates from the fifth century. It owes
its present name to the nearby basilica of San Paolo Fuori
le Mura (st Paul Outside the Walls).
Porta San Sebastian
Is the ancient Appian gate, rebuilt in the fifth century
under the emperor Honorius and restaured in the sixth
century according to the demand of Belisario. It is a
single arched passageway flanked by towers with squared
marble bases in which are inserted a semi-cylindrical
trunks topped by battleworks.
Portico d'Ottavia
Built by Quinto Cecilio Metello in 146 B.C., this doorway
was rebuilt by Augustus in honour of his sister Ottavia in
23 B.C. It had a double column decorated by statues and
included various temples dedicated to Giove and to
Giunone. Today, in place of the temples one finds the
little church of Sant' Angelo di Pescheria.
Museums
Sistine Chapel (Vatican)
Famous throughout the world, above all for the frescoes of
Michaelangelo, the Sistine Chapel was constructed between
1475 and 1480 by Baccio Pontelli, under the order of
Sistus IV.
It is on a rectangular plan with barreled vault and small
side vaults. It has a pavement of polychromic inlay.  The
presbytery is divided by a barrier and opens out to 12
windows.
The internal decoration was assigned to many artists:
Botticelli, Perugino, Ghirlandaio and Rosselli, assisted
by Pinturicchio, Piero di Cosimo, Bartolomeo della Gatta
and Signorelli. The work began in 1481 and lasted two
years. In 1508 Julius II commissioned Michaelangelo to
decorate the vault, which originally represented a starry
heaven. After four years of intense work, this incredible
work was finished. The vault is decorated by nine
rectangular panels that show Genesis, the Expulsion from
Paradise, and Noah. 
Twenty-five years later, in 1533, Michaelangelo began
working on The Last Judgment, which he was asked to do by
Clement VII. In less than one and a half years the
masterpiece of 200 meters square, with 391 figures, was
finished. The nudes, by order of Pius IV, were covered
with draperies painted by Daniele da Volterra, who for
this reason was called "Braghettone" ("bracche" are men's
baggy undershorts).
This ridiculous intervention changed the message that
Michaelangelo had wanted to give in his work.
Fortunately with the latest restoration, recently
finished, the draperies have been removed and the colors
and figures have returned to their original splendor and
force.
Borghese Gallery
Constructed according to the plans of Giovanni Vasanzio
between 1613 and 1615 for the cardinal Scipione Borghese,
this was the greatest collection of art for its time.
The collection was continued by Marcantonio Borghese, then
by Camillo Borghese, husband of Paolina Bonaparte, and
finally by Luigi Canina. In 1902 it was acquired by the
State.
Crossing the portico, one enters the Salon, with its
richly-painted ceiling and floor decorated with Roman
mosaics of the second century. To the right one enters the
first room, where one can admire the nineteenth-century
statue of Paolina Borghese by Canova. In other rooms one
finds the David of Bernini (1623-24), Apollo and Daphne,
the Rape of Proserpina, Aeneas, Anchise and Ascanio, all
by Bernini. From the Room of the Emperors one reaches the
famous Gallery, in which one finds many celebrated
masterpieces, including the Deposition by Raphael, a
crucifix by Pinturicchio, the Virgin with Child and Saint John by Lorenzo di Credi, Saint John the Baptist by
Bronzino, David with the head of Goliath by Caravaggio,
the Deposition by Rubens, Sacred and Profane Love by
Tiziano and other paintings of great value.
National Gallery of Ancient Art
In the sixteenth-century Barbarini Palace one
finds the National Gallery of Ancient Art, displaying the
works of the Corsini-Colonna collections and the
gatherings of Barberini, Chigi and Sciarra.
Among the most significant works are the tryptic of the
Beato Angelico showing the Final Judgement, the Ascension
and Pentacost; two works by Filippo Lippi, the Virgin with
Child and the Annunciation; the Magdalene by Piero di
Cosimo, the Fornarina by Raphael; a fresco by Andrea
Sacchi, the Nativity and Baptism of Christ, by El Greco;
Christ and the Adulteress by Tintoretto; the fresco by
Pietro da Cortona decorating the ceiling of the main room
of the palace (the Allegory of Divine Providence).
Capitoline Museums
The Capitoline Museums are located in the Palace of the
Conservators, built by Giacomo Della Porta according to
the design of Michaelangelo in the second half of the
fifteenth century, and in the New Palace, built by
Girolamo Rainaldi in the seventeenth century (in front of
the the Palace of the Conservators). .
