Rome

Rome is the capital and largest city of Italy, located in the central-western part of the country on the Tiber River, not far from the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its landscape includes hills, plains and river valleys, while the surrounding region of Lazio has a Mediterranean climate with generally mild, wetter winters and hot, relatively dry summers. The Tiber has influenced the city's development since ancient times, providing a route for transport and trade. Rome is the political and administrative centre of Italy and is also a major centre for tourism, education, culture and international institutions.

The city surrounds the independent state of Vatican City, the headquarters of the Catholic Church. Rome's public transport system includes buses, trams, metro lines and urban rail services. Its historic centre contains buildings and monuments from many different periods, often standing close to modern neighbourhoods and busy roads. Archaeological remains are also found throughout the city, reflecting the long process of urban development. This combination of ancient structures, later architecture and modern infrastructure gives Rome a distinctive urban landscape shaped by more than two thousand years of history.

Rome has a history traditionally dated to 753 BCE, although archaeological evidence shows that settlements existed in the area before that date. It became the centre of the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire, whose political, legal and cultural influence spread across much of Europe, North Africa and western Asia. After the decline of the Western Roman Empire, Rome remained an important religious and cultural centre. During the Renaissance and later periods, popes and artists contributed to the construction of churches, palaces, fountains and public spaces that still shape the city today.

Well-known landmarks include the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and St Peter's Basilica. The historic centre of Rome, together with Vatican City, contains a large concentration of sites recognized for their cultural importance. Rome also hosts museums, universities, libraries and archaeological parks. Today, the city combines the remains of ancient civilizations with later artistic traditions and the functions of a modern European capital, making its urban landscape a visible record of successive historical periods.