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INTRODUCTION

Rome is the capital city of Italy. It is also the capital

of the region of Lazio. Rome lies in central Italy, on the River Tiber. In

ancient times Rome was the center of a powerful empire. It is still a great historic and cultural capital, visited every year by millions of tourists from all over the world. The modern city covers almost 500 square miles (1,285 square kilometers) and is home to more than 2.6 million people. The Vatican, an independent state , lies within the city of Rome.

Seven Hills Ancient Rome was founded alongside the River Tiber near a small island called Tiber Island. The city grew up on seven hills on the east bank of the Tiber—the Aventine, Capitoline, Celian, Esquiline, Palatine, Quirinal and Viminal. Today, the city extends far beyond these original seven hills. The Vatican City State is on the west bank of the Tiber on another small hill called Monte Vaticano.

⌂ People enjoy a warm

evening by Neptune’s Fountain in the Piazza Navona. The square has three fountains. The largest is the Fountain of the Four Rivers (see page 17).

⌂ Tiber Island, in the River Tiber. The island is linked with the north bank by the oldest bridge in Rome, built in 62 BC.

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Major World Cities