60 Amazing Facts About Rome

Who hasn’t fallen in love with the Eternal City? From stunning architecture to mouth-watering cuisine, this article has some amazing facts about Rome you won’t find in your average guidebook.

Grabe a cup of coffee and learn a few facts about the Eternal City as we discover some little-known facts about Rome.

Interesting Facts About Rome

The Colosseum’s original name was Amphitheatrum Flavium.
You can visit the Roman Forum for free on the first Sunday of every month.
Rome has over 900 churches.
The Trevi Fountain was originally built as an endpoint of an aqueduct.
You can visit the Pantheon for free.
The Eternal City’s official symbol is a she-wolf nursing Romulus and Remus.
Rome has the largest number of obelisks in the world.
Piazza Navona was built on the site of a 1st-century stadium.
The Vatican has its own postal system and stamps.
The Spanish Steps were funded by the French in the 18th century.
The Colosseum’s lower levels were once home to animals and gladiators.
The Eternal City has a museum dedicated entirely to pasta.
Rome has a pyramid, the Pyramid of Cestius.
Vatican City is the smallest country in the world.
The Jewish Ghetto in located here and it is one of the oldest in the world.
The largest mosaic is located in the Basilica of St. Mary Major.
The Aventine Hill has a keyhole that offers a view of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Rome has a cat sanctuary, Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary.
The Mouth of Truth is a marble disc that was used to test a person’s honesty.
The Colosseum was once used for bullfights.
The Vatican Museums contain over 70,000 works of art.
The Capuchin Crypt contains the remains of 4,000 Capuchin monks.
The city is known for its drinking fountains, called nasoni, which provide free drinking water.
The Castel Sant’Angelo was originally built as a mausoleum for Emperor Hadrian.
Rome has a museum dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci.
The Trevi Fountain is one of the most famous fountains in the world.
The Appian Way is one of the oldest roads.
The Mouth of Truth was featured in the movie “Roman Holiday.”
It has a museum dedicated to Keats and Shelley.
The Spanish Steps were designed by Francesco de Sanctis.
There is a museum dedicated to the history of medicine.
The Vatican City has its own train station.
The city is home to the Catacombs of San Callisto, which contain the remains of many early Christians.
The Vatican Museums contain the famous sculpture, Laocoön and His Sons.
There is a museum dedicated to ancient toys and games.
In the past, mock sea battles were fought in the Colosseum.
There is a museum dedicated to the history of the city’s sewer system.
The Vatican Gardens cover over half of Vatican City.
A museum devoted to the history of the fire department can be found in the city.
St. Paul’s tomb is located in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.
There is a museum dedicated to the history of money.
The Capitoline Museums contain the famous sculpture, Capitoline Wolf.
The Castel Sant’Angelo was used as a papal fortress and a prison.
Rome has a museum dedicated to the history of fashion.
The Vatican Museums contain the famous Raphael Rooms.
There is a museum dedicated to the history of the city’s public transportation.
The Colosseum was once covered in marble.
Rome has a museum dedicated to the history of the city’s bread.
The Trevi Fountain is illuminated at night.
The Pantheon has the largest unsupported concrete dome in the world.
There is a museum dedicated to the history of the city’s wine.
The Vatican Museums contain the famous Sistine Chapel.
The Piazza del Popolo was once used for public executions.
You can visit a museum dedicated to the history of the city’s water supply.
The Colosseum was once used for gladiator battles.
You can visit a museum dedicated to the history of the city’s police force.
The Baths of Caracalla were once the largest public baths.
Rome has a museum dedicated to the history of the city’s garbage collection.
The Trevi Fountain is fed by an aqueduct.
There is a museum dedicated to the history of the city’s street lighting.