The Vatican Gardens are formed by several gardens, parks and even a small wood and take up more than half (23 hectares) of the grounds of the Vatican City in Rome. The Giardini Vaticani are adorned with numerous statues and fountains that are placed all over the gardens. There are also several buildings, including the one from which Radio Vaticano transmits their broadcasts, plus small fortresses and other medieval monuments.
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Piazza Mattei Rome
The Piazza Mattei in the Sant’Angelo district of Rome is considered to be one of the most beautiful piazze of the city. The main attractions on this central square are the Palazzo Costaguti and, especially, the Fountain of the Turtles. The square is named for an influential family, which was also responsible for the construction of several buildings.
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The Mausoleum of Augustus in Rome is the biggest tomb with a round floor plan in existence. After having been closed for a very long time, it has now been restored and will reopen to the public in March 2021. It was constructed by the emperor, for himself, his family members and his successors.
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Largo Magnanapoli is a small square with a roundabout in the middle. It is located at the end of the Via Nazionale in Rome. Attractions around the square are the Villa Aldobrandini, the Santa Caterina di Siena Church and the Torre delle Milizie.
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The Palazzo Koch della Banca d’Italia is a building on the Via Nazionale in Rome. It was designed by, and named after, architect Gaetano Koch. The enormous building occupies the entire block between the Via Mazzarino and the Via dei Serpenti.
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The Villa Aldobrandini is a large public garden at the end of the Via Nazionale in Rome. The garden towers above the Largo Magnanapoli and ensures a magnificent view of part of the Markets of Trajan.
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The Column of Marcus Aurelius (Colonna di Marco Aurelio) is located in the centre of the Piazza Colonna along the Via del Corso shopping street in the heart of Rome. The reliefs on the column of honour depict some scenes from the emperor’s military exploits. The statue on the column depicts Saint Paul.
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Ostia is the nearest beach town to Rome. Tourists might be more familiar with Ostia Antica, the ruins of the old Roman port. During the summer months it is an excellent day trip, combining a visit to the sea with one of the most interesting monuments shedding light on what a typical Roman city looked like 2000 years ago.
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The excavations at Ostia Antica outside Rome constitute the biggest archeological site in the Lazio region. Better preserved than Pompeii, the ruins of this ancient port give insight into the way the Romans used to live in the heyday of the Empire.
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Having climbed the steps leading up to Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, the first space you will enter is the atrium. Its main points of interest are the five bronze doors and the two statues on either side.
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The Santi Cosma and Damiano Church was built by uniting parts of the Roman Forum and the Imperial Forums. The biggest attraction is the apse mosaic. The Forma Urbis Romae, a huge marble city map showing what Rome used to look like in the 3rd century, used to adorn one of the outside walls.
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