Thessaloniki gets ready for its metro launch in November
The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays
It is believed that people lived in Rome more than 5,000 years ago. The city itself is believed to have been founded on 21 April 753 BC. Archaeological discoveries today, however, make for the basis of new theories that the city was founded much earlier. Today, known as the "Eternal City," Rome was once under the rule of kings, but some centuries later became a republic. Society was strictly divided into classes. The Roman Republic existed for some 500 years. After the fall of the republic, the Roman Empire was formed. At that time, Rome was the largest city in the world, but its history was full of difficulties, especially during the 3rd century. In 799, the Holy Roman Empire was founded, which existed for the next 1000 years until its destruction by Napoleon in 1806. In 1849 a new Roman Republic was formed, which led to Risorgimento or a revival, which in turn led to the unification of all peninsula countries into the Kingdom of Italy. In 1946 Italy became a republic.
Rome, the capital of Italy, has a population of nearly 3 million people only within the city limits. This makes it the fourth most populous city in the European Union. Rome is divided into 15 municipalities, which are divided into smaller neighborhoods. The center of the city is the Vatican City, the smallest city-state in the world, both by territory and by population.
Тoday, the city is classified as having the status of a global alpha city because it is of utmost importance for the development of the world economy. All major Italian governing institutions are located in Rome, making it the most important economic and political center in the country. There is almost no heavy industry in the city, which makes the service sector very highly developed. It includes banking, information technology and communication and, last but not least, tourism. Tourism has a large share in the city's economy. The airport in Rome is the largest in Italy. Education is also well-developed, with some of the universities being more than 700 years old.
Rome is the third most visited city in the European Union and the thirteenth most visited in the world. Its historical center is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. Monuments and museums such as the world-famous Coloseum and the Vatican Museums are major tourist attractions. The Pantheon, in the center of Rome, was built in the years between 118 and 126. Its construction is believed to be one of the greatest engineering achievements of antiquity. Another major tourist attraction is the Trevi Fountain. It is at the intersection between three roads, once aqueducts. Neptune's sculpture rises in its center. The Roman Forum, which has once been the center around which ancient Rome has developed, is visited today by millions of tourists. In 2015 and 2016, Rome was visited by over 50 million tourists.
Address: Via del Campidoglio, 1 - 00186 Rome