Overview
Rome is the Eternal City and the true city of empire with its legacy of columns, triumphal arches, and monumental buildings. But this is not the whole story of this ancient city: Rome is also a thriving and busy metropolis where Italian government and commerce rub shoulders together to the soundtrack of modern life. In addition Rome encompasses the tiny city state of Vatican City, the domain of the Roman Catholic Church and the home of the Pope.All roads, of course, lead to Rome and not just for the ancient Coliseum, Trajan’s Column, Saint Paul’s Basilica, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps—visitors also discover the delights of the lesser-known streets with their lively chatter and bustle. Romans enjoy street life to a degree unknown in many cooler climates, and while the restaurants and bars are famous for their atmosphere on no account miss the opportunity to savor a wide array of delicious food and drink. The city is arguably even more beautiful at night when lights pick out the details and silhouettes of the buildings and monuments.
From Coliseum to Castell San Angelo, from the Ancient Roman Forum to St. Peter’s Square at the heart of the Vatican; from the Piazza Navona to the cobbles of the Appian Way—Rome is a beautiful and historic city that will delight readers of this book.
Discover the glory of Rome’s past and richness of its present-day in this lavishly illustrated book. After an introductory essay on the history of Rome, the reader embarks on a chronological photographic journey around the city from its classical beginnings to the present.