Founded, according to legend, by Romulus and Remus in 753 BC in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, along the shores of Tiber river, Rome was first the centre of the Roman Republic, then of the Roman Empire, and it became the capital of the Christian world in the 4th century. Regarded as one of the birthplaces of Western civilization, it is referred to as Roma Aeterna (The Eternal City) and Caput Mundi (Capital of the World), two central notions in ancient Roman culture.
After the fall of the Western Empire, which marked the beginning of the Middle Ages, Rome slowly fell under the political control of the Papacy, which had settled in the city since the 1st century AD, until in the 8th century it became the capital of the Papal States, which lasted until 1870. Beginning with the Renaissance, almost all the popes pursued coherently an architectonic and urbanistic program aimed to make of the city the world's artistic and cultural center.
Due to that, Rome became first one of the major centers of the Italian Renaissance, and then the birthplace of both the Baroque style and Neoclassicism. Famous artists, painters, sculptors and architects made Rome the center of their activity, creating masterpieces throughout the city. Over the centuries, the works of art found in Rome have had a decisive influence on the development of urban planning, architecture, technology and the arts throughout the world.
The World Heritage property encompasses the whole historic centre of Rome within the city walls at their widest extent in the 17th century, as well as the Basilica of St. Paul's Outside the Walls. One of the symbols of Rome is the Colosseum (70-80 AD), the largest amphitheatre ever built in the Roman Empire. The building was constructed by emperors of the Flavian dynasty, following the reign of Nero. Originally capable of seating 60,000 spectators, it was used for gladiatorial combat.
Designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Pietro Bracci, the Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world. The backdrop for the fountain is the Palazzo Poli, given a new façade with a giant order of Corinthian pilasters that link the two main stories. The Spanish Steps are a set of steps climbing a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinità dei Monti, dominated by the Trinità dei Monti church at the top.
St. Peter's Square is a large plaza located directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City, the papal enclave inside Rome. At the centre of the square is an Egyptian obelisk, erected at the current site in 1586. The Altare della Patria, also known as the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II, was built in honour of the first king of a unified Italy. The eclectic structure was designed by Giuseppe Sacconi in 1885, but it was inaugurated in 1911 and completed in 1925.
About the stamp
The stamp belongs to a series of definitive stamps, about which I wrote here.
References
Rome - Wikipedia
Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura - UNESCO official website
Sender: Ana
Sent from Rome (Lazio / Italy) on 17.09.2014
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