Rome stands as a living museum where ancient history meets modern chaos. You probably know about the Colosseum, but the Eternal City hides deeper secrets. It is the only city in the world that contains an entire foreign country inside it. Every cobblestone street tells a story of emperors, gladiators, and artists. Consequently, millions of travelers flock here to witness its glory firsthand. Let’s peel back the layers of this legendary capital.
Rome
Rome has a law that specifically protects stray cats as part of the city’s bio-heritage. Therefore, you will see thousands of felines roaming the ancient ruins freely without fear.
Visitors throw roughly $3,200 (€3,000) into the Trevi Fountain every single day for good luck. The city collects this money each night and donates it entirely to a Catholic charity.
Rome is the only city in the world that contains another sovereign state entirely within its borders. Vatican City covers just 109 acres (44 hectares) of land inside the Italian capital.
Ancient Romans used a secret concrete formula that actually gets stronger over time. Consequently, the Pantheon remains the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world today.
You can drink from over 2,500 public water fountains scattered throughout the city streets. Locals call these small fountains “nasoni” because the spouts look like big noses.
The famous Colosseum originally had a completely different name during ancient times. Citizens called it the Flavian Amphitheatre before the name changed in the Middle Ages.
Historically, ancient Rome had a population of over one million people in the first century. No other Western city reached this massive size again until London in the 19th century.
Emperors considered the color purple to be a symbol of ultimate power and status. Thus, the law strictly forbade common citizens from wearing any purple clothing.
The city features a museum dedicated entirely to the history of pasta. You can explore eleven halls that showcase the evolution of Italy’s favorite food.
The Mouth of Truth is an ancient stone carving that acts as a magical lie detector. Legend says it will bite off the hand of anyone who tells a lie.
Romans built the first shopping mall in history, known as Trajan’s Market. It contained over 150 shops and offices across multiple levels in the second century.
Surprisingly, the ancient Romans enjoyed eating flamingos as a luxurious delicacy at banquets. They specifically prized the tongues of these birds for their unique flavor.+1
The Bridge Fabricius is the oldest bridge in Rome that still exists in its original state. It has connected the Tiber Island to the city since 62 BC without crumbling.
Millions of pilgrims have kissed the bronze statue of St. Peter inside the basilica. As a result, the friction has completely worn away the statue’s right toes.
The symbol SPQR still appears on manhole covers and public buildings all over the city today. It stands for “The Senate and People of Rome,” honoring their ancient republic.
