Rome Eternal City

Rome, founded traditionally in 753 BCE, has been continuously inhabited for 2,800 years — making it one of the oldest continuously occupied cities in the Western world. As capital of the Roman Republic, Roman Empire, Papal States, and modern Italy, it has been the world's most influential city across multiple historical eras. The city contains more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other city — 28 sites in the metropolitan area. Rome's landmarks: the Colosseum (72 CE, 80,000 capacity, 400 years of gladiatorial games); the Roman Forum (political and religious center of the ancient world); the Pantheon (125 CE, unreinforced concrete dome still intact after 1,900 years); Vatican City (world's smallest sovereign state, 0.44 km², home to 1.3 billion Catholics' spiritual center); the Trevi Fountain (1762, people throw €1.5 million in coins annually); Piazza Navona.