One of the most famous tourist centers in the world, the ancient and original city of Europe - Rome. The history of this city, its sights, features of the population of Rome - all this is narrated in the article.
Rome: geographical location
The capital of Italy is located on the hills formed on the plain of Campagna Roman, not far from the Tyrrhenian Sea. It washes Rome from the west, a river flows into it, dividing the city into two parts - the Tiber. The weather in Rome is determined by the Mediterranean subtropical climate. The city is not characterized by sharp temperature changes, due to its location near the sea, surrounded by mountains: Sabatini, Sabini, Prenestani, Albani. Summer in Rome is mild, but the inhabitants of the city suffer from a strong south wind - sirocco. In winter, temperatures with a minus sign are rare, but there is a north wind - tramontana.
Rome: the history of the city
Rome since ancient times is known as the Eternal City. This epithet is explained by the unusual history of the city. Over the centuries, he underwent destruction and fall several times, but he always managed to survive and become even more beautiful.
Legends of Rome connect the emergence of the city with the names of Romulus and Remus, the sons of the god Mars. They founded the city together, but, as legend has it, Romulus removed his brother from power and became the first king of Rome. The founding date of the city is 753 BC. Its influence spread first to the entire Apennine Peninsula, then to other European lands. By the 2nd century AD, Rome, which became the center of a world superpower - the Roman Empire, began to dominate a vast territory from England to North Africa, including the entire Mediterranean and southern shores of the Black Sea. By the 4th century, Rome was becoming the center of the Christian world, but economically losing its position. In the same century, a terrible event in the history of the population of Rome. Vandals from the northeast captured the city. They destroyed most of the historical monuments, cultural centers, did not reckon with the Roman population, with its customs. It took Rome several centuries to recover. The empire was destroyed - the eastern part began to be called Byzantium. But already in the 15th century, the Eternal City once again became the world cultural center - the center of the Renaissance. In the 18-19 centuries, Rome was subjected to French conquest. The heads of the Catholic Church were several times taken out of the city, which was considered the center of Catholicism. Only towards the end of the 70s of the 19th century Rome recovered from endless conflicts and became the capital of the Italian kingdom.
Country in Rome?
Unique is the state of the Vatican. This country, located on the territory of Rome, is the smallest state officially recognized.
The Vatican was formed under Mussolini in 1929 and is a theocratic state in which power is in the hands of religious institutions. There are none like him in the world. Only Athos in Greece, which is a community of 20 Orthodox monasteries, has such a device. Even in ancient times, the territory of the present Vatican was considered sacred. And in the 4th century, above the tomb of St. Peter, the Basilica of Constantine was erected. Since then, this place has hosted thousands of pilgrims from all over the world.
Rome population
Rome is one of the most populous cities in Europe. The population of Rome is about 3 million people. The eternal city to which all roads lead is from time immemorial a multinational.
The ethnic composition of the population of Rome is very diverse. Representatives of Southeast Asia, Arabs, North Americans live in it. All
national minorities make up, in general, about 5% of the total population of the city, the rest recognize themselves as Italians. The main religion is Catholicism. There are representatives of other faiths: Judaism, Islam, Buddhism. Residents of Rome speak Italian, many use the Roman dialect - Romanesco.
Symbols of Rome
Symbols of cities are traditionally a flag, coat of arms. Thus, the coat of arms, which is a heraldic shield of scarlet color with a diagonal inscription near the St. George's Cross, above the shield crown with five protrusions, is the main symbol of Rome. The combination of colors on the coat of arms - red and gold - speaks of the strength and power of the city. The crown, as is customary, symbolizes power and justice.
The founders of Rome, according to legends, were fed by a she-wolf. Cast in bronze, where the she-wolf feeds the boys, is another symbol of Rome. The statue is called the Capitoline Wolf. The time of the creation of the monument is unknown, but there are facts that allow you to date the statue with the 5th century BC. e. The work is in the Capitol.
Rome Attractions: Colosseum
"Italy. The city of Rome" - this is one of the most popular tourist destinations. Fans of history, architecture, archeology, connoisseurs of high culture will appreciate the city and its attractions. Many buildings are not only ancient monuments, but also witnesses of the leisure of the ancient Romans. So, aqueducts talk about the provision of the population with water, and baths (in other words, baths) confirm a high standard of living in the ancient city.
The amphitheaters of Rome tell us what kind of entertainment the Romans had: there were fights of gladiators, pitting animals, racing chariots and other similar events. The extant Colosseum is the largest amphitheater of the ancient period. The capacity of this four-tier structure is 50 thousand people. The whole elite of Rome gathered here. To get to the performance at the Coliseum was possible only by tickets.
This architectural monument is located on the site of the
"golden" house of Nero, in the vast hollow between the Palatinsky, Esquilinsky and Tselievsky hills.
Capitol hill
The witness to all the historical events in Rome was Capitol Hill - Capitol.
There were temples of the ancient Roman gods. This natural site is built up with important cultural monuments. The modern image of the Capitol is a project of Michelangelo. The square, palaces with identical facades, intricate staircases - all this is an idea of an outstanding master. Of the oldest structures, a part of the insula, whose age is about 2 thousand years, has been preserved. Historical evidence suggests that this multi-story building was the same height as the hill itself. The capitol is rich in monuments, many legends are associated with it. This place is one of the main on the tourist map.
Rome and tourism
How to get to Rome, many millions of people know every year visiting the Eternal City. The city is connected to the main Europe by roads. Many people prefer to fly to the city on airplanes. There are two major international airports in Rome: Ciampino and Leonardo da Vinci di Fiumicino. The weather in Rome allows tourists from all over the world to visit the city all year round. Especially admire and give the opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere of the city walking in the ancient, central part of Rome. You should not delay visiting the world famous museums of the Vatican, the Capitoline Museum, the National Museum of Rome, the Borghese Gallery and many other cultural centers. The main streets of the city begin in the heart of the city - on Piazza Venezia. This is the central square near the Capitol. Nearby is the Roman Forum - the center of ancient Roman architecture, the historical and cultural corner of the city. Many ancient temples and basilicas have been preserved here.