Featured Attractions in Rome
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The Colosseum is perhaps the most iconic symbol of ancient Rome, and the largest remaining structure of Roman antiquity. It was built to hold 50,000 spectators, who came to watch the gladiators.
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The Pantheon is the final resting place of Italian kings and some of Italy's most famous people, including the painter, Raphael. The structure supports a huge dome, which is also the light source for the building.
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Trevi Fountain is one of the city's most popular tourist attractions. This 17th C masterpiece, depicting the "kingdom of Ocean", draws huge crowds. Throwing coins into the fountain is a tradition for visitors.
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The Roman Forum was once the political heart of ancient Rome. The existing remains do not give an adequate picture of what the area once looked like, but are nonetheless impressive for the history they convey.
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Palatine Hill is the site of the earliest settlement in the region. On the hill are the remains of palaces which belonged to Roman Emperors and other aristocrats.
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Piazza Navona is a Baroque square, surrounded by beautiful buildings, which attracts street artists, musicians, and tourists.
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Popular Attractions in Rome
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National Museum (Baths Museum)
The National Museum in Rome contains the most extensive collection of ancient art in the city, outside of the Vatican. The museum is located in a portion of the Baths of Diocletian.
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Villa Farnesina
Dating back to the 16th century, Villa Farnesina is home to the National Print Cabinet. Featuring a distinctly Renaissance style of architecture, the Palace is a well-known attraction.
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Altar of Peace
Augustus' Altar of Peace was created between the 13 and 9 C B.C. and is richly decorated with reliefs showing scenes of nature, mythology, and history.
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Arch of Constantine
The Arch of Constantine was created to celebrate Emperor Constantine following a strategic battle. It is the largest and most well preserved triumphal arch of Roman times.
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Arch of Janus Quadrifrons
The Arch of Janus Quadrifrons was constructed in the Constantinian period at an intersection in Rome's commercial quarter.
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Basilica of Maxentius
The present remains of the Roman Basilica of Maxentius give onlookers a feel for the grandeur of the age. This building was used as both a court of law and commercial building.
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Basilica of St John Lateran
The Basilica of St John Lateran was for many centuries the Papal residence and Episcopal church of the Pope.
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Basilica of St Mary Major
Santa Maria Maggiore is an important pilgrimage church with the distinction of being the only church in Rome to have celebrated mass every single day since the 5th C.
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Baths of Caracalla
The Baths of Caracalla, built in the 200s, were the equivalent of a modern day sports and leisure center, with baths, pool, gyms, halls, libraries, hair salons, and shops.
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Capitoline Museum
Capitoline Museum is known for being the oldest public art collection in all of Europe. It was founded in 1471, and features a fine display of classical sculpture.
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Castel Sant'Angelo
Originally a mausoleum in the 2nd C, it was later incorporated into a fortress. Centuries later it was declared a castle and eventually linked to the Vatican. The structure has also served as a prison and is today a museum.
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Catacombs of St Calixtus
The extensive Catacombs of St Calixtus contain a maze of passages and rooms spread over four levels. Estimates put the number of burials here at approximately 170,000.
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Column of Marcus Aurelius
In the Piazza Colonna stands the Column of Marcus Aurelius, at a height of almost 30 m. It is decorated with a spiral relief of war scenes.
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EUR (Esposizione Universale di Roma)
The Esposizione Universale di Roma (EUR) was based on Mussolini's idea to hold an international exhibition in Rome but was later scrapped. The project did result in some interesting buildings in this area.
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Forum of Trajan
The well preserved Forum of Trajan is the largest on the Imperial fora. Here can be found a temple, basilica, and monuments honoring the Emperor Trajan.
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Fountain of the Four Rivers
The Fountain of the Four Rivers (Fontana dei Fiumi) in the Piazza Navona was done by Bernini. Figures in the fountain represent the Nile, Ganges, Danube, and Rio de la Plata.
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Gesu Church
The Gesu Church was the idea of Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus. This is the main church of the Jesuits, and attached is the house which once served as the living quarters of Ignatius.
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Milvian Bridge
The Milvian Bridge has seen much history over the centuries, and much reconstruction. The original bridge was begun in 109 B.C. and four of the existing piers remain from ancient times.
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National Etruscan Museum
The National Etruscan Museum is housed in the mid 16th C Villa Giulia. Highlights include finds from Etruscan cemeteries, sculpture, utensils, and a 6th C B.C. sarcophagus from Cerveteri.
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National Gallery of Modern Art
The National Gallery of Modern Art displays a huge collection of 19th and 20th C paintings and sculptures by Italian artists.
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National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II
The National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II is a memorial built to mark the winning of Italian unity in 1870 and honor its first King, Victor Emmanuel II.
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New Church (Santa Maria in Vallicella)
Despite being built in the late 1500s, Santa Maria in Vallicella is often referred to as the "New Church", having been built on the site of a 12th C church. The exterior boasts a massive facade, and the interior is lavishly decorated.
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Oratorio dei Filippini
Built in the mid 17th C, the Oratorio dei Filippini was once a place of worship but today contains Rome's oldest public library, the Biblioteca Vallicelliana. Concerts are sometimes held in the former Oratory.
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Palazzo Barberini
The Palazzo Barberini was begun by Carlo Maderna and Borromini, and finished by Bernini in 1633. It is named for Pope Urban VIII (Maffeo Barberini), for whom the palace was built.
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Palazzo Borghese
The Palazzo Borghese was originally the lavish summer residence of Cardinal Camillo Borghese, who would eventually become Pope Paul V.