In the Museum of the Palace of the Conservators are rows
of rooms with works of great interest, including the
Gallery of the Lamiani Orchards, with the Esquilina Venus;
the room of the Magistrates, with statues from the fourth
century; the Spinario, a bronze of the first century B.C.;
the Wolf of the Campidoglio, an Etruscan bronze of the
sixth century B.C. In the same building one finds the
Capitoline Art Gallery, containing many paintings. The New
Palace, northeast of the piazza of the Campidoglio, has a
collection of many antique sculptures, including the
so-called Capitoline Aphrodite, a Roman copy of a Hellenic
statue, the Morente Galatea, copy of a work from the
school of Pergamo of the third century B.C.; the Faun, a
statue in red marble. Interesting also is the Room of the
Emperors, with 65 busts representing famous people.
Vatican Museums
 The Vatican Museums contain the largest collection of
antiquities in the world. This itinerary follows that
adopted by the Museum Administration: From the Atrium of
the Four Gates one arrives at the Gregorian Egyptian
Museum, which has eight rooms. Among the most interesting
of the works contained here is the immense statue of the
Queen Tuia, mother of Ramses II, and the basalt statue
known as Naoforo, from 525 B.C. In the Chiaromonti Museum,
organized by Canova in a gallery of Donato Bramante, about
a thousand Greek and Roman statues are exposed, including
large statues of Minerva, Augustus and Tiberius. The
Pius-Clementine Museum is dedicated primarily to
sculpture, the art which most interested Clement XIV.
The Gregorian-Etruscan Museum made up of objects coming
from southern Etruria and from private donations, presents
one of the most beautiful collections in the world of
Etruscan remains. 
Advancing sequentially, one finds the Biga Room, the
Gallery of the Candalabra, the Arazzi Room and the Maps
Room, the apartments of Pius V, the Sobieski Room, the
Immaculate Conception Room and the Raphael Rooms. The
latter are four large rooms in the apartment of Julius II
and his successors up to Gregory XIII, in which the
painter from Urbino began to work at the age of 26. This
commission, which marked the debut of Raphael in Rome,
concluded in the year of his death, 1520. Following are
the Loggia of Raphael, the Palafrenieri Room, the Chapel
of Nicolas V, the Borgia Apartments, the rooms containing
the Collection of Modern Religious Art, the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Library, the New Wing, the Art
Gallery, the Museum Gregoriano Profano, the Christian
Museum, the Ethnological Missionary Museum, and the
Historical Museum.
Palaces
Barberini Palace
This is one of the most important examples of Roman
baroque, begun in 1625 by Carlo Maderno with the help of
Boromini, according to the desires of Urban VIII, the
Barberini pope. After Maderno's death, Bernini was given
the post and in 1633 completed the palace. The central
building is flanked on both sides by two wings of three
levels,extending on each end as far as the ornate vistas
from the loggia. Bernini's facade is stupendous: Doric in
the porticles and arcades, Ionic on the first floor, and
Corinthian on the top floor. Since 1949 the palace has
contained the National Gallery of Antique Art.
Borghese Palace
Known by the name "Cembalo" ("harpsicord") because of its
strange shape, it was begun in 1560 according to the
design of Vignola for Cardinal Borghese, who became Pope
Paul V in 1605. The works were finished by Flaminio Ponzio
at the beginning of the seventeenth century. Until 1891 it
contained the art collection of Cardinal Borghese, now
exposed in the Borghese Gallery.
Chigi Palace 
Built in 1580 for the Aldobrandini family, it passed into
the hands of the Chigi family in 1659. It has five floors,
a beautiful courtyard decorated with a fountain, and a
broad stairway that leads to the living rooms. It housed
the Austrian ambassador from 1915, then the Minister of
Foreign Affairs. Since 1961 it has been the headquarters
of the President of the "Counsil."
Colonna Palace
This is one of the largest and most sumptuous palaces of
Rome,built by commission of Martino V in the fifteenth
century and completely restructured in 1730. The Church of
the Holy Apostles was a part of the palace and together
with the Colonna Gallery is open to the public. The
Gallery was begun by Antonio del Grande in 1654, followed
by Girolamo Fontana in 1671. It was inaugurated by Filippo
Colonna in 1703. The collection includes paintings by
Rubens, Van Dyck, Tintoretto, Veronese, Brill, Rosa and
Carracci.
