Rome is one of the most ancient cities in the world. It’s also one of the most beautiful, with so many fascinating structures. It is a city of immense beauty, with amazing architecture that dates back to before the birth of Christ. It’s also a city full of history. There are a few famous buildings in Rome that you’ve probably heard about before: The Sistine Chapel, for example, or St. Peter’s Basilica. Here are 10 famous buildings in Rome that have helped shape the culture and history of this incredible city.
List of 10 Famous Buildings In Rome
The Vatican
Located in Vatican City, the city-state of the Holy See, this building is considered by many to be one of the most ancient buildings of Rome. The Vatican Museums are housed here and hold some of the finest contemporary artworks across many different genres. These include Michelangelo’s famous sculptures Pieta and David, as well as Raphael’s famous frescoes from his rooms in Palazzo Farnese (now called Galleria Doria Pamphilj).
The gardens are also an amazing sight to see: they contain more than 3 miles (4.8 km) worth floral plants! There are over 100 fountains throughout these gardens which feature sculptures from classical antiquity like Venus de Milo or other commendable works such as those created by Bernini himself such as Apollo and Daphne.
The Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain is a Baroque fountain in the Trevi district, Italy, designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi in 1732. It was built at the end of the reign of Pope Clement XII (1730-40), to complement one that already existed on the site and had been constructed by Pope Clement XI (1700-21). It is the largest Baroque fountain in Rome and one of the most famous fountains in the world.
The Colosseum
The Colosseum is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of Rome, Italy. It is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering. It is one of the best attractions for visitors and also has enormous popularity. The Colosseum was built between 70 and 80 AD by emperors Vespasian and Titus as a permanent public spectacle facility for gladiator shows (munera) and animal hunts. The site chosen for construction had been used for previous games, first by Pompey in 55 BC, then by Julius Caesar in 46 BC, whose building was later completed by Augustus; various other emperors such as Caligula (37-41 AD), who ordered this phase of construction; Nero (54-68 AD), who added a tower to support his habit of watching events from above; Domitian (81-96 AD), who expanded levels for more comfort; Trajan Decius (249-251 AD); Valerian I (253 -260 AD); Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Pius (138 – 161)
The original name in Latin was Amphitheatrum Flavium, often anglicized as Flavian Amphitheater or Coliseum, sometimes also known as the Coliseum of Commodus or Colosseum Commodus, although it has been known under many other names throughout its history including Ludus Magnus (“Great Game”), Ludus magnus (“great game”), Flavian Amphitheater at first but soon after its completion became known simply as The Great Amphi(theatre). It is indeed one of the most famous buildings in Rome.
The Pantheon
The Pantheon was built by Marcus Agrippa in 27 BC as a temple to all the gods. It’s made of brick, concrete and stone, and is considered one of the best preserved ancient structures of Rome.
The building is significant because it is almost entirely round, with a diameter of 43.3 meters (142 feet) and height up to 43 meters (141 feet). The dome that tops it measures 41 meters wide at its base and nearly 35 meters wide at its top—it’s one of only two domes made from concrete still standing today.
The original purpose for this structure was not worship but rather storing books; however common people were allowed inside during certain times when priests were not there.”
Castel Sant’Angelo
Castel Sant’Angelo is a popular tourist attraction and museum. The castle was originally built by the Roman emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for his family, but it was converted into a fortress during the Middle Ages.
Castel Sant’Angelo is also known as Castel Sant’Angelo Archangel and Castle of Saint Angelo. Castel Sant’Angelo’s original purpose was to guard the Tomb of Hadrian (Dying Gladiator) so that it could not be desecrated by those who wished him harm.
In the 19th century, Pope Pius IX used Castello di San Angelo as his summer residence, where he would spend August and September at this palace on Vatican Hill above St Peter’s Basilica until 1870 when Rome fell under siege from France which ultimately led to Pope Pius IX being imprisoned within its walls for over two years until June 1873 when he escaped disguised as one of his own Swiss Guardsmen who were protecting him during those difficult times when Italy had been divided between those supporting King Victor Emmanuel II against those who opposed him because they wanted no part in supporting any foreign invasions during such tumultuous times when other countries were trying hard not only avoid conflict with each other but also maintain some kind of peace so they wouldn’t have any more wars like those fought earlier during World War One which ended up costing millions upon millions lives across Europe including Russia where millions more were wounded or killed due mostly all due fighting going on between Russia vs Germany plus Austria-Hungary; Poland later took advantage using these conflicts happening elsewhere around them taking advantage attacking both Russia and Austria-Hungary hoping they’d win back some territory lost earlier while fighting against Germany.”
