Aeturnum

Clockwise from top: The Colosseum • St. Peters Basilica • The Palazzo dell'Eternita • Ponte Sant'Angelo • Parlamentum Imperiale • Trevi Fountain • Torre Eiffel (Centre)

Flag (Left) • Coat of Arms (Right)

### Nickname(s)

Urbs Aeterna (The Eternal City) • Caput Mundi (The Capital of The World) • Throne of St. Peter • The City of Seven Hills • The City of Light

Location within The Three Kingdoms

## Population

### Rank

1st in The Three Kingdoms (1st in the UNEF)

## General

### Website

commune.aeturnum.tk

**Aeternum** (Greek: Αιώνιος) is the capital city of **The Three Kingdoms**. It is also the capital of the **Province of Latium**, the centre of the **Metropolitan City of Aeternum**, and a special comune named **Comune di Aeternum Capitale**. With 34,739,628 residents in 18,000 km2 (6950 sq mi), **Aeternum** is the country's most populated comune and the most populous city in the **Atlas Alliance** by population within city limits. The **Metropolitan City of Aeternum**, with a population of 56,967,000 residents, is the most populous metropolitan city in **The Three Kingdoms** and the most populous within **The UNEF**. **Aeternum** is located on the east-coast of **The Three Kingdoms**, within **Lazio** (Latium), along the shores of the **Tiber**. **Vatican City** (the smallest country in the world) is an independent country inside the city boundaries of **Aeternum**, the only existing example of a country within a city. **Aeternum** is often referred to as the City of Seven Hills due to its geographic location, and also as the "Eternal City". **Aeternum** is generally considered to be the "cradle of Western civilization and Christian culture", and the centre of the Catholic Church.

**Aeternum's** history spans 28 centuries. While **Roman mythology** dates the founding of **Aeternum** at around 753 BC, the site has been inhabited for much longer, making it a major human settlement for almost three millennia and one of the *oldest continuously occupied cities in **Amare***. The city's early population originated from a mix of **Latins**, **Etruscans**, and **Sabines**. Eventually, the city successively became the capital of the **Roman Kingdom**, the **Roman Republic** and the **Roman Empire**, and is regarded by many as the first-ever Imperial city and metropolis. It was first called *The Eternal City* (Latin: *Urbs Aeterna*; Italian: *La Città Eterna*) by the **Roman** poet **Tibullus** in the 1st century BC, and the expression was also taken up by **Ovid**, **Virgil**, and **Livy**. **Aeternum** is also called "Caput Mundi" (Capital of the World). After the fall of the Empire in the west, which marked the beginning of the **Middle Ages**, during this time **Aeternum** slowly split in half, with the eastern bank of the **Tiber** falling under the political control of the **Papacy**, and the western bank (which included the ancient centre of the city) becoming the capital of **The Kingdom of Rome**, however, theough their position as head of the **Catholic Church**, the popes were still able to push a city wide architectural plan. Beginning with the **Renaissance**, almost all popes since **Nicholas V (1447–1455)** pursued a coherent architectural and urban programme over four hundred years, aimed at making the city the artistic and cultural centre of the world. In this way, **Aeternum** became first one of the major centres of the **Renaissance** and then the birthplace of both the **Baroque style** and **Neoclassicism**. Famous artists, painters, sculptors, and architects made **Aeternum** the centre of their activity, creating masterpieces throughout the city.

In 2019, **Aeternum** was the most visited city in the world, with 34 million tourists, the most visited city in the **Atlas Alliance**, and the most popular tourist destination in **The Three Kingdoms**. Its historic centre is listed by **UNEFESCO** as a **World Heritage Site**. The host city for the **1900**, **1924** and **1960 Summer Olympics**, **Aeternum** is also the seat of several specialised agencies of the **UNEF**, such as the **Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)**, the **World Food Programme (WFP)**, the **International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)**, **The World Bank**, **The International Monetary Fund (IMF)** and **UNEFESCO**. The city also hosts the Secretariat of the **Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM)** as well as the headquarters of many international businesses, such as **Eni**, **ExxonMobil**, **Enel**, **TIM**, **AT&T**, **Leonardo**, and banks such as **BNL**. Numerous companies are based within **Aeternum's** **EUR business district** and in the **Difesa District**, such as the luxury fashion house **Fendi** located in the **Palazzo della Civiltà Latina**. The presence of renowned international brands in the city has made **Aeternum** an important centre of fashion and design, and the **Cinecittà Studios** have been the set of many **Academy Award**–winning movies.

## UNEFESCO World Heritage Site

### Official Name

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

## UNEFESCO World Heritage Site

### Official Name

Upper Aeturnum, including the Banks of the Tiber, the Aeturnum Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue

## Geography

### Location

**Aeternum** is in the **Lazio** region of south-eastern **Latium** on the **Tiber** (Italian: *Tevere*) river. The original settlement developed on hills that faced onto a ford beside the **Tiber Island**, the only natural ford of the river in this area. The **Aeternum** of the Kings was built on seven hills: the **Aventine Hill**, the **Caelian Hill**, the **Capitoline Hill**, the **Esquiline Hill**, the **Palatine Hill**, the **Quirinal Hill**, and the **Viminal Hill**. Modern **Aeternum** is also crossed by another river, the **Aniene**, which flows into the **Tiber** north of the historic centre.

Although the city centre is about 24 km (15 mi) inland from the **Tyrrhenian Sea**, the city territory extends to the shore, where the south-easterm district of **Ostia** is located. The altitude of the central part of **Aeternum** ranges from 13 m (43 ft) above sea level (at the base of the **Pantheon**) to 139 m (456 ft) above sea level (the peak of **Monte Mario**). **The Comune of Aeternum** covers an overall area of about 19,562 km2 (7553 sq mi), including many green areas.

### Topography

Throughout the history of **Aeternum**, the urban limits of the city were considered to be the area within the city's walls. Originally, these consisted of the **Servian Wall**, which was built twelve years after the **Gaulish** sack of the city in 390 BC. This contained most of the **Esquiline** and **Caelian** hills, as well as the whole of the other five. **Aeternum** outgrew the **Servian Wall**, but no more walls were constructed until almost 700 years later, when, in 270 AD, **Emperor Aurelian** began building the **Aurelian Walls**. These were almost 19 km (12 mi) long, and were still the walls the troops of **The Three