Tour of Rome, Italy

The view right is from Saint Peter's Basilica looking over Saint Peter's Square and down the Via della Conciliazione.

The Basilica of Saint Peter is located within the Vatican City. St. Peter's has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world, holding 60,000 people.

It is regarded as one of the holiest Christian sites and has been described as "holding a unique position in the Christian world" and as "the greatest of all churches of Christendom".

The Palace of the Governorate lies within the Vatican City, which is actually a small walled city within Rome. There are many historic buildings and museums within the Vatican City walls.

The Palace of the Governorate is where Legislative functions are delegated for the Vatican City State, led by the President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State.

Its seven members are cardinals appointed by the Pope for terms of five years. Acts of the commission must be approved by the pope, through the Holy See's Secretariat of State, and before taking effect must be published in a special appendix of the Acta Apostolicae Sedis.

The Piazza Navone is one of the most famous and arguably the most beautiful of Rome's many squares.

The large and lively square features no less than three magnificent fountains. Another eye catcher is the baroque church of Sant'Agnese in Agone.

The square is situated in the heart of the city with most of the main tourist attractions within walking distance.

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The Pantheon is a building in Rome that was originally built as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome, and rebuilt circa 126 AD during Hadrian's reign.

The Pantheon is the oldest standing domed structure in Rome. The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, 43.3 metres (142 ft).

This was the largest dome in the world until Florence Cathedral was constructed in 1436.

Situated a short distance northeast of the Piazza Navone square.

The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as the Castel Sant'Angelo, is a towering cylindrical building in Rome, initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family.

This building was later used as a fortress and castle, it is now a museum.

Situated north of the Piazza Navone square at the end of the Via della Conciliazione road.

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The Supreme Court of Cassation is the main court of last resort in Italy. It has its seat in the Rome Hall of Justice.

The name of the court is sometimes translated "supreme court", but this is somewhat misleading, because the Court of Cassation does not rule on the constitutionality of laws. That function belongs to the Corte costituzionale (constitutional court).

Situated a short distance northeast of the Piazza Navone square.

The Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II is a monument to honour Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a unified Italy.

The monument was designed by Giuseppe Sacconi in 1895; sculpture for it was parceled out to established sculptors all over Italy. It was inaugurated in 1911 and completed in 1935.

Situated a short distance southeast of Piazza Navone square.

The Fontana di Trevi, or Trevi Fountain, is the most famous and arguably the most beautiful fountain in all of Rome.

This impressive monument dominates the small Trevi square located in the Quirinale district, a short distance northeast of Piazza Navone square and the Pantheon.

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The Capitoline Hill is one of the seven hills of Rome.

The hill was the site of a temple for the Capitoline Triad, started by Rome's fifth king, Tarquin the Elder. It was considered one of the largest and most beautiful temples in the city (although little now remains).

The main building on the hill is now the Roman City Hall. Its double ramp of stairs were designed by Michelangelo.

The fountain in front of the staircase features the river gods of the Tiber and the Nile as well as Dea Roma.

Situated southeast of the Piazza Navone square.

The Roman Forum is located southeast of the Piazza Navone square.

It is the central area around which the ancient Roman civilization developed. The oldest and most important structures of the ancient city are located in the forum, including its ancient former royal residency, the Regia, and the surrounding complex of the Vestal virgins.

This is where Julius Caesar was murdered March 15th 44 BCE. He was surrounded by as many as 60 or so senators who ended his life with 23 dagger thrusts.

The Arch of Constantine is a triumphal arch in Rome, situated between the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill. It was erected to commemorate Constantine I's victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge October 28th 312. More Information.

The Colosseum, in the background, is an elliptical amphitheatre in the center of Rome, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. It is one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering.

Occupying a site just east of the Roman Forum, its construction started between 70 and 72 AD under the emperor Vespasian and was completed in 80 AD under Titus. More Information.

Quirinal Palace, on the Quirinal Hill, the tallest of the seven hills of Rome, was built in 1573 by Pope Gregory XIII as a papal summer residence.

In September, 1870, what was left of the Papal States was overthrown. About five months later, in 1871, Rome became the capital of the new Kingdom of Italy.

The Palace became the official residence and workplace for the Presidents of the Italian Republic after the monarchy was abolished in 1946.

St. John in Lateran is the Cathedral of Rome, the mother of all churches in Rome and in the world. Founded by Constantine, during the time of Silvester (314-335) it has been destroyed and rebuilt many times. The current basilica dates from the 17th century.

Situated a short distance southeast of the Colosseum.

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The Borghese Gallery in Rome is an art gallery housed in the former Villa Borghese Pinciana.

The Galleria Borghese houses a substantial part of the Borghese collection of paintings, sculpture and antiquities, which was begun by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, the nephew of Pope Paul V (reign 1605–1621).

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Caius Cestius, a rich praetor (an elected magistrate) and member of a group of priests responsible for sacred banquets died in 12 BC. He had built himself a tomb modeled on Egyptian pyramids.

Anything Egyptian had become fashionable after Rome had conquered Egypt in 30 BC, hence the uncommon choice for a pyramidical tomb.

The Pyramid of Caius Cestius can be found at the southern edge of ancient rome, near the Porta San Paolo, part of the Aurelian Wall that surrounds the ancient area of Rome.

Discover history, art and archaeology on this fascinating day trip to Naples and Pompeii from Rome.

Your journey takes you from Rome to the Gulf of Naples, where Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D., devastating the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

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For more tours of Rome and surrounding area such as: hop on hop off buses, river boat tours, Island of Capri, wine-tasting and more, visit the website: www.viator.com/Rome.

For more information on Rome, visit: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome.

Rome website: www.italyguides.it/us/roma/rome_italy_travel.