Doria Pamphili Palace
This building from the fifteenth century was built for the
cardinals of the diocese of Santa Maria and inhabited by
the Della Rovere, the Aldobrandini and the Pamphili before
becoming the property of the Doria family. The
Doria-Pamphili Gallery, one of the most beautiful in Rome,
includes works by Tiziano, Tintoretto, Correggio, Raphael,
and others.
Lateran Palace
Papal See until 1309, year of the Avignon exile, it was
destroyed by fire in the fourteenth century. In 1586
Sixtus V charged Domenico Fontana with the reconstruction
of the palace. He gave it the present structure, with
three monumental vistas and a vast courtyard with three
levels of arches. Together with the Basilica of San
Giovanni in Laterano, it belongs to the Vatican and has
the privileges of extraterritoriality. Presently it is the
headquarters of the Roman Vicarate.
Quirinale Palace
Begun in 1573 by Martino Longhi, by commission of Pope
Gregory XIII, its construction was continued by Maderno,
Bernini, Fontana and, in the eighteenth century, by
Ferdinando Fuga. In 1592 it was the residence of Clement
VIII and, later, of other pontificates. From 1870 it was
the headquarters of the King of Italy and since 1947 as
been the official residence of the President of the
Republic. The main entrance, the Sala Regia, and the
Paolina Chapel are by Maderno; the Chapel of the
Annunciation is decorated by frescoes by Guido Reni; the
gallery of Alessandro VII is decorated by frescoes
completed under the direction of Pietro da Cortona; the
vast courtyard is the work of Fontana.
Palace of Expositions
Built according to the design of Pius Piacentini at the
end of the nineteenth century, it hosts exhibits of
ancient and contemporary art, film festivals, and theatre
productions. It also contains a bookstore, shop, bar, and
restaurant.
Palace of Montecitorio
Designed by Bernini for Innocent X, the building was begun
in 1650 and finished in 1694 by Carlo Fontana after
several interruptions. The name derives from the location,
"monte accettorio" (literally, "welcoming hill"), where
the centurians of ancient Rome gathered to vote. Since
1871 the palace has housed the Chamber of Deputies. The
semicircular hall where the Chamber assembles was designed
by Ernesto Basile and panelled with oak. Inaugurated in
1918, it is in need of renovation and of a new facade in
Piazza del Parliamento.
Madama Palace
Built by the Medici in the sixteenth century, this
building derives its name from Madame Margherita of
Austria, the illegitimate daughter of the Emperor Charles
V, who married first Alessandro de'Medici and then Ottavio
Farnese. The palace has a beautiful sixteenth-century
facade, the work of Maruccelli and Cardi, and beautiful
rooms with frescoes and various decorations. It has been
the headquarters of the Senate since 1871.
Farnesina Palace
A stupendous Renaissance palace begun in 1523 according to
the plans of Antonio Sangallo the Younger and finished in
1546, it was constructed for the French prelate Thomas le
Roy. Le Roy was the intermediary between Francesco I, King
of France, and Pope Leo X. The facade that faces Corso
Vittorio Emanuele was designed by Enrico Gui in the
twentieth century. Now the building is the property of the
city of Rome and houses the Baracca Museum, with sculpture
from the Egyptian, Assyrian-Babylonian, Phoenicean,
Etruscan, Greek and Roman periods.
Senatorial Palace
Built by Giacomo della Porta and Girolamo Rainaldi at the
end of the sixteenth century, this is the central part of
an architectural complex envisioned by Michaelangelo for
the Piazza del Campidoglio. Even the double stairway that
preceeds it is in Michaelangelo's style, including a
fountain with an ancient statue of Minerva, who came to
represent the Roman Goddess. Today the Palace is used as
the City Hall.
Spada Palace
An elegant building created by the architect Giulio
Mazzoni between 1540 and 1550 for Cardinal Girolamo
Capodiferro, it later became the property of Cardinal
Bernardino Spada. The stonework of the facade is decorated
with flowers, medallions, and statues, while the courtyard
with its porticos is ornately decorated in fantastic and
mythological figures. To the left is the Spada Gallery, a
small gathering of paintings divided into four rooms, with
works by Guido Reni, Guercino, Rubens, Giovan Battista
Gaulli and an unfinished painting by Tiziano. Today the
Palace is used as the State Council Offices.
