Of the 55 Unesco sites that are in Italy, Rome may be the most obvious. The capital of Italy, once the capital of the Roman Empire, has preserved some of the major monuments of antiquity, extraordinary archaeological areas integrated in the urban fabric, testimonies of incomparable artistic value produced over almost 3,000 years of history.

The site encompasses the whole historic center of Rome within the city walls at their widest extent in the 17th century, as well as the Basilica of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls. It also includes the ‘Properties of the Holy See,’ such as the basilicas of St. John Lateran and St. Mary Major.