Rome

Rome (Italian and Latin: Roma) is the capital city of Italy and of its Latium region. It is located on the Tiber and Aniene rivers, near the Mediterranean Sea, at {{coor dm|41|54|N|12|29|E|type:city(2,546,807)_region:IT}}. The Vatican City, a sovereign enclave within Rome, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church and the home of the Pope.

The modern city

Today's Rome reflects the stratification of the epochs of its long history, but it also is a huge contemporary metropolis. Its vast historical center contains many areas from Ancient Rome, areas from medieval times, many palaces and artistic treasures from the Renaissance era, many fountains, churches and palaces from baroque times, as well as many examples of the Art Nouveau, Neoclassic, Modernism, Rationalism and any other artistic styles of the XIX and XX centuries (the city is in fact considered a living encyclopedia and museum of the last 3000 years of western art). The historical center is identified as within the limits of the ancient imperial walls. Some central areas were reorganised after the unification (1880–1910 - Roma Umbertina), and some important additions and adaptations made during the Fascist period, with the discussed creation of the Via dei Fori Imperiali, of theVia della Conciliazione in front of the Vatican (for the construction of which a large part of the old Borgo neighborhood was destroyed) and the founding of new quartieri (among which EUR, San Basilio, Garbatella, Cinecittà, Trullo, Quarticciolo and, on the coast, the restructuring of Ostia) and the inclusion of bordering villages (Labaro, Osteria del Curato, Quarto Miglio, Capannelle, Pisana, Torrevecchia, Ottavia, Casalotti). These expansions were needed to face the huge increase of population due to the centralisation of the Italian state.

Related Topics:
Renaissance - Baroque - Art Nouveau - Neoclassic - Modernism - Rationalism - Fascist period - Ostia

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During the Second World War Rome suffered few bombings (notably at Saint Lorenzo), and was declared an "open town" (film by Roberto Rossellini). Rome fell to the Allies on June 4 1944. It was the first capital of an Axis nation to fall.

Related Topics:
The Second World War - Film - Roberto Rossellini - Allies - June 4 - 1944 - Axis

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After the war, Rome continued to expand due to Italy's growing state administration and industry, with the creation of new quartieri and suburbs. The current official population stands at 2.5 million; during the business day workers increase this figure to over 3.5 million. This is a dramatic increase from previous figures, which were 138,000 in 1825, 244,000 in 1871, 692,000 in 1921, 1,600,000 in 1961.

Related Topics:
1825 - 1871 - 1921 - 1961

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Rome hosted the 1960 Summer Olympics, using many ancient sites such as the Villa Borghese and the Thermae of Caracalla as venues. For the Olympic Games many new structures where created, notably the new large Olympic Stadium (which was also enlarged and renewed to host qualification and the final match of the 1990 FIFA football World Cup), the Villaggio Olimpico (Olympic Village, created to host the athletes and redeveloped after the games as a residential district), etc.

Related Topics:
1960 Summer Olympics - Villa Borghese - Thermae of Caracalla - FIFA - Villaggio Olimpico

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Many of the monuments of Rome were restored by the Italian state and by the Vatican for the 2000 Jubilee.

Related Topics:
Vatican - 2000 Jubilee

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Being the capital city of Italy, Rome hosts all the principal institutions of the nation, like the Presidency of the Republic, the government (and its single Ministeri), the Parliament, the main judicial Courts, and the diplomatic representatives of all the countries for the states of Italy and the Vatican City (curiously, Rome also hosts, in the Italian part of its territory, the Embassy of Italy for the Vatican City, a unique case of an Embassy within the boundaries of its own country). Many international institutions are located in Rome, notably cultural and scientific ones - such as the American Institute, the British Shool, the French Academy, the Scandinavian Institutes, the German Archaeological Institute - for the honor of scholarship in the Eternal City, and humanitarian ones, such as the FAO.

Related Topics:
Italy - FAO

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Rome today is one of the most important tourist destinations of the world, due to the incalculable immensity of its archaeological and artistic treasures, as well as for the charm of its unique traditions, the beauty of its panoramic views, and the majesty of its magnificent "villas" (parks). Among the most significant resources: plenty of museums - (Musei Capitolini, the Vatican Museums, Galleria Borghese, and a great many others) — aqueducts, fountains, churches, palaces, historical buildings, the monuments and ruins of the Roman Forum, and the Catacombs.

Related Topics:
Tourist destinations - Park - Musei Capitolini - Vatican Museums - Galleria Borghese - Roman Forum - Catacombs

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Among its hundreds of churches, Rome contains the five Major Basilicas of the Catholic church: Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano (St. John Lateran, Rome's cathedral), Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano (St. Peter's Basilica), Basilica di San Paolo fuori le Mura (St. Paul Outside the Walls), Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major), and Basilica di San Lorenzo fuori le Mura (St. Lawrence Outside the Walls). The Bishop of Rome is the Pope; in his pastoral activity strictly applicable to the city, he is assisted by a vicar (usually a cardinal).

