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.

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.

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.

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.

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 saints 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.

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.