Department · Culture ⛲

Culture & history

Ancient, papal and modern Rome — and how to be a respectful, well-informed visitor.

History

• Ancient Rome 101 — Republic, Empire, fall — the essential history.
• History timeline — From founding myth to modern capital.
• Roman mythology — The gods and legends behind what you are seeing.
• The Roman emperors — Augustus to Constantine — the rulers whose monuments you visit.
• Women in Roman history — Vestals, imperial women and Renaissance figures.
• Jewish Rome — 2,000 years of history in one of the world oldest communities.
• Rome's architecture, era by era — How to tell ancient, Baroque and Fascist-era Rome apart.
• Renaissance Rome — How Rome became the art capital of the world.
• Baroque Rome — The 17th-century building boom that shaped everything.
• Modern Rome — the 20th century — Fascism, liberation, la dolce vita and the Republic.
• Rome & the Papacy — How the Catholic Church shaped the city.
• The history of Roman food — Poverty, empire and 2,000 years of cooking.

Artists in Rome

• A beginner guide to Roman art — Ancient frescoes to Baroque masters.
• Caravaggio in Rome — Six free church Caravaggios.
• Bernini in Rome — One artist shaped more of Rome public space than any other.
• Renaissance artists in Rome — Michelangelo, Raphael, Bramante.
• Museums & galleries beyond the Vatican — Galleria Borghese, MAXXI, and others.

Rome through culture

• Rome in literature — The books that shaped how we see Rome.
• Rome on screen — The films that capture Rome — and the locations.

Visiting well

• Etiquette & dress codes — What to wear, how to behave.
• Visiting religious sites — Opening hours, dress rules.
• Free churches of Rome — 900 churches, almost all free.
• Rome for pilgrims — The seven pilgrim churches and papal audiences.
• Festivals & public holidays — What is happening when.
• Italian language basics — Words and phrases that genuinely improve a trip.