Venezia Palace
This was the first large Renaissance palace built in
Rome, built in 1455 by Cardinal Pietro Baro, future Pope
Paul II. It was first the Papal headquarters, then Embassy
of the Venetian Republic, then given to Austria and
finally to the Italian State. Austere as a fortress, with
Guelph battlements, a tower on one corner and the facade
marked in horizontal bands, it typifies in its sombre
appearance the harmony of Renaissance construction. On one
floor is the Museum of the Venetian Palace, a collection
of medieval art, sculpture, ceramics, textiles and other
artifacts.
Pantheon
This is the most well-preserved monument of ancient Rome,
built in 27 B.C. by Marco Vipsanio Agrippa and rebuilt in
its present form under the rule of the Emperor Hadrian
between 119 and 128 A.D. The building has a circular plan
with an entranceway (Greek pronaos) held up by 16 columns
in grey and pink granite, decorated with Corinthian
capitals. Inside one can admire the immense panelled dome,
43.3 meters in diameter, with an "eye" at the center (9
meters across), the only opening through which light can
enter; the niches separated by columns and a passageway
that leads along the edge of the cornice-works around the
inside of the dome. The tombs of two Italian kings,
Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I, and that of Raphael,
with an inscription by Bembo, are conserved within.
Squares
Piazza Bocca della Verita ("The Mouth of Truth") 
This beautiful piazza with its garden dominates the
Roman-style belltower of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, guardian
of the "Bocca della Verita", a stone mask that according
to legends bites the hands of liars. In the piazza there
are two Roman temples, the temple of Portuno and that of
Ercole Vincitore, as well as a fountain from the
eighteenth century. On the north side is the Casa dei
Crescenzi, which belonged to a powerful Roman family.
Piazza del Popolo (the People's Piazza) 
This grandiose urban square was created in the beginning
of the nineteenth century by Valadier, who abandoned the
traditional concept of closed space and opened the piazza
to the east, along the tree-lined hills of the Pincio.
Its limits are defined by two semi-circles, each one
decorated by a fountain at one end, with sphinx and
statues representing the seasons. In the southeast corner
are two little baroque churches. Santa Maria di Montesanto
is on an elliptical plan and Santa Maria dei Miracoli is
on a circular plan. They were begun by Rainaldi but
finished by Bernini and Fontana.
At the center of the piazza is the oldest obelisk of Rome,
which came from Egypt and dates to the twelfth century
B.C. Behind the obelisk is the Porta del Popolo ("People's
Gate"), built in the middle of the sixteenth century by
Nanni di Baccio Bigio and completed by Bernini, who added
the internal facade in 1655.
Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Piazza) 
Piazza di Spagna is one of the most celebrated and
evocative piazzas in Rome, with the fountain of the
Barcaccia, designed by Pietro Bernini in the early
seventeenth century, at the center. On the south side of
the piazza is the scenic stairway of Trinita dei Monti, a
monumental eighteenth-century work by de Sanctis, which
leads to the baroque church of the same name.
Two of the most important streets in Rome, via Condotti
and via Frattina, now pedestrian islands, lead away from
the piazza. Many famous people once lived in the
surrounding area, among them Wagner, Liszt, Balzac,
Stendhal, Rubens, Tennyson, Byron and Keats.
Piazza Navona 
This famous baroque elongated piazza traces the perimeter
of the stadium of Domiziano, the Circus Agonalis. Its name
derives from the deformation of the word "n'Agona." The
arena, once the site of athletic competitions, was used
for games and tournaments up until the seventeenth
century.
Innocent X made it a masterpiece of baroque style,
charging Bernini with the construction of the Fontana dei
Fiumi (Fountain of the Rivers), a monumental work of the
seventeenth century presenting allegorical statues of the
four rivers Nile, Ganges, Danube, and Rio de Plata,
symbolizing the four parts of the world.
At the extreme end of the piazza there are two other
fountains, that of Neptune and that of the Moor with
Triton, constructed according to Bernini's models.
The large facade of the Church of Sant'Agnese in Agone,
with its belltowers on either side, overlooks the piazza.
The church was begun in 1652 by Girolamo and Carlo
Rainaldi and finished by Borromini in 1657. Even Bernini
took part in the work, making decorations and
modifications to the external design. The inside, in the
form of a Greek cross, contains frescoes, altarpieces and
sculptures. The subterranean parts contain remains of the
stadium of Domiziano and a marble bas relief representing
the miracle of Saint Agnes. Next to the church is the
Pamphili Palace, a sixteenth-century building constructed
by Girolamo Rainaldi and donated by Innocent X to his
cousin Olimpia Maidalchini Pamphili.
