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The iconic Coliseum

The Coliseum is Rome’s most famous and perhaps most impressive structure. This enormous Roman amphitheatre, commissioned by Emperor Vespanian, was built from concrete, peat and brick and accommodated more than 50,000 spectators. An army of slaves from the Jewish-Roman War took a total of 8 years, from 72 to 80 A.D. to build the 50-metre-high ‘il Colosseo’.

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St. Peter’s Basilica

The Coliseum as a stone quarry

In the 5th century A.D., the Coliseum, as well as the rest of Rome, came under attack by Barbarians and fell into disrepair. “Barbarian” was the general Roman term for all non-Roman people. Looting and natural disasters further damaged the Coliseum. The low point came in the Middle Ages when the theatre was reduced to a stone quarry. Stones would be taken from the Coliseum to be used as building materials – some of these stones were used in the construction of St. Peter’s Basilica. Pope Benedict XIV put an end to the looting in 1749; he recognized the Coliseum’s historic value because of the early Christians who had been tortured to death here.

In the past the Coliseum could be covered

Hiding under the velarium

Few people are aware that in the early days the Coliseum could be covered with an enormous canvas called a velarium. This cover protected the spectators from the strong sun. It was tied to large poles on top of the Coliseum and anchored to the ground with ropes; the job of rigging this canvas required the help of more than a thousand people. But with this many people the task was quickly accomplished; within 15 minutes the entire velarium would be unfurled and put in place.

The Coliseum by night

Wonder of the World

Nowadays the Coliseum is one of the top attractions in Rome. It is an imposing monument and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Today there are no longer any performances or spectacles at the Coliseum, but the building is open to visitors. Underneath the arena visitors may tour the convoluted maze of hallways and cages once used by animals and gladiators. These cages were hoisted up from below so the humans and animals could enter the arena at the stage level. After many years in deplorable conditions, the Coliseum is currently undergoing a colossal restoration that will take several years to complete.

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Culinary

Arts & Culture

If you have always wanted to know what an actual Roman villa was like 2000 years ago, then head for Le Domus Romane di Palazzo Valentini. This new yet antique attraction was only discovered in 2007 and provides a unique insight into the life of the ancient Romans. Instead of musty ruins, the site offers amazing multimedia projections that bring the villas back to their former glory.

Arts & Culture

Villa Borghese, Rome’s largest park, is the perfect place to escape the busy city. Between the footpaths and flowerbeds you’ll find sculptures, fountains and temples. Most people visit the park for its 3 museums: the Galleria Borghese, the Museo Nazionale Etrusco and the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna. No wonder it is also known as museum park!

Culinary

Whatever the season: Italians love their gelato (ice-cream). This cold delicacy is sold on almost every corner. Although there really is no ‘bad’ ice-cream anywhere in Italy, some parlours are just a step above the rest. Surprising fact: the prettiest gelato is not always the best!

Arts & Culture

Surrealism and metaphysical painting are probably not the first art movements that you associate with Rome. Even so, one of the great masters of these styles lived for a long time in the Italian capital. Giorgio de Chirico spent the last 30 years of his life on the Piazza di Spagna and his former apartment is now a museum.

Arts & Culture

When you think of romantic Rome, mysterious corridors and old crypts may not be the first thing that come to mind. Just outside the city are the Catacombs of Rome, a network of underground cemeteries dug in the second century AD. The most impressive are the Catacombs of St Callixtus, where 16 popes and some 30 martyrs are buried.

Culinary

The aperitivo used to be a simple drink consumed before dinner, accompanied by some nuts or olives. While this is often still the case, in the trendiest neighbourhoods of Rome the aperitivo is now the pride of many restaurants and bars that serve the best wines with gastronomic snacks. You often end up eating so much that you can just skip dinner!

Culinary

The picturesque streets in the district of Trastevere are flanked by tables and terraces on both sides. Hidden in a jumble of narrow, paved alleys you’ll find a wealth of romantic restaurants and cosy cafés. A walk through the historic neighbourhood is a truly wonderful cultural and culinary experience.

Arts & Culture

In 1730, Pope Clemens XII commissioned a competition to design a fountain; there were no rules or necessary requirements. The winner was Nicola Salvi with his enormous but beautiful design of a fountain with the sea god Neptune. Construction began in 1732 but sadly Salvi never saw the completion of his creation; the world-famous Trevi Fountain was only concluded in 1762, 11 years after his death.

Arts & Culture

A trip to Rome is not complete without a visit to the Vatican City. Measuring just under 44 hectares, the Vatican is the smallest country in the world. The religious centre of the Roman-Catholic Church is a separate state that doesn’t require a passport to enter. The residence of the Pope draws millions of pilgrims and visitors a year and only counts 800 official residents.

Arts & Culture

The Forum Romanum is one of the highlights of Rome. At first glance it seems no more than a pile of stones, arches, pillars and sculptures, but appearances are deceiving: this was the heart of Rome in its glory days.

Arts & Culture

The mighty Pantheon – built in 27 B.C. – is the best preserved structure from the Roman era. In later centuries, the temple was used as a cemetery. 19th-century Italian kings Victor Emmanuel II and Umberto I were buried here, as well as painter Raphael. Later the Pantheon was transformed into a church.