Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura

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Exploring the Historic Centre of Rome: A Journey Through Ancient History and Religious Significance

The Historic Centre of Rome, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980, is a captivating testament to the rich history and cultural significance of the Eternal City. This expansive site, which was extended in 1990 to include the walls of Urban VIII, encompasses some of the most iconic structures from ancient Rome and the religious edifices of papal Rome.

Founded according to legend by Romulus and Remus in 753 BC, Rome has been the political and cultural heart of Europe for over two millennia. As the capital city of Italy and the administrative center of the Lazio region, Rome boasts a population of approximately 2.7 million people within its city limits, making it the third most populous city in the European Union.

Rome's historical importance began with the establishment of the Roman Republic in 509 BC. Over the centuries, Rome grew into the Roman Empire, becoming the dominant power in the Mediterranean world. In the 4th century AD, Rome became the capital of the Christian world, marking the beginning of its transformation into a religious center.

Some of the most significant remnants of ancient Rome can be found within the Historic Centre. These include the Forums, which served as the political and commercial heart of the Roman Republic; the Mausoleum of Augustus, an impressive tomb built for the first Roman Emperor; and the Mausoleum of Hadrian, a magnificent funerary monument dedicated to the famous emperor. Other notable sites include the Pantheon, an ancient temple dedicated to all the gods, and Trajan's Column, a triumphal column commemorating Emperor Trajan's military campaigns.

Religious structures also play a central role within the Historic Centre of Rome. Important basilicas such as San Paolo fuori le Mura (St. Paul Outside the Walls) and Santa Maria Maggiore are located within the city and reflect the deep Christian heritage of Rome. Many of these sites are extraterritorial properties of the Holy See, meaning they are legally under the authority of the Vatican while physically situated within Rome. They belong to the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Historic Centre of Rome”.

Vatican City, by contrast, is an independent sovereign state within Rome and a separate UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1984 for its outstanding religious, cultural, and artistic significance. It is home to St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in the world, and the Sistine Chapel, famous for Michelangelo’s frescoes. Vatican City serves as the territorial seat of the Holy See, the central governing authority of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Holy See itself, formalized as a sovereign entity by the Lateran Treaty of 1929, exercises spiritual, administrative, and diplomatic authority over the Catholic Church worldwide. Its independence is guaranteed by international treaties, which allow it to maintain its own governance, laws, and security forces, whether within Vatican City or through its extraterritorial properties in Rome.

To wrap it up, the Historic Centre of Rome offers visitors an unparalleled journey through ancient history and religious significance. From the remnants of the Roman Republic and Empire to the religious structures of papal Rome and the unique status of the Holy See, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a must-visit destination for anyone interested in the history and culture of Western civilization.

UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Founded, according to legend, by Romulus and Remus in 753 BC, 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. The World Heritage site, extended in 1990 to the walls of Urban VIII, includes some of the major monuments of antiquity such as the Forums, the Mausoleum of Augustus, the Mausoleum of Hadrian, the Pantheon, Trajan’s Column and the Column of Marcus Aurelius, as well as the religious and public buildings of papal Rome.

UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site

Criterion (i) : The property includes a series of testimonies of incomparable artistic value produced over almost three millennia of history: monuments of antiquity (like the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the complex of the Roman and the Imperial Forums), fortifications built over the centuries (like the city walls and Castel Sant’Angelo), urban developments from the Renaissance and Baroque periods up to modern times (like Piazza Navona and the “Trident” marked out by Sixtus V (1585-1590) including Piazza del Popolo and Piazza di Spagna), civil and religious buildings, with sumptuous pictorial, mosaic and sculptural decorations (like the Capitoline Hill and the Farnese and Quirinale Palaces, the Ara Pacis, the Major Basilicas of Saint John Lateran, Saint Mary Major and Saint Paul’s Outside the Walls), all created by some of the most renowned artists of all time.

Criterion (ii): 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 achievements of ancient Rome in the fields of architecture, painting and sculpture served as a universal model not only in antiquity, but also in the Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical periods. The classical buildings and the churches, palaces and squares of Rome have been an unquestioned point of reference, together with the paintings and sculptures that enrich them. In a particular way, it was in Rome that Baroque art was born and then spread throughout Europe and to other continents.

Criterion (iii): The value of the archaeological sites of Rome, the centre of the civilization named after the city itself, is universally recognized. Rome has maintained an extraordinary number of monumental remains of antiquity which have always been visible and are still in excellent state of preservation. They bear unique witness to the various periods of development and styles of art, architecture and urban design, characterizing more than a millennium of history.

Criterion (iv): The historic centre of Rome as a whole, as well as its buildings, testifies to the uninterrupted sequence of three millennia of history. The specific characteristics of the site are the stratification of architectural languages, the wide range of building typologies and original developments in urban planning which are harmoniously integrated in the city’s complex morphology. Worthy of mention are significant civil monuments such as the Forums, Baths, city walls and palaces; religious buildings, from the remarkable examples of the early Christian basilicas of Saint Mary Major, St John Lateran and St Paul’s Outside the Walls to the Baroque churches; the water systems (drainage, aqueducts, the Renaissance and Baroque fountains, and the 19th-century flood walls along the Tiber). This evidently complex diversity of styles merges to make a unique ensemble, which continues to evolve in time.

Criterion (vi): For more than two thousand years, Rome has been both a secular and religious capital. As the centre of the Roman Empire which extended its power throughout the then known world, the city was the heart of a widespread civilization that found its highest expression in law, language and literature, and remains the basis of Western culture. Rome has also been directly associated with the history of the Christian faith since its origins. The Eternal City was for centuries, and remains today, a symbol and one of the most venerable goals of pilgrimages, thanks to the Tombs of Apostles, the Saints and Martyrs, and to the presence of the Pope.

Encyclopedia Record: Rome

Rome is the capital city and most populated comune (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special comune named Roma Capitale with 2,746,984 residents in 1,287.36 km2 (497.1 sq mi), Rome is the third most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits. The Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, with a population of 4,223,885 residents, is the most populous metropolitan city in Italy. Its metropolitan area is the third-most populous within Italy. Rome is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, within Lazio (Latium), along the shores of the Tiber Valley. Vatican City is an independent country inside the city boundaries of Rome, the only existing example of a country within a city. Rome is often referred to as the City of Seven Hills due to its geography, and also as the "Eternal City". Rome is generally considered to be one of the cradles of Western civilization and Western Christian culture, and the centre of the Catholic Church.

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