Facts about Rome in Italy
Did you know cats have special rights in Rome? Or that the city is more than 2 700 years old? Well, I did not, or at least not before visiting Rome. After thorough research below, you can find the most interesting facts which are good to know before you come to Rome.
Friendly Romans
The Romans are generally very friendly people, and they enjoy good conversation, especially involving food (one of my favorite topics to talk about).
And yes, before you ask, they are also a little louder while talking. Not to mention, you sometimes feel you need to know self-defense because of the hand movements they do while they talk, but that’s part of the culture. Hand movements are part of learning Italian. Animals are also very approachable (as you can see, I made my first friend within hours of arrival).
You might find on some forums that people are rude to tourists, and of course, there will always be exceptions, but in general, they are charming people to encounter.
Drinking fountains of Rome
About 2 000 public fountains have drinking water in them, meaning you will never be without water when you are thirsty. They are called nasoni, and I can confirm the water is very delicious and cold.
What I like about the nasoni is that each fountain is unique in its design. I cannot confirm whether each is different, but the ones we encountered were. It can be an exciting thing to keep in mind when getting water.
Nicknames of Rome
As one of the world’s oldest cities, it is natural that Rome has a few nicknames. The Latin name Roma is of uncertain origin, but some scholars believe it comes from the name of the city’s founder Romulus, who was also the first king.
Here are some other names we came upon, and each one has something to it:
- The Eternal City (a reference to its longevity and it was used by the Roman poet Tibullus)
- Capital of the World (used by another Roman poet Marco Lucano)
- The Sacred City (this name was used by one of the Roman emperors Septimus Severus)
- City of God
- Earthly City
- The City of Seven Hills
- City of Bricks and Marble (this is quite a descriptive name)
- The City of all Time
You can find even more nicknames, but those mentioned above are the most interesting. When returning from your travels, imagine how cool it is to say, “I just came from the Capital of the World.” Instead of saying, “I came from Rome.” What do you think?
Read also 15 Interesting Facts about Sardinia
Cats have special rights
This is a specialty of Rome. As you walk around the city, you will encounter many cats. They just lay around, relax, living life. And why would they not? In 1991 a law was set in place that allows cats to live without disruption where they were born. Nobody can move them.
If you are a cat lover, then visit the ancient ruins of the Largo di Torre Argentina. You will find it to be a home for over 250 cats. But be aware, approach them with care if you want to avoid being scratched. They are quite feral.
Fountains, fountains, and more fountains
Rome has more fountains than any other city in the world. The city is the undisputed record holder, with over 2000 fountains plastered around the city coming in all forms and sizes. Included in this number are the nasoni fountains mentioned. Nevertheless, there are many monumental fountains, like the Trevi Fountain.
Only at Piazza Navona, one of the largest and most beautiful piazza squares, can you find three fountains.
Seven Hills of Rome
These hills are connected to one of the representations mentioned above – The City of Seven Hills, and even though Rome has much more hills, the seven are the original hills on which the ancient city was founded.
Some legends and stories say that Romulus and Remus founded Rome on the Palatine Hill, and small settlements were established on the rest of the six hills. These settlements were later grouped to form the city.
The seven hills mentioned are – Aventine, Caelian, Capitoline, Esquiline, Palatine, Quirinal, and Viminal.
On each of the hills, you can see something interesting and as usual with Rome also those are worth a visit.
Obelisks of Rome
When you waddle around, you will come across obelisks which are hard to miss. They are everywhere, and somehow we always stumbled upon one. Intrigued, we googled what it’s all about. We found out that Rome has the most Egyptian obelisks in the world.
It is 13 obelisks together (8 Egyptians and 5 Roman), all close by if you are interested in seeing them.
Some of them are among the tallest obelisks in the world (the Lateranense Obelisk located in the Piazza di San Giovanni in Laterano). Still, all will capture your eyes as it’s a piece of ancient Egypt.
The Egyptian obelisks were taken from Egypt after the Roman conquest and brought back to Rome. The emperors were fascinated with Egyptian culture and saw the obelisks as trophies.
Whatever the reason, till today, they are discussing whether the obelisks should stay in Rome or return to Egypt.
Before you go back to planning your trip to Rome, remember to pack a pair of comfortable shoes. Not only because of the cobblestones you will walk on, but because of the amount of waddling, you will do. Rome is a city that will bring you sore feet. However, it will be worth it. It is like stepping back in time, and each alley is magical. Each piazza is fascinating. And each street leads to the Colosseum for some reason.