Piazza San Pietro (st Peter's Square) 
Piazza San Pietro is Bernini's architectural masterpiece.
In 1656 he encircled the elliptical area with two majestic
semicircles, each formed by four files of doric columns
crowned with 140 statues of sts rising towards heaven.
At the center rises an obelisk (26 meters high), which
originated in Heliopolis and was brought here in 1585 by
the order of Sixtus V, under the direction of Domenico
Fontana. On each side there are two huge fountains from
the seventeenth century, the work of Maderno and of Carlo
Fontana. In the background stands the largest Christian
church in the world, Saint Peter's, dominated
by the dome designed in the style of Michaelangelo.
Piazza Venezia 
Situated at the center of the city, this piazza is teeming
with continual traffic, because the main arteries of the
city converge here. The grandiose Monument to Vittorio
Emanuele II (also known as the Altar of Patriotism),
erected between 1885 and 1911 by Giuseppe Sacconi to
glorify the first king of Italy, is at the center of the
piazza. At the base of the monument is the Tomb of the
Unknown Soldier, by Zanelli. Nearby is the Venetian Palace, which, together with the ancient church of
San Marco (fourth century) and the Venetian Palazzetto,
forms a vast architectural complex.
Churches
Sant' Agnese fuori le Mura (st Agnes outside the Walls)
This is one of the rare examples of Constantianian
basilicas, built in the fourth century at the request of
the daughter or niece of Constantine, over the catacombs
where the martyr was buried. The catacombs, dating to the
third century, are well conserved, presenting many
inscriptions, burial niches and recesses. Saint Augustine
This was one of the first Renaissance churches of Rome,
built by Pietrasanta at the end of the fifteenth century.
The interior, divided into three naves, holds the Madonna
del Parto by Sansovino, 1521; a fresco by Raphael of the
prophet Isaiah, 1512; and the Madonna of the Pilgrims,
masterpiece of Caravaggio, 1605.
Sant' Andrea al Quirinale
This small elliptically-shaped church was designed by
Bernini and built between 1658 and 1671 for the Cardinal
Camillo Pamphili, nephew of Innocent X. It is decorated in
gold, stucco and marble, with works by Baciccia,
Borgognone and Raggi. The height of the dome increases the
sensation of awe, while the abundant goldwork gives the
interior a suggestive glow.
Santi Apostoli
A basilica of the sixth century rebuilt in the fifteenth
century and the beginning of the eighteenth century by
Domenico and Carlo Fontana. The doorway with its nine
arcades that enclose some Roman ruins is the work of
Baccio Pontelli and dates to the late fifteenth century.
The nineteenth-century facade is by Valadier. The interior
has three naves, with a chapel surmounted by a dome. The
frescoes by Baciccia and Odazzi are interesting, as is the
altarpiece by Domenico Muratori. At the back of the left
nave is the monument of Clement XIV, the first Roman work
by Canova.
San Giovanni in Laterano
San Giovanni in Laterano is the Roman cathedral. The Pope
is its bishop. It was built according to the desires of
the pontifex Melchiade in the fourth century on a piece of
land belonging to the Planzi Laterani family. It was first
consecrated to Christ the Redeemer and only later to Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist Often
damaged by earthquakes and fires, it has repeatedly been
rebuilt and embellished. Of special note is the
intervention of Borromini, who in 1650 completely
renovated it for the Jubilee, according to the wishes of
Innocent X. The eighteenth-century facade, including the
doorway with its five entrances to the basilica, is by the
architect Alessandro Galilei. The inside, with five naves,
is richly decorated by Borromini. There are
thirteenth-century tombs and mosaics, a thirteenth-century
gothic tabernacle and precious frescoes. The adjacent
cloister, decorated by a pair of mosaic columns, is the
work of Jacopo and Pietro Vassalletto. The Baptistry is
also interesting. It was built for Constantine, then
rebuilt in the fifth century and completely redesigned in
1637. It has an eight-sided plan and a barrier in the
center composed of two lines of columns that hold up the
dome. The baptismal font is in green basalt, while its
seventeenth century cover is in gold-plated bronze.
