Enclosed by Bernini's magnificent colonnade, this square has the largest number of visitors in the world. Millions of tourists wait here either for the Pope's Sunday blessing or to enter the Basilica. More than a square, the colonnade gives it the atmosphere of a courtyard, inviting people to enter the church. The obelisk in the heart of the square has been standing there since 1586. When a new pope is being chosen, thousands gather at St. Peter's Square keen to see the black smoke turn white and find out who the next pope is going to be. During Christmas, a nativity scene and a Christmas tree are installed, and there is a remarkable atmosphere of celebration, with the majestic dome dominating the scene behind.
The collection housed in this Neo-classical building includes works from the 19th and 20th Centuries. The 19th-century works are mostly those of the Macchiaioli (Florentine impressionist painters), a movement similar to puntinismo (pointillism), a style based on the use of spots of color to create paintings whose subjects were distinguishable only from a certain distance. Among the 20th-century artists represented here are De Chirico, Carrà, Sironi, Casorati, and Marini. The museum often organizes temporary exhibitions and has its own restaurant, Caffè delle Arti.
The National Museum of the XXI Century Arts (MAXXI) stands with an aim to promote all forms of contemporary art. This magnificent structure takes pride in housing the first national museum in architecture and all the products and documents involved in architecture as an entity. The MAXXI exhibits artistic productions through conferences, documentaries, presentations of cinema and video series, concerts and dance performances. All in all, it’s a great place that educates and enlightens every visitor, from an art connoisseur to a layman.
Piazza del Quirinale is an elegant square located atop the Quirinal Hill in Rome. The piazza or square is surrounded by many historical structures such as the Palazzo Quirinale and the Obelisk and Fountain of Pollux. The Palazzo Quirinale is a stupendous palace housing the President of the Italian Republic. The Obelisk on the other hand used to be a part of the Mausoleum of Augustus. Enjoy the view of Saint Peter's Basilica and witness the sun rising over the city from this magnificent piazza.
The Aqueduct Park is part of the huge Appia Antica Regional Park. It is one of the most fascinating places in Rome, where you can jog along the imposing ruins of different aqueducts, as well as among the umbrella pines of the Roman countryside. The most prominent among them is the Aqua Claudia, an imposing structure characterized by its rows of arches and towering columns. The waterworks date back to different times from the Republican and Imperial ages to 1585 when Aqueduct Felice was built by Pope Sixtus V. They supplied Rome with water for over 850 years, until Barbarian invasions destroyed the ducts.
Capitoline Hill is one of the seven hills that were located in the ancient city of Rome, and was once the center of all the activities of the empire. The Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, one of the most revered temples at that time stood here, and its ruins are still visible. Housed here are the Musei Capitolini and the iconic Piazza del Campidoglio, a masterpiece of urban design by the Renaissance architect Michelangelo. From its commanding perch atop the hill, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of Rome's historic center.
Santa Aurea is an old 15th-century church perhaps built over an ancient paleo-Christian church. The famous architect Baccio Pontelli built the church, and Pope Julius II supervised the construction. The structure has a single nave, which is lit up by a circular window and beautiful artwork done on stone. The Chapel of Santa Monica on the right-hand side has a sepulchral plaque found near the church in 1945. This calls to mind the ancient origin of the worship of relics—among other things, the body of the saint—that were once kept here. The chapel even houses Pietro da Cortona’s Ecstasy of Saint Monica. The patron saint of Ostia lies buried here, and it’s here that the Ostia suburbicarian diocese is located.
The Church of Our Lady of the Souls was erected in the 15th Century by Pope Eugenius IV, replacing an old hospice for German, Dutch, and Belgian pilgrims. The church was restored in the 16th Century, on occasion of the Jubilee of 1500, and was renovated again in the 19th Century. It houses several 16th-century paintings and a wide range of architectural elements, such as the Renaissance facade and the Gothic bell tower, attributed to Bramante. Today, the Church of Our Lady of the Souls is the national church and gathering place of the German-speaking community in Rome. The Catholic Mass here is held in German.
Domus Sanctae Marthae in Vatican City is the preferred accommodation for the clergy as well as College of Cardinals. Also called Casa Santa Marta, this five-story structure is found on the city's edge and is often frequented by the holy men of Catholic Church. It was commissioned by Pope John Paul II with an aim to help senior clergymen who would otherwise stay at faraway lodgings. Domus Sanctae Marthae serves as a temporary residence for Vatican's clergy chosen for Holy See events. However, they vacate the building when College of Cardinals move into the apartments for electing a new pontiff.
The Rione Parione has been the site of celebrations (Piazza Navona) and executions (Campo de' Fiori). Campo de' Fiori hosts a daily market filled with shouting stall owners and customers haggling over prices. In the afternoon it becomes a meeting place, especially for the young, and in the evening the taverns and restaurants offering excellent Roman cooking. A monument to Giordano Bruno, who was burned at the stake in 1600, is located in the center of the piazza. The little streets around Campo de' Fiori are teeming with artisan shops, especially via del Pellegrino, where you can still find woodworkers and goldsmiths. On the same street, you will also find beautiful 16th-century houses with frescoed façades.
The Oratorio del Gonfalone, or the Oratory of the Banner, is a historic religious building in Rome. Constructed in the 16th century, the Oratorio del Gonfalone served as a meeting place and chapel for the Confraternity of the Gonfalone, a lay brotherhood dedicated to charitable works and religious observance. After the Confraternity dissolved in the 19th Century, the structure was renovated in 1960. The interiors of Oratorio del Gonfalone feature Mannerist frescoes by various artists, including Giacomo Zanguidi, Livio Agresti, and Federico Zuccari. The building now serves as a concert venue for the Roman Polyphonic Choir.
Santi Giovanni e Paolo on the Caelian Hill is an ancient basilica church built in medieval times, 338 CE to be precise, over the home of two martyred soldiers of Rome, Paul and John. Because of sacks by the Normans and the Goths, as well as an earthquake, the structure suffered much damage and was reconstructed in 1084. The interior of the church houses many beautiful frescoes. In the backyard, fully decorated ancient rooms, which date back to the time between the first and the fourth centuries, have been excavated. The church is the home base of the Passionists and the burial place of St. Paul of the Cross. Also, it holds the distinction of being the station church of the first Friday in Lent.