The history of Rome spans over 2,500 years from its foundation by Romulus in 753 BCE. As the seat of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, the remnants of ancient Rome are littered throughout the city. Visit the iconic Colosseum, which stands as a testament to the grandeur and engineering prowess of the Roman Empire or the Roman Forum, where ancient Romans used to gather daily to barter, converse and listen to rallies and speeches.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, Rome fell under the political control of the Papacy. The city, which had been a bustling urban metropolis under the Romans, fell into ruin. The sprawling city was reduced to clusters of buildings interspersed among large areas of ruins, vegetation, vineyards, and gardens. The population halved, and landmarks like the Colosseum and Roman Forum crumbled as medieval Romans constructed houses and shops within their ruins. As the capital of the Papal States, Rome was – and in, housing the Vatican City – remains, of profound importance for Christianity. Visit the Castel Sant’Angelo, originally a Mausoleum for the Emperor Hadrian that became the Popes’ stronghold and upon which a ferocious battle raged during the notorious 1527 Sack of Rome.