San Luigi dei Francesi
San Luigi is the French national church in Rome. It was
built and rebuilt in the sixteenth century, finally being
completed by Fontana. The Renaissance facade attributed to
Giacomo della Porta has recently been restored. Inside
there are three late fifteenth-century masterpieces by
Caravaggio: the Vocation of Saint Mathew, Saint Mathew and
the Angel, The Martyrdom of Saint Mathew.
Santa Maria Maggiore
This is one of the four patriarchal basilicas of Rome,
situated to the north of the Esquilino. Built at the
request of Sisto II in 432 and enhanced by a new apse in
the thirteenth century, it was given a tall belltower in
the fourteenth century. The eighteenth century facade,
with its doorway and loggia, is the work of Ferdinando
Fuga. Inside, the central nave is as long as it is wide,
and is divided into lateral naves of 40 columns, 36 in
marble and 4 in granite. The "Cosmati" floor is the
reconstruction of a twelfth-century original. The mosaics
and the panelled ceiling are interesting.
Santa Maria della Pace
Is a small Renaissance church built in the fifteenth
century according to the plan of Baccio Pontelli and
restored according to the request of Alexander VII by
Pietro da Cortona, who in 1656-57 made the baroque facade
with its semicircular atrium. The interior is composed of
a rectangular nave that ends in an octangonal space
surmounted by a dome. In the first chapel on the right one
can admire the celebrated Sibyls of Raphael, painted in
1514. The main altar, a seventeenth-century work by
Maderno, is surmounted by the Madonna of Peace, from the
fifteenth century. Especially interesting is the cloister
of Bramante, planned at the beginning of the sixteenth
century.
Santa Maria del Popolo
Built to celebrate the liberation of the Holy Sepulcre in
the first crusade, was reconstructed in Renaissance form
in the fifteenth century, according to the wishes of
Sixtus IV. The facade is the work of Andrea Bregno while
the luminous and spacious interior was planned by Bernini,
following baroque outlines. Inside are three naves, rich
in artistic treasures: frescoes by Pintorecchio, tombs of
the cardinals Cristoforo and Domenico della Rovere, works
by Andrea Pregno, decorations by Carlo Fontana, painted
panels from the thirteenth century and two paintings by
Caravaggio.
Santa Maria in Trastevere
A basilica dating to the fourth century, it was rebuilt
according to the wishes of Innocent II in 1130, with the
addition of a Roman belltower. On the front one can see a
twelfth-century mosaic of the Madonna enthroned with
Child. The doorway from 1702 is the work of Carlo Fontana.
The interior, with three naves, presents a floor in the
"Cosmati" style and a panelled ceiling by Domenichino.
Particularly interesting are the thirteenth-century
mosaics of the apse, by Pietro Cavallini.
San Paolo fuori le Mura
San Paolo fuori le Mura is one of the four patriarchal
basilicas of Rome, built at the request of Constantine in
314 and later enlarged. In 1823, after being almost
completely destroyed by fire, it was rebuilt by the
architect Poletti and finished in 1854. The facade,
decorated with elaborate mosaics, is preceded by a
doorway in four sections, formed by 146 columns. The
interior, with five naves, is rich in mosaics of byzantine
inspiration. Particularly interesting is the Easter
candelabra, the tabernacle above the Altar of San Paolo
(1285, by Arnolfo di Cambio), and the thirteenth-century
chapel by Pietro Vassalletto.
San Pietro in Vaticano
The basilica originally was built in 324 at the request of
Constantine on the site of the tomb of the Apostle. For
more than a thousand years it was the center of
Cristiandom, until in 1452 Nicolos V decided to have it
rebuilt. This rebuilding, however, was was not begun until
1506, under Julius II. He gave the task to Bramante, who
made a plan in the form of a Greek-cross with a large
central vault and four small domes. In 1514, the year of
Bramante's death, the four large central pillars and the
large arches supporting the vault were finished. The work
continued under the direction of Antonio da Sangallo,
until in 1546 Michaelangelo took over and created a
basilica in the shape of the Greek cross, with a grandiose
and imposing appearance, conceptualizing a new dome that
would constitute the dominant element of the entire
structure. At the death of Michaelangelo in 1564, Giacomo
della Porta followed the plans of the master. In 1605
Paolo V wanted to transform the plan of the Greek cross to
a Latin cross. He assigned the task to Carlo Maderno, who
prolonged the nave so that it reached what is now Saint Peter's Square, adding three chapels per side and finally
erecting the facade.
