Rome is the stunning capital city of Italy, located in the Lazio region of the country. The city is often referred to as the ‘Eternal City’, meaning that Rome and its greatness will last forever. Rome is a hit with tourists and has been for some time now as It oozes with ancient history, culture, enchanting beauty and so much more, it’s no surprise that it’s one of the most popular cities to visit in the world!
That’s not all there is to know about Rome though, check out these 5 interesting facts that you might not already know!
1. In 753 BC Rome was founded by two brothers, Romulus and Remus
Word has is that these two brothers and demi-gods, Romulus and Remus founded Rome on 21st of April in 753 BC. It has been said that the two twin brothers were abandoned by their mother and left by the riverside when they were born, then cared for by a mother wolf until they were of age to look after themselves. Later in life, they were found in an argument about the ownership of the city, which resulted in Romulus killing his brother, Remus. People often say this is how Rome got its name.
2. There’s a Pasta museum
We’re all aware that the most popular kitchen ingredient in Italy is indeed, Pasta. As it’s the most popular dish in Italy, it only makes sense that they have a museum dedicated to nothing but pasta. It’s called ‘The Pasta Museum’, simple yet effective.
It’s located on Piazza Scanderbeg, pretty close to the infamous Trevi Fountain, making it very easy to find. Every museum has to have a gift shop and this one is no different than the rest. However, there’s one thing that they sell in their gift shop that you won’t have seen in any other gift shop before, pasta!!!
3.It’s home to over 900 churches
Italy is a country that is is predominantly Christian. There’s a diverse range of beliefs and religions in Italy, but the majority of Christian people living in Italy are indeed members of the Catholic Church.The Vatican city in Rome is the location of the Catholic Church headquarters, so as you can imagine, religion is at the forefront of this city.
Rome alone is home to over 900 churches, which comes as a surprise to many. St. Peter's Basilica is the church is the one that attracts most people, but when you venture further, you’ll see there’s many other churches in Rome that are equally astonishing and beautiful, and definitely worth a visit.
4. The largest church ever built was in Rome, St Peter’s basilica
The Vatican City is home to St.Peter’s basilica, not only the largest church in Rome, but the largest in the world, with an impressive internal area measuring 15160 square meters. This basilica is a parish church, where locals attend on a daily basis, as well as thousands of tourists every month.
People from all walks of life visit the basilica, regardless of their background. It is viewed as the most important church within Catholicism, and is also somewhere that the Pope often says mass, making it all the more appealing to visitors.
5. Roughly €3,ooo is thrown into the Trevi Fountain everyday
The Trevi Fountain is the most famous and indeed, the most stunning fountain in Rome. It dates back to ancient Rome and was one of the main water sources in Central Rome. Despite it’s beauty and strong history, the Trevi Fountain is actually a charitable attraction.
On a daily basis, around €3,ooo is thrown into the fountain by tourists. Stealing money from the Trevi Fountain is an illegal act, as the money thrown in for wishes is formally collected at the end of each day. On formal collection of the coins, they are then cleaned, weighed and sent to the catholic non-profit organization, Caritas.
Written By Stuart Cooke, Blog Editor at UniBaggage.com a luggage delivery service that helps tourists save time and money on their trips.
