Rome, Italy has Plenty of Historic Sights to See
Visit to Learn about the Coliseum, Roman Forum, Pantheon, and More
Dec 31, 2008
Taking a vacation or holiday to Rome offers plenty of things to do, places to eat, and sights to see. Rome vacations also offer opportunities to visit historical buildings and sites unlike most other cities in the world. Much of this history is still standing in this ancient city, once an empire that controlled much of the world in the first century.
The Coliseum, or Colosseum
Originally called the Flavian Amphitheater, the Roman Coliseum is the largest amphitheatre ever built in the Roman Empire. The architecture of the Coliseum began in AD 72 under the ruling of Emperor Vespasian and completed in AD 80 under his son Titus. The Coliseum is known for the violent games that took place here until the 5th century. The arena held 50,000 spectators who came to watch Gladiators fight each other, criminals, and even wild animals. This was all considered entertainment.
There are many opportunities to tour the Coliseum and there are tour guides right outside the arena vying for your business. Once inside the amphitheatre, the underground passages can be seen and more history will be revealed.
The Roman Forum
The Roman Forum was the epicenter of political, social, and economic life in ancient Rome. Temples and basilicas also brought people to the Forum which existing during Julius Caesar's time. After its demise, it became a pasture for cattle during the Middle Ages. In the 18th century, much of the remains were excavated and some remnants of the columns and pillars of the old buildings can be seen today.
It is located in a valley between Palatine Hill and Capitoline Hill just west of the Coliseum. Since March 2008, there is an admission fee to stroll through the grounds.
The Pantheon
The Pantheon was built around AD 125 by Emperor Hadrian after the first one was destroyed in AD 80. It was originally built as a temple where people could go and worship all gods. This was a first for Rome which temples were considered a forbidden place not open to the common people. Since the 7th century, it has been a Christian church and occasionally masses still take place there today.
This is the only building from Ancient Rome that still has its originally architecture still intact. The dome inside is made up of thick unreinforced concrete, that gets thinner as it rises towards the top. The dimensions of the dome's diameter and height are perfectly equal (43m, 142ft) which make it a fascinating architectural structure.
It is located in the Piazza della Rotunda in Centro Storico and there is no entrance fee to walk through the Pantheon.
Spanish Steps
The 138 steps were designed by Francesco de Sanctis and built in the years 1723-1725. At the base of the Spanish Steps is Piazza di Spagna which lead up to Church of Trinità dei Monti. At the bottom of the steps is a fountain built in the 1600's by Pietro Bernini. At the top of the stairs there is a good view of the city.
Most of the year, there will be people sitting on the steps, relaxing or listening to the guitars strumming as the musicians play into the night. During Christmas, the stairs are decorated and a 19th century nativity scene is placed on the first landing.
Walking through Rome to visit these places will open up opportunities to stop and see other historical sights along the way. The sights mentioned in this article offers a good place to start and more information can be found on Italy Guides Web site.
 |
 |
 |
 |