Related Topics:
Basilica - St. John Lateran - St. Peter's Basilica - St. Paul Outside the Walls - St. Mary Major - St. Lawrence Outside the Walls - Pope - Cardinal

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Demographics

For nearly all of Roman history, people from all over the world lived in Rome as a center of learning, trade and commerce. Many were merchants, some were slaves, some were important officials from distant colonies. The slave population was very large, and made a massive proportion were living in the city. Many of the slaves came from all over the areas Rome conquered, from Britannia to Carthage. Today, the population is very diverse, though the Italian population is still much larger than that of the immigrants. The Italian population is estimated around 80%.

Related Topics:
Britannia - Carthage - Italian

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Administrative subdivision of Rome

:Main article: Administrative subdivision of Rome.

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Economy

Today Rome has a dynamic and diversified economy, bent on innovation, technologies, communication and tertiary, which produces 6,5% of the national GDP (more than any other city in the country) and continues to grow at higher rates than that of the rest of Italy.

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Tourism is one of Rome's chief industries, but the city is also a center of the banking, publishing, insurance, fashion, high-tech, housing, cinematographic (built on the large Cinecittà studios, often called Hollywood on the Tiber) and aerospace industries.

Related Topics:
Tourism - Fashion - Cinecittà - Hollywood - Tiber

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Many international headquarters are located in Rome's principal business/office districts: the EUR (Esposizione Universale Roma), which is as well one of the most exclusive residential area in south-west of Rome (with government ministries, conference and trade centers, parks, an artificial lake, sports venues, museums, gardened villas and apartment complexes); the Torrino (further south from the EUR), the Magliana (with the new Toyota Italia headquarter), the Parco de' Medici-Laurentina area, the so-called "Tiburtina-valley" along the ancient Via Tiburtina etc.

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Transportation

Rome has an intercontinental airport formally named Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport - FCO, but more commonly known as Fiumicino and the Giovan-Battista Pastine international airport (commonly referred to as Ciampino Airport), a joint civilian and military airport Southeast of the city-center, along the Via Appia, which handles mainly charter flights and regional European flights including some low-cost airlines. A third airport, called Aeroporto dell'Urbe, is located in the north of the city along the ancient Via Salaria and handles mainly helicopters and private flights. A fourth airport, called Aeroporto di Centocelle, in the eastern part of Rome between the Via Prenestina and the Via Casilina, has been abandoned for some years now, but is currently being redeveloped as one of the largest public parks in Rome.

Related Topics:
Airport - Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport - FCO - Fiumicino - Giovan-Battista Pastine - Ciampino Airport - Via Appia - Aeroporto dell'Urbe - Via Salaria - Aeroporto di Centocelle - Via Prenestina - Via Casilina

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A subway system operates in Rome called the "Metropolitana" or Rome Metro which was opened in 1955. There are 2 lines (A & B), a third (C) and a new branch of the B-line (B1) are under construction, while a fourth line (D) has been planned. The frequent archaeological findings delay underground work.

Related Topics:
Subway - Rome Metro - 1955

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Today's (2005) total length is 38 km. The two existing lines, A & B, only intersect at one point, Stazione Termini, the main train station in Rome (which also is the largest train station in Europe, underneath and around which exists now a lively shopping center known as the "Forum Termini" with more than 100 shops of various types).

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Other important stations includes: Tiburtina (second-largest, which is currently being redeveloped and enlarged to become the main high-speed train hub in the city), Ostiense, Trastevere, Tuscolana, S. Pietro.

Related Topics:
Tiburtina - Ostiense - Trastevere - Tuscolana - S. Pietro

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The Rome Metro is part of an extensive transport network made of a tramway network, several suburban and urban lines in and around the city of Rome, plus an "express line" to Fiumicino Airport. Whereas most FR lines (Ferrovia Regionale) do provide mostly a suburban service with more than 20 stations scattered throughout the city, the Roma-Lido (starting at Ostiense station), the Roma-Pantano (starting nearby Termini) and the Roma-Nord (starting at Flaminio station) lines offer a metro-like service.

Related Topics:
Fiumicino - Ostiense - Termini - Flaminio

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Rome also has a comprehensive bus system. The web site (translated in english) of the public transportation company (ATAC) allows a route to be calculated using the buses and subways. Metrebus integrated fare system allows holders of tickets and integrated passes to travel on all companies vehicles, within the validity time of the ticket purchased.

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Chronic congestion caused by cars during the 1970s and '80s led to the banning of unauthorized traffic from the central part of city during workdays from 6.00 a.m to 6 p.m. (this area is officially called Zona a Traffico Limitato, Z.T.L. in short). Heavy traffic due to night-life crowds during week-ends led in recent years to the creation of other Z.T.L.s in the Trastevere and S. Lorenzo districts during the night, and to the experimentation of a new night Z.T.L. also in the city center (plans to create a night Z.T.L. in the Testaccio district as well are underway).

Related Topics:
Car - Z.T.L.

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In recent years, parking-spaces along the streets in wide areas of the city have been converted to pay-parkings, as new underground parkings spread throughout the city.

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