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Palazzo Farnese
Like many of Rome's grand palaces, Palazzo Farnese was connected to the papacy, being built for Cardinal Alessandro Farnese who would later become Pope Paul III. It is a grand display of Renaissance architecture.
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Palazzo Pallavicini-Rospigliosi
The Palazzo Pallavicini-Rospigliosi was originally built for Cardinal Scipione Borghese. The palace contains a large collection of paintings by well known names, and a famous Guido Reni ceiling painting.
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Palazzo Venezia
Palazzo Venezia contains a museum and the National Institute of Archeology and Art History. It was built in the mid 15th C for Cardinal Pietro Barbo, who became Pope Paul II, and in modern times was the residence of Mussolini.
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Palazzo dei Conservatori
Palazzo dei Conservatori was designed by Michelangelo and today houses the Capitoline Museum.
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Papal Chancery
The Papal Chancery was originally the palace of Cardinal Riario. It was built in the late 1400s and early 1500s, using blocks from the Colosseum, as well as other sources.
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Passeggiata del Gianicolo
Passeggiata del Gianicolo, from where there are splendid views over the city, features a row of busts of Italian patriots lining the walkway. An Austrian cannon fires in the square each day at noon.
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Piazza Bocca della Verità
This square is the site of the ancient Forum Boarium, but its main attraction is the fine view.
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Piazza del Quirinale
This beautiful square, surrounded by palaces, features wonderful views over the city, along with the well known Dioscuri Fountain.
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Pincio Gardens
The Pincio Gardens were begun in the early 19th C by Giuseppe Valadier. Walking trails allow access to the gardens and provide views over Rome to St Peter's.
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San Clemente
San Clemente was built on the site of a 4th C church, the remains of which can still be seen in the lower level. The upper church, constructed in the 10th C, is extraordinary.
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San Luigi dei Francesi
The exterior of San Luigi dei Francesi shows a Renaissance facade. Highlights of the interior include three paintings by Caravaggio.
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Sant'Agnese
The church of Sant'Agnese was a significant achievement which became the model for many Baroque and Rococo churches.
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Sant'Agostino
Sant'Agostino contains a famous image of the Madonna del Parto (1471) by Jacopo Sansevino, a painting by Raphael (1512), and the Madonna of the Pilgrims (1605) by Caravaggio.
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Santa Costanza
The church of Santa Costanza contains one of Rome's most impressive interiors, with particularly noteworthy mosaics.
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Santa Maria del Popolo
Santa Maria del Popolo supposedly stands on the site of an old chapel known to keep away the evil spirit of Nero.
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Santa Maria della Pace
Santa Maria della Pace was a work in progress for many centuries, with restorations and extensions. The nave contains frescoes by Raphael and the cloister was the work of Bramante.
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Santa Maria della Vittoria
The Baroque church of Santa Maria della Vittoria contains the exquisite altar of St Teresa of Avila by Bernini.
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Santa Maria in Cosmedin
One of Rome's finest medieval churches, Santa Maria in Cosmedin was built between the 8th and 12th C. The church contains the intriguing stone mask known as the Mouth of Truth.
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Santa Maria sopra Minerva
Santa Maria sopra Minerva is located in Piazza della Minerva and built on the site of the former temple of Minerva. It is the largest Gothic church in Rome.
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Santa Pudenziana
Santa Pudenziana was built originally in the 4th C by Pope Siricius. Original mosaics can be seen in the apse.
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Santa Sabina
Santa Sabina was founded in the 5th C but embellished throughout the ages and eventually given to the Dominicans by Pope Honorius II.
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Santi Apostoli
Santi Apostoli was restored as recently as the 1990s. Some of the highlights of the church include the ceiling frescoes, and the tomb of Pope Clement XIV by Canova.
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Santi Cosma e Damiano
When visiting Santi Cosma e Damiano watch for the 17th C wooden ceiling, a medieval Easter candle, and the impressive 6th C mosaics in the apse and on the triumphal arch.
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Spanish Steps
The Spanish Steps were built in 1725 by Francesco de Sanctis and are today a popular hang out and tourist attraction. They vary in width as they ascend, and landings allow for resting and viewing the surroundings.
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St Agnes Outside the Walls
St Agnes Outside the Walls was built in the first half of the 7th C. It displays beautiful old columns, and a highly decorated 17th C wooden ceiling.
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St Lawrence outside the Walls
St Lawrence outside the Walls is a pilgrimage church, established by Constantine the Great and dedicated to St Lawrence.
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St Paul Outside the Walls
St Paul Outside the Walls has been rebuilt but was once the largest church in the world. The new church contains some important works of art.
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St Peter in Chains
With construction on the church beginning in 431, St Peter in Chains is among the oldest of Rome's churches. It contains the chains Peter wore in the Mamertine Prison.
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Theater of Marcellus
The Theater of Marcellus was built for Augustus' nephew and son-in-law Marcellus around 15 B.C. It is a free-standing structure, which was later converted to a fortress.
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Tomb of Caecilia Metalla
The Tomb of Caecilia Metalla stands 11 m high and is one of the more famous Roman monuments. It was built in the 1st C B.C.
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Rome Surroundings
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Excavation area Ostia Scavi
Excavations at Ostia Scavi have revealed a 2nd to 4th C town with typical Imperial Rome architecture, including multi story block style apartments.
More Italy Resources
- Rome tours & things to do by Viator
- Rome Travel Guide by iExplore
