Rome - the capital of Italy is one of the oldest cities in the world. Even in ancient times, the names "The eternal City"and"a city on seven hills".
The seven hills on which Ancient Rome is located are located on the east bank of the Tiber.
The hills are attributed to the symbols of Rome. They are separated from each other by relatively deep but small valleys. Modern Rome occupies both banks of the Tiber and the city now has twelve hills.
However, the history of the development of Rome begins precisely on the left bank of the Tiber. The first hill to be populated was Palatine - the central hill. Then he livedEsqueline, after - the north and northwest hills - Quirinal and Capitollater - Aventin, Viminal and Celius. After the inclusion of all seven hills in the city limits, the Romans began the feast of the seven-handed, which was celebrated every year on December 11.
The valley where Rome was founded is of volcanic origin, the height of the hills on average leaves 40-50 meters above the Tiber, the slopes of the hills are mostly sloping. In the 3rd century, Emperor Aurelian erected a wall in four years that surrounded all 7 hills. The total length of the wall is 19 km, the thickness is 3.4 m, and the height is 8 m. The wall had 18 gates and 383 towers. During the capture of Rome by the Goths, the wall was partially demolished, but in the Renaissance it was restored and is well preserved to this day.
Palatine
From this place began the history of ancient Rome. It was to the foot of the Palatine, according to legend, that the Tiber waves beat a basket with two babies - Rem and Romulus, who later became the founders of the Eternal City. According to legend, there was a cave of a she-wolf (Lupercalia), which nurtured the brothers. The hill was named after Palas, the patron goddess of the shepherds. Since the founding of the city, people have come to live here, personifying power in ancient Rome: kings, emperors and patricians.
Representatives of the aristocracy erected magnificent palaces - Domuses, the remains of which tourists can contemplate.
Tourists visit the Palatine on a single ticket together with the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Among the sights of the Palatine itself, one can distinguish the ruins of the imperial palaces, the temples of Apollo, Cybele and Victoria, the term Septimius Severus. A monastery was built between the palaces of Flavius and Nero, which now houses the Palatine Museum - Antiquarium del Palatino, which presents a collection from primitive tools to the creations of ancient Roman sculptors (most of the sculptures are devoid of any body parts).
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Capitol
The name comes from the word caput - head. This hill in ancient Roman times was densely built up with temples. Here in the temple of Juno Coins lived the legendary geese, who with their cry warned the Romans about the approach of the Gauls.
At the same temple was the first mint was created, minted money began to be called "coins" in honor of the goddess.
During the time of Servius Thulius, a wall was erected around the Capitol, and it was a well-fortified citadel. The highest point on the south side of the hill was occupied by the temple of Jupiter. The temple was divided into three cellas (departments) dedicated to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva. Senate meetings were sometimes held in central Celle. In its history, the temple of Jupiter has repeatedly burned, collapsed, and was restored again by emperors. The collapse of the quarries under the temple accelerated its complete (up to the foundation) destruction. In the 16th century, the Cafarelli Palace was built on the site of the temple, which now houses the city museum.
During the Middle Ages, there was only one monumental building on the Capitol - the church of St. Mary in Arachelli, to the entrance of which the 122 steps staircase (Scala Santa) leads, built in honor of getting rid of the plague. In the XII century, the Roman Senate was restored, and the Capitol again became the administrative center of the city. Today's Capitol owes its appearance to Michelangelo Buanarotti, who made a drawing of the alteration of the hill.
Quirinal
The highest of the seven Roman hills. The hill is named after Quirin, the god of war of the ancient Sabines. According to legend, Rome was inhabited only by men. Once Romulus invited the Sabines to a holiday - a consul at which the Romans abducted the Sabine girls. Then there was an armed conflict, where the Romans lost to the Sabines. The war was stopped by girls who became attached to new families.
As a result, an agreement was concluded on eternal peace, according to which the Sabine king Titus Tatius became co-ruler of Rome on a par with Romulus.
In 1573, the Quirinale Palace was built. The huge building was the summer residence of the Popes. Here was a trial of Galileo Galilei (Galileo Galilei). Later, the palace was chosen by Italian monarchs. From 1948 to the present day, the official residence of the President of Italy has been located in the Quirinale Palace. A visit to the Quirinal Palace will cost adult tourists 5 euros. In front of the palace on Kvirinalskaya Square is the Fountain of Diocourses by architect Rafaele Stern. On the right side of the square is the Consulate Palace, which is occupied by the Constitutional Court.
Aventin
It was named after Aventin Silvius (lat.Aventinus Silvius) - the king who ruled after Romulus. Although there is a version that the hill got its name from the Albanian king Aventina. At first, the hill was not populated, but as the city grew, it quickly became overgrown with structures. In the days of the Republic, it was a very densely populated area. Mostly plebeians and slaves lived here. On Aventina, temples were dedicated to Diana, Mercury, the Moon, Vertumnu, Flora - the gods, widely revered by the lower classes. In the days of the Empire, the region became richer, the aristocracy and the rich settled here, therms were built.
After the fall of the Empire, Aventine becomes empty. But already in the Middle Ages new structures were erected here. And in the XVII century, Aventine became a prestigious place where antique buildings and fashionable mansions were fantastically mixed.
Among the attractions on Aventina are: Church of Saint Sabina, Church of Santi Alessio and Bonifacio, Pyramid of Guy Cestius. At the very top of the hill is Savello Park, which the Romans call the Orange Garden. This place is visited by lovers of romantic dates, and newlyweds are often photographed here. The terrace overlooking the park offers a wonderful view of the Tiber and the Vatican.
Viminal
"Willow Hill" owes its name to the willow rods (Viminalis) covering the hillsides. The hill was originally inhabited by the Sabines. The Viminal was attached to the territory of Rome together with the Quirinal after the abduction of the Sabine women. During the time of the Empire, on the hill there were mainly residential buildings of the lower class. From public buildings here were built the Baths of Diocletian - the ancient Roman baths with an area of 13 hectares. The baths accommodated up to 3200 people, on their territory there were gardens, fountains, a library. Also at the Viminal was the camp of the Praetorians - the personal guard of the emperor.
Today at the Viminal you can find the Viminal Palace - a fairly young building, erected in 1923. It houses the Roman Opera and the Ministry of the Interior.
In the territory where the gardens of Term Diocletian were located, the Republic Square (Piazza della Repubblica) is now divided. The center of the square is the Naiad Fountain, created by Mario Rutelli. Using the ruins of one of the halls of Therm Diocletian, Michelangelo designed the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, which was built in 1563-1566.
Esquiline
The name comes from ex + colere, which means suburb. Esquiline is a plateau with two languages in the western part - Cispius and Opium. Esquiline was settled by the Romans immediately after the Palatine. For a long time, Esquiline was a rather dirty place, since there were city dumps. Also in this place executions were carried out and there were common cemeteries for slaves and beggars, representing deep wells where corpses were dumped. At the behest of Emperor Augustus, the cemetery was bombarded and built up, and the magnificent patronage gardens were bred on the liberated territory. Due to the higher location of eastern Rome, the aqueduct system was concentrated on Esquiline.
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Of the attractions on Esquiline tourists can attract objects of the Catholic Church. Four papal basilicas were built in Rome. One of them, Santa Maria Maggiore, is located on Esquiline.
According to legend, the foundation of the basilica is due to the fact that in August 352, the Virgin Mary appeared in a dream to Pope Liberia and ordered to build a church where there would be snow. Snow fell - built a basilica. There are also churches on Esquiline: Santa Pudenziana, San Pietro in Vincoli, Santa Prasseda.
Celius
The hill is named after Celes Vibenna, the Etruscan, the ancestor of the Roman plebeian family. For a long time Celius was inhabited exclusively by plebs.
Only in the 1st century did the nobility begin to settle on the hill. The main of the religious buildings was the Temple of the Divine Claudius. From the grandiose construction, few fragments remain. A picturesque place in Celia can be called Villa Celimontana, which is a heritage park of the Roman city garden. This is a great place for a picnic, with wonderful views from the hillsides. Jazz groups regularly perform in the park. Ancient Roman fragments of sarcophagi, tombstones, capitals are laid out along the paths of the park. In the depths of the park is a unique monument - the obelisk of Chelimontan, a composite obelisk, the upper part of which is covered with hieroglyphs from the era of Ramses II. Also on Celia is: Basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo (Saints John and Paul), Basilica of Santa Maria in Domnica, Church of Santo Stefano Rotondo - one of the oldest Roman churches, Library of Pope Agapit I, Chapel of Sant Andrea and Arch di Dolabella.