The 18th of November 1626, the immense basilicia was
consecrated by Urban VIII. Bernini was assigned the task
of continuing the work. The impressive baroque decorations
inside are due to him. In the first chapel on the right
one finds the incomparable marble group of the Pieta, done
by Michaelangelo when he was still young. At the far end
of the nave is the statue of Saint Peter in bronze by
Arnolfo di Cambio. The main altar is dominated by the
celebrated drapery of Bernini. From the left nave one
enters the area of the Treasures of Saint Peter. The
Museum of Art History includes objects of great value
saved from the Saracen invasions, the Sack of Rome and the
Napoleonic assaults. One can even climb up to the dome or
descend into the caves of the Vatican.
San Pietro in Vincoli
Built in the fifth century at the request of the Empress
Eudossia, who wanted to keep custody of the chains that Saint Peter bore during his imprisonment in Jerusalem, the
church was rebuilt under Hadrian I, in about 780. The
doorway was added in the sixteenth century. At the
beginning of the eighteenth century, Francesco Fontana had
ionic bases added onto the 20 antique doric columns of the
nave. The interior, with three naves, holds the mausoleum
of Julius II, built by Michaelangelo under commission to
the pope. At the center of the monument is Moses holding
the tables of the Ten Commandments, an imposing bearded
figure of great power and sensitivity.
Santa Sabina
Was built on the summit of the Aventino Hill in the fifth
century, where there stood a house belonging to a woman
named Sabina. Her name was soon confused with that of the Saint . This is a typical example of an ancient Christian
basilica. Works of restoration and decoration were
carried out in 824 and in 1216. Finally Domenico Fontana
reconstructed the interior in 1587. The splendid external
doors decorated with scenes of the Old and New Testament
date back to the fifth century. The interior, with three
naves, is illuminated by magnificent ninth-century
windows. Dating from the same period are the wooden
pulpits, the episcopal throne and the choir section
(scuola cantorum). The mosaics that decorated the apse
have unfortunately disappeared, but the fresco of Taddeo
Zuccaro, from 1560, reproduces the theme.
Other things to see in Rome
Tiberina Island 
This island rises in a bend of the Tevere. It is 300
meters long and 80 meters wide, covered in travertine
paving from the imperial era. It is reached on the left
side by the Fabricio Bridge, the oldest of Rome, built in
62 B.C., and on the right side by the Cestio Bridge, built
in the first century B.C. and redone in the nineteenth
century. On the island can see the hospital
Fatebenefratelli, the old church of Saint Bartolomeo,
reconstructed in the seventeenth century, and the medieval
Tower of the Caetani.
Trastevere
Trastevere is one of the most characteristic neighborhoods
of Rome, with its narrow streets animated by artisans'
shops.
The inhabitants claim to be the only true Romans, but
their diverse origins - Roman, Greek and Hebrew - seems to
belie this pretension. Nonetheless, they make up a group
apart and speak their own dialect.
The neighborhood, rather poor during the past century,
today takes advantage of its characteristic style for
touristic purposes. It is the site of many typical
restaurants.
Via Veneto
From Porta Pinciana, which leads through the Aurelian
wall, the via Vittorio Veneto begins. It is one of the
most important arteries of the city, extending as far as
Piazza Barberini, past hotels, bars, small shops and
luxurious stores.
In the Fifties this was the center of the "Dolce Vita" and
a popular site for celebrities, who enjoyed their
nightlife here. Nightlife is still animated, because its
locales attracts many clients.
Villa Borghese 
This is the largest and most beautiful public park in the
city. It extends beyond the Pincio and has a
perimeter of 6 km.
Created in the seventeenth century for Cardinal Scipione
Borghese, in 1901 it became the property of the King
Umberto I and finally was donated to the city. Its paths
and fields wind among lakes, fountains and forested
sections.
Pincio
A splendid public park designed by Valadier between 1809
and 1814, Pincio is situated on the hill bearing the same
name. It is accessible from the Piazza del Popolo via two
twisting, climbing roads. To the northeast it is bordered
by the park of the Villa Borghese and to the
southeast by the private gardens of the Villa Medici.
Baths of Caracalla
Where: Piazzale Numa Pompilio
Built between 212 and 217 by the emperor Caracalla,
extending over an area of 11 hectares, they were the
center of the city's social life, including a gymnasium,
two libraries (Greek and Latin), an art gallery, gardens,
communal swimming pools and single baths.
They presented innovative architectural solutions, perfect
hydraulic systems and the capacity to receive over 1600
people.
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