Piazza Navona
The Piazza Navona is one of the most popular squares in Rome, and it has a long history. The square was built in the 17th century, but it had been used for many years before that. The fountain was built by Pope Innocent X (who also commissioned Bernini’s famous baldachin) for an earlier piazza on this site. It features Oceanus, a mythical figure from Greek mythology who personifies all the waters of the earth; he sits atop an elaborate shell chariot and holds a large wooden fish over his head like an umbrella.
The church behind him has undergone extensive renovation since its completion in 1655 by Bernini: first after bomb damage during World War II and then again recently when facade damage caused by pollution was repaired and refurbished with new materials including Carrara marble.
In addition to serving as an impressive backdrop for theatrical events staged in front of it every summer with music performances by local artists accompanied by fireworks displays which draw crowds numbering into tens of thousands every year during their peak season (July/August), this area serves as one of Rome’s premier shopping destinations thanks to its great selection of shops offering clothing boutiques along with other retail outlets selling everything from jewellery design pieces made out of precious metals such as gold or silver coins minted during Roman times through small trinkets made from copper coins belonging from later eras like Medievil times up until modern times when you can find anything from souvenirs featuring pop culture icons like Spiderman comics characters or even popular animated video game characters such as Mario Bros!
Roman Forum
The Roman Forum is a rectangular plaza surrounded by ruins of ancient public roman buildings. The Roman Forum was the center of public life in Rome, where people gathered for political discussions and debates, religious festivals, and entertainment events like gladiator fights. It was also at the heart of religious life: Temples were built along its northern edge and many important ceremonies took place there.
The site has been used since antiquity as a marketplace, although over time it became increasingly busy with other activities such as civic meetings and sporting events (such as chariot races). Today you can explore the ruins yourself—and if you’re lucky enough to be there during one of Rome’s many festivals or other cultural events, you’ll get to experience some history in action!
Circus Maximus
For the Romans, chariot racing was an important pastime. It was also a symbol of Roman society, as wealthy citizens competed for prestige by sponsoring teams and hosting races in the Circus Maximus, which sat over 200 feet wide and 1,500 feet long. This massive stadium was built in 6th century BC and remained in use until late antiquity. Today it is a grassy expanse on the Palatine hill; however you can still see some of its original foundation stones if you look carefully enough!
The Circus Maximus hosted many types of events aside from chariot races including horseback riding competitions (equestrian events), footraces (athletic events), plays (entertainment) and gladiator battles (sports).
Vittoriano Complex
Built in the early 20th century, this monument was originally named the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II. However, it has since been renamed to simply “Vittoriano” to honor Vittorio Emanuele II himself. The building itself is an elaborate monument that includes several gardens and fountains with statues scattered throughout them. There are also two museums on site: one dedicated to Italy’s history and another dedicated to Rome’s history specifically!
One interesting aspect of this monument is its location—when it was first built it was placed at a lower height than other buildings around it so that everyone could see it from every angle possible (sort of like what happens when you put your Christmas tree next to your television).
St. Peter’s Basilica
St. Peter’s Basilica is the largest church in the world and a Roman Catholic basilica dedicated to Saint Peter. It is one of the best historic buildings in Rome, located within Vatican City, directly west of St. Peter’s Square, on Vatican Hill.
Both are named after Saint Peter (also known as Simon), an apostle of Jesus Christ who was said to have been martyred on this site in AD 67 or 68 by crucifixion upside down outside its predecessor building that later became known as “Old St. Peter’s Basilica” when it was torn down between 1506-1514 during the construction of Bramante’s Renaissance style basilica that stands today.
St. Peters Basilica is one of the famous buildings in Rome and was built over the place where many early Christians were believed to have been buried after dying from persecutions under Nero which occurred around 64 AD; these remains were discovered in 1590 underneath what had been previously thought to be pagan temples but actually turned out being Christian catacombs instead!
There are many other reasons to visit Rome.
Rome is one of the most famous and historically significant cities in the world. People not only come to see the ancient buildings of Rome but also come to experience the rich culture of Romans. It’s home to the Colosseum, the iconic Roman Forum (which was once a bustling marketplace), and the Pantheon—a temple built by Emperor Augustus that has been standing for over 2,000 years.
If you’re looking for culture, history, and art, Rome has all three in spades. It’s also got some pretty incredible food options—from traditional Italian cooking to modern fusion restaurants.
Make a travel plan for this culturally decored city. It’s no wonder that so many people dream of visiting Rome!
Conclusion
We hope that you enjoyed our list of famous buildings in Rome and the history behind each one. It is a city with an amazing history and beautiful architecture, so it was very difficult to narrow down our list! The city is also famous for collections of some amazing paintings. If you’re planning a trip to Rome soon, be sure to check out these Roman buildings while there.
Also Read – 10 Reasons to Travel to Greece
