What to see in Rome: the best-known sights

The best-known places in Rome, ordered by how much interest they draw around the world, with a short summary of each.

A list built from open Wikipedia and Wikidata data, ordered by how much interest the places draw around the world. Check opening hours and prices before you go.

  1. Colosseum

    stadiumroman ruins

    The Colosseum is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is the largest standing amphitheatre in the world.

    Rome, Italy

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  2. St. Peter's Basilica

    major basilicaparish church

    The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican, or simply St. Peter's Basilica, is a church of the Italian Renaissance located in Vatican City, an independent microstate enclaved within the city of Rome, Italy.

    Rome, Italy

    See on Wikipedia

  3. Roman Republic

    historical period

    The Roman Republic was the era of classical Roman civilisation beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom and ending in 27 BC with the establishment of the Roman Empire following the War of Actium.

    Rome, Italy

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  4. Sistine Chapel

    chapelcatholic church building

    The Sistine Chapel is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the pope's official residence in Vatican City. Originally known as the Cappella Magna, it takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who had it built between 1473 and 1481.

    Rome, Italy

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  5. Pantheon, Rome

    minor basilicaroman archaeological site

    The Pantheon is an ancient temple in Rome, Italy, originally built under emperor Augustus and reconstructed under Hadrian; since AD 609, it is a Catholic church called the Basilica of St.

    Rome, Italy

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  6. Roman Kingdom

    historical period

    The Roman Kingdom, also known as the Roman monarchy and the regal period of ancient Rome, was the earliest period of Roman history, when the city and its territory were ruled by kings.

    Rome, Italy

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  7. Stadio Olimpico

    olympic stadium

    Stadio Olimpico, colloquially known as l'Olimpico, is an Italian multi-purpose sports venue located in Rome. Seating over 70,000 spectators, it is the largest sports facility in Rome and the second-largest in Italy, after Milan's San Siro.

    Rome, Italy

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  8. Vatican Library

    national library

    The Vatican Apostolic Library, more commonly known as the Vatican Library or informally as the Vat, is the library of the Holy See, located in Vatican City, and is the city-state's national library.

    Rome, Italy

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  9. Roman Forum

    squareroman ruins

    The Roman Forum, also known by its Latin name Forum Romanum, is a rectangular forum surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the centre of the city of Rome.

    Rome, Italy

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  10. Capitoline Hill

    hill

    The Capitolium or Capitoline Hill, between the Forum and the Campus Martius, is one of the Seven Hills of Rome.

    Rome, Italy

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  11. Trevi Fountain

    fountainsculpture

    The Trevi Fountain is an 18th-century fountain in the Trevi district in Rome, Italy, designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Giuseppe Pannini in 1762.

    Rome, Italy

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  12. St. Peter's Square

    square

    St. Peter's Square is a large plaza located directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, the papal enclave in Rome, directly west of the neighborhood of Borgo.

    Rome, Italy

    See on Wikipedia

Texts and photos come from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, generally under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license: the author and license of each text and photo are on the article page linked at each place. Place data from OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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