In the lively Prati neighborhood of Rome, just a short distance from the Vatican, visitors walking the streets may notice a surprising number of lawyer nameplates lining the entrances of elegant buildings. This area is more than just a popular spot for shopping and living—it serves as the legal center of the city, thanks to the presence of the imposing Palazzo di Giustizia, also known as the Palace of Justice.
The Palace of Justice stands out along the banks of the River Tiber, remarkable both for its size and for the stories behind its construction. Built on shifting alluvial soil, the structure required an innovative concrete platform to provide support for its foundations. Yet, over time, the immense weight of the palace caused the ground to settle further, leading to major restoration projects in 1970. Even now, reports suggest the building continues to slowly sink.
During the palace’s original construction, many rumors of corruption surrounded the massive project. These allegations were not unusual for Rome, where such stories have long been part of city life. Combined with the stern look of its architecture, the building earned the nickname "Palazzaccio," or the Ugly Palace, among locals. Despite its daunting appearance and troubled past, the Palace of Justice remains a defining landmark in Rome’s historic landscape.
Source - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_Justice,_Rome
Although started in the 2nd century, San Callisto has had many more recent burials, including 16 popes. The burial arcades are almost 20 km long.
This is the largest square in Rome. It sometimes hosts pop concerts and is the focal point for Rome's New Year's Eve celebrations. The twin churches Santa Maria dei Miracoli (1681) and Santa Maria in Montesanto (1679) used to provide a clear welcome to Rome for those coming from the north. Much older, to the north of the piazza is yet another Santa Maria (see below). The Piazza del Popolo is considered as one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. It was enlarged and two streets, the Via di Ripetta and the Via del Babuino were added by order of Pope Sixtus V. In the middle of the square is an obelisk (see below). In 1809-1816, Giuseppe Valadier, Roman architect of French origin, gave the square its characteristic oval shape.
The Collegio Romano was a college of the Jesuit order. Many popes, cardinals and bishops were educated here. Since 1870 it has been a secular (non-monastic) school. The coat of arms on the doorway is that of Pope Gregory XIII (1572–1585). The tower was erected in 1787 and served as an observatory. Until 1925 all clocks in Rome were set after that of the Collegio Romano.
A great little cathedral to visit, lovingly looked after by Irish Dominicans. There is an excavated older church below the medieval church you enter and a Mithraeum (temple to Mithras, whose cult was very popular with Roman soldiers from the 1st to 4th century AD) below that. The only place in Rome to hear the underground river that flows beneath the city.
An underrated way to see fantastic art made after the Renaissance. Mainly Italian artists, notably De Chirico, but Cézanne, Degas, Kandinsky, Man Ray, Modigliani, Monet, Pollock and Van Gogh are also represented.
Next door to Santa Croce. A collection of around 3000 pieces, although only a third of these are displayed.
The Servian Wall was the first wall around Rome, built around the 3rd century BC. This well-preserved section provides a good opportunity to observe the construction methods of that time, particularly the use of tufa rock blocks
Designed by Bramante to mark the spot of St. Peter's martyrdom, this delightful miniature building is considered a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture. Open to the public.
This small museum records the liberation of Rome from German occupation during the Second World War. During the occupation the building was used as a prison. Stair lifts and chair lifts available for wheelchair users (call ahead).
A tomb for the wealthy Gaius Cestius, who died in 12 BC. Admission to the monument only by guided tours on specific dates (2nd and 4th Saturday every month, and in combination with a ticket to the Museum of Via Ostiense also on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month).
It was immortalised in 1960 by the Federico Fellini film La Dolce Vita. It is also the location of the US Embassy, in the massive Palazzo Margherita. Via Veneto went into a period of decline in the 1980s but has returned to popularity and the roadside cafes are the place to be seen if you are into that sort of thing.
housed in the baroque palace Corsini where Christina, Queen of Sweden settled down in the last years of her life
This is the island located in the middle of the Tiber River (Il Fiume Tevere) that separates Central Rome and Trastevere. It boasts both a major hospital, called Fatebenefratelli, and a small synagogue that was secretly used in the Second World War when Rome's main synagogue nearby was closed down. It also has a café and gelateria on the Rome side. It is a nice way of getting to and from Trastevere. Be sure to get photos from Ponte Garibaldi as Isola Tiberina truly is beautiful. The island is 270 m long and up to 67 m broad. According to the legend envoys were sent to the temple of Asklepius in Epidauros in Greece in 291BC in order to get relief from an epidemic in Rome. The envoys brought one of the holy snakes back with them. The snake swam to the Tiber Island thus determining the place where a temple for Asklepius was built. The successor of the Asklepius sanctuary is the Church San Bartolomeo which was built by the German Emperor Otto III around the year 1000. The Ponte Rotto is what is left from the ancient Pons Aemilius, the oldest stone bridge over the Tiber erected around 180 BC. The bridge was partly destroyed during a flood in 1557, re-erected by Pope Gregor XIII and finally pulled down in 1598. In 62 BC the Senatorial road construction office replaced the wooden footbridge by the Ponte Fabricio.
This archaeological site displays the thermal baths of the villa of the wealthy Herod Atticus. Also in the complex is a restored villa, until 2002 a private residence, that has an exterior completely covered with pieces from Roman ruins, including pipes used in the baths. There are some very helpful staff to show you around, although they only speak Italian. An interesting photographic exhibition in the house traces the development of the Appian Way over the last century. Almost opposite the entrance to the baths is a ruined tower known as the Torre di Capo di Bove.
A 5th-century basilica, simply and attractively decorated. The wooden door, of which 18 carved panels of scenes from the Bible survive, is believed to date from the church's construction.
Minor basilica in 17th-century baroque style with good art inside. In a smaller Italian city, this might be a prime attraction, but in Rome, with its abundance of great churches, this is merely a pleasant church of secondary interest to visit if you are in the area.
Pope Nicholas III connected Castel Sant'Angelo to St. Peter's by a covered fortified corridor called the Passetto di Borgo. This proved useful for Pope Clement VII during the Sack of Rome (1527). You can still see much of the Passetto by walking along the Borgo Sant'Angelo, which runs parallel to, and north of, the Via della Conciliazione.