How To Visit the Major Sites of Roman Civilization

Rome is considered the cradle of the world's most renowned historic sites due to its rich history and civilization. A trip to Rome is never complete without paying visits to the country's sublime architecture and cultural heritages. Here are some of the most famous historical landmarks that you can visit and learn about Rome's great ancient civilization.

• Before 438 AD, the Colosseum or the Roman Coliseum stages the greatest and most gruesome show on earth. With fierce fight-till-death battles among gladiators and ferocious beasts, the Emperor decides the fate of all inside the "performers" by a simple hand gesture. This elliptical amphitheater is a landmark of unique Roman architecture and engineering and is said to be built in 75 AD.
• The Pantheon was built in the 2nd century by Marcus Agrippa to worship the gods of Rome. When you step inside the Pantheon, you'll immediately notice the tall columns made of monolithic granite, which weigh up to 100 tons each and reach 50 feet high. The two kings of Italy Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I are buried in this ancient Roman temple.
• With the encouragement of the Roman Catholic church to the dramatic style that emphasizes power and control, the Trevi Fountain at the heart of Trevi Rione, Rome is the largest fountain in the city. Due to popular belief that throwing coins at the fountain enhances the chances of that person going back to Rome, the amount of money summing up to 3,000 euros is used to fund a charity supermarket for the needy. It was built on Roman customs of building such landmarks at the end of aqueducts.
• The Forum Magnum or the Roman Forum is considered the center of the Roman Empire and republic. This historic landmark holds the statue of Julius Caesar and other major temples, basilicas and ruins such as the Temple of Castor and Pollux, Temple of Saturn, Basilica Julia, Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine, Arch of Septimius Severus, Regia, Germonian Stairs, Umbilicus Urbi, and the last column built on the Forum the Column of Phocas. This site of ancient Roman civilization is truly a haven for historians and enthusiasts alike.
• The Domus Aurea or the "Golden House" in its Latin translation, was made and designed on the wishes of Emperor Nero in 64 AD. This 300-acre concrete palace housed the grand lifestyles of the emperor who is referred to as the "greatest showman on earth" because of his ostentatious parties in his time. Today, the term Domus Aurea refers to luxury and an expensive lifestyle.
• Castel Sant'Angelo also known as the Mausoleum of Hadrian is now a favorite destination among tourists who are into Roman museums. This fortress held the remains of the Roman emperor Hadrian and other emperors after his death. Its name Castel Sant'Angelo was derived from the aftermath of the great plague in 590 AD when it was said that Archangel Michael revealed himself on top of the mausoleum.