MONUMENTS AND CULTURAL SITES

Visiting Rome's most iconic monuments means immersing yourself in a journey of over three millennia of history.

 
  • Pantheon

    The Pantheon is one of the best-preserved monuments of ancient Rome and a masterpiece of classical architecture, admired for its perfect proportions and geometry. Originally built in 27 BC by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and dedicated to all the gods, it features a grand portico with Corinthian columns and a cylindrical structure topped by a massive dome. The building’s height equals the diameter of its dome—just over 43 meters—and during the summer solstice, sunlight streams through the oculus to form a luminous circle on the floor, highlighting the Pantheon’s extraordinary architectural precision.

    Photo: Rabax63, CC BY-SA 4.0

  • Fontana di Trevi

    The Trevi Fountain is Rome’s most famous fountain, celebrated as a masterpiece of water and stone. Fed by the ancient Acqua Vergine aqueduct—the only Roman aqueduct still in use—it was commissioned by Pope Clement XII in 1732. Restored several times, most recently in 2014 with support from the fashion house Fendi, the fountain also features the lesser-known “fountain of lovers” to its right, with a small rectangular basin and twin spouts.

    Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0

  • Fontana delle Tartarughe

    Built between 1581 and 1588, the Turtle Fountain is one of Rome’s most elegant Renaissance fountains and is linked to a famous romantic legend involving Duke Mattei, who supposedly commissioned it overnight to win his future father-in-law’s approval. Richly decorated with polychrome marble, the fountain features four bronze youths riding dolphins, sculpted by Taddeo Landini. The turtles, added later in 1658 by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, complete the fountain’s distinctive and playful design.

    Photo: Silvio Pietrosanti, CC BY-SA 4.0

  • Colosseum

    The Colosseum, officially known as the Flavian Amphitheater, is Rome’s most iconic monument and the largest amphitheater ever built. Commissioned by Emperor Vespasian and completed in 80 AD under his son Titus, it was constructed on the site of Nero’s former artificial lake and used for gladiatorial games and public spectacles. After the abolition of gladiatorial combat in the 5th century, the structure fell into decline and was reused in later periods, before becoming, together with the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, part of the Colosseum Archaeological Park.

    Photo: Sergey Sosnovskiy , CC BY-SA 2.0

  • Bocca della Verita

    In Piazza Bocca della Verità stands the famous marble mask known as the Mouth of Truth, housed since 1632 in the portico of the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. Likely a Roman-era manhole cover connected to the Cloaca Maxima, the large circular mask dates to ancient times. Its name comes from a medieval legend claiming the mouth would bite the hand of anyone who lied, a belief once used as a dramatic test of truth.

    Photo: Fallaner, CC BY-SA 4.0

  • Altare della Patria

    Commissioned in 1878 to honor King Vittorio Emanuele II after Italy’s unification, the Vittoriano monument features a monumental gilded equestrian statue of the king. In 1921, it became the resting place of the Unknown Soldier, buried beneath the statue of the Goddess Rome as a symbol of all fallen soldiers. Dedicated to national unity and civic freedom, the monument is marked by symbolic inscriptions, fountains representing the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian seas, and remains a focal point for national commemorations.

    Photo: Sean MacEntee from Monaghan, Ireland, CC BY 2.0

  • Galleria Doria Pamphilj

    The Doria Pamphilj Gallery is not only an art collection, but the historic home where the Doria Pamphilj family lived for centuries. When you visit the Hall of Mirrors and the rooms adorned with works by Velázquez and Caravaggio, you can breathe the atmosphere of a house that has witnessed important historical and cultural events.

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  • Palazzo Colonna

    The Palazzo Colonna is a symbol of the long history of the Colonna family, one of the oldest and most influential in Rome. Each room tells a part of its story, with the Great Hall standing out for its majesty. Princess Isabelle's apartments offer a glimpse into the private and refined life of this noble Roman family.

  • Palazzo Lateranense

    It was the historic papal residence before the Vatican became the hub of the Catholic Church. After the Avignon period, the popes moved to the Vatican, but the Lateran Palace has retained its historical importance, especially for events such as the signing of the Lateran Pacts in 1929. Inside, you can admire extraordinary frescoes from the Renaissance and Baroque that illustrate the power and spirituality of the Church.

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