Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura

Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura covers Rome’s ancient, medieval and Baroque monuments together with selected papal properties and the basilica of Saint Paul outside the walls. The site documents the city’s central role in Western history and Christianity.

Core monuments include the Colosseum and other Imperial Roman structures, the Christian monuments concentrated around the Vatican and St. Peter’s, and the basilica of San Paolo Fuori le Mura on the outskirts of the older city. The ensemble spans different eras from antiquity to the Renaissance and Baroque.

Rome developed from an ancient city-state to the capital of an empire and later as the centre of the Catholic Church; this long history produced successive layers of monumental architecture and urban planning. Papal patronage in the Renaissance and Baroque periods created many of the city’s major churches and palaces.

The site is located in the city of Rome in the Lazio region, centred on the Tiber River and incorporating areas across the central and southern parts of the modern municipality, including extraterritorial Vatican properties.

• Combined ticketing: A single ticket usually grants access to the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill on the same day; booking in advance avoids long queues.
• Vatican status: The Vatican Museums and St. Peter's are separate from the municipal historic fabric but are included in the site as extraterritorial properties of the Holy See.

What to See #

• Colosseum: An ancient Roman amphitheatre constructed in the 1st century CE that remains a dominant symbol of imperial Rome.
• Vatican properties and St. Peter's: The complex of papal and religious buildings including St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums, which hold major Christian monuments in extraterritorial properties.
• San Paolo Fuori le Mura: A basilica located outside the old city walls, historically important as a pilgrimage church and part of the extended property ensemble included in the site.