By the famous Colosseum al Roman Forum and from the Fountain of Trevi to Square NavonaRome is certainly a city that needs no introduction. Founded, according to legend, in 753 BC from the one who would become his first king, RomulusRome has been the beating heart of one of the most important civilizations in the Mediterranean for over a millennium. Over the centuries, the city has accumulated incalculable artistic and cultural riches that have stratified themselves in its fabric giving life to a heritage that has no equal all over the world.
Capital of Italy, as well as the capital of Lazio, Rome is today the largest metropolis in our countrywhich includes beyond 2.7 million inhabitants and an area of More than 1200 square kilometerscharacterizing itself as the more extended municipality throughout the European Union. The eternal city is literally an open -air museum, able to attract More than 20 million tourists per yearbut it is also the seat of the most important bodies of the Italian legal system and numerous other national and international institutions.
10 curiosities about the eternal city
1. The numbers of Rome
Together with Milan, Rome is one of the only two metropolises of our country, that is, the two Italian cities that exceed the million inhabitants. The capital includes, in fact, over 2.7 million peoplethus obtaining the primacy of the most populous city in Italy. The surface, equal to 1287.36 square kilometersmakes it the municipality more extensive in all EU countries and determines a density equal to 2133,66 inhabitants per square kilometer.
There Metropolitan city of Rome Capitalof which Rome certainly represents the fulcrum, includes 121 Municipalities And over 4 million inhabitants.
2. The name of the city
The origin of the name of the city of Rome is lost in the mists of time, but, over the centuries, numerous scholars have advanced more than one hypothesis on the matter. According to some, the term Rome would derive from its legendary founder, Romulus. However, more modern interpretations would indicate the opposite, namely that it is the name of Romolo who derive from Rome and not vice versa.
Other hypotheses associate the ancient toponym with which it referred to the capital river Tibernamely Rumon. According to this theory, the term Romanus it would mean precisely “river“O” city on the river “. Recent studies hypothesize anorigin Etruscan of the name. In Etruscan, RumaMeaning what breastcould have referred to the morphology of hill Palatine. The appellation of City Eternal Instead, it was born from the centrality of Rome in western history and from the perception of the city as an immortal entity, whose millenary history is destined to last forever over time, transcending the passage of the centuries and the alternation of civilizations.
3. The city with the most churches in the world
Given the immense heritage and its link with the Church Catholicprobably not surprising that Rome is the city with the most churches in the world: it matters in fact more than 900. Paleochristian, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and modern churches: the variety of architectural styles that are reflected in the churches of Rome highlights the long history of the city well epicenter of Christianity and its artistic and architectural evolution over the centuries. Many of these churches are real jewels from an artistic point of view and hold within them works by great masters such as Michelangelo, Caravaggio And Bernini.
4. The Circus Maximus
Made between the hills Palatine And AventineThe Circus Maximum It is considered the largest structure used for games and shows from all over ancient history. The circus is long, approximately, 600 meters and wide 140 and it seems it could welcome up to 200 000 spectators. In addition to the famous races with the bighethe circus hosted shows and competitions of all kinds, but most of everything, it was a very important Center for aggregation and sociality in ancient Rome. Born in the monarchical era and expanded in the republican one, the Circus Maximus has been repeatedly renovated by the emperors of the following centuries, but with the fall of the Roman Empire and the disintegration of the strong central authority, also its role as the reference point of the community entered a phase of forfeiture.
5. The mouth of truth
A stop at the Mouth of truthcomplete with instagrammable photos, is a must for any self -respecting tourist. Let’s talk about a great mask in Pavonazzetto white marble of the diameter of about 1.8 meters and walled in an external wall of the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin since 1632. The origin of the large stone disc is actually much older: it seems in fact that it was a manhole for the drainage of water in a monarchical era. Reproduces the face of a figure maleprobably one divinity riverwhich placed in a horizontal position would therefore have “swallowed” the rainwater from its wide open mouth.
The name Bocca della Truth, however, originates in the Middle Agesfollowing the proliferation of legends according to which the mouth would have had the power to pronounce oracles or distinguish the truth from the false. In this regard, the belief spread, which has now entered the collective imagination, that the lifted mouth of the mysterious figure could literally bite the hand of those who had not affirmed the truth.
6. The city of the fountains
Rome is by far the Italian city with More public fountains. Anyone who has visited the capital will certainly have come across the nosesthe famous cast iron fountains that with their curved brigs downwards remember, in fact, a large nose.
The nasone was born in 1874 on the initiative of the then Mayor Luigi Piancianiin order to increase water availability and facilitate access to drinking water to the citizens of Rome.
At the time, Nasone had a different form from the most widespread one today: it was in fact composed of Three mouth shaped dragon head and heard one grate through which the water, leaving the vents, fell directly into the conduct sewer below. Although in reduced numbers, these first models can still be observed today in Piazza della Rotonda, in via di San Teodoro and in via delle Tre Cannelle.
In Rome there are about 2 500 nasonsto which are added several other fountains of all forms and sizes, including the real works of art, such as the Fountain of Barcacciaby Pietro and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, in the Spanish square and well known Trevi fountain.
7. The Trevi fountain: a millionaire fundraising
We remain on the subject of the fountains to talk about the most renowned among these: the Trevi fountain. The Trevi Fountain, which as we know it today was designed by the Italian architect Nicola Save In the first half of the eighteenth century, it is certainly in the Olympus of More visited attractions of Rome. It is able to attract so many tourists and visitors that today it is really almost impossible to be able to photograph it during the day without including other people in the frame.
Equally famous is the rite of coin launch In the waters of the fountain, to express a desire or to have the guarantee of a future return between the wonders of the eternal city. The numbers of visitors and, consequently, of coins in the tank of the Trevi fountain are so high as to estimate an annual accumulation that oscillates between i seven hundred thousand and the million and a half euros. The money collected in this way is intended for Caritas Rome For social solidarity projects, for assistance to needy and for the development of initiatives for inclusion.
8. The Pantheon light game
The Pantheon It is another famous attraction of the city of Rome, as well as yet another testimony of the very rich cultural inheritance of the city.
Was built in 27 BC from Marco Vipsanio Agrippa in honor of all the deities, and made to restore by theEmperor Hadrian About a century and a half later.
The temple is characterized by a pronaos in columns Corinthian and from a rear structure of form circularsurmounted by a dome to whose peak there is an opening, always circular, called oculo.
The careful study of the architectural characteristics of the building allows each 21 Aprildate that corresponds to Christmas of Rome (according to legend, Rome would have been founded by Romolo on April 21 of 753 BC) the occurrence of a effect visual really fascinating: at noon a light beam crosses the eye by illuminating the door of the temple. In the past, at that exact hour, the emperor entered the building so that all his figure was hit by the light.
9. The hills of Rome are not only seven (more)
The famous Seven hills of Rome, Palatine, Aventine, Capitol, Quirinale, Endanger, Esquiline And Celiumstrongly conditioned the first years of the expansion of Rome, from the merger of the Latin villages to the early stages of urban expansion. Today, Rome is configured as ametropolitan area With a really important extension and the hills were completely incorporated into the urban fabric. The expansion of the city, however, is such that over time other hills and other hills have been assimilated in the borders. For example the JaniculumThe Pincio and the Vaticanalthough not belonging to the original tradition, they have become an integral part of the urban landscape.
10. In Rome there is an Egyptian pyramid
That the Romans have reached theAncient Egypt Bringing uses, costumes and infrastructures of the empire is a well -known fact, but wandering around nearby Porta San Paoloone of the southern doors of wall Aurelianinstead we could come across a glimpse of Egypt on the Italian territory.
Let’s talk about the Pyramid Basketone tomb Roman built in the second decade for Gaio Cestio Epulonea politician who lived between the end of the republican period and the very first years of the empire.
The pyramid was made between 18 and 12 AC, fully resuming the style of the Egyptian ones: the great tomb is in concrete covered with marble slabs and presents a height of 36.40 meters on a base, square, of about 900 square meters.
It is certainly one of the most singular monuments of the city and its construction is due, most likely, to the spread in the capital of fashions and styles from the different imperial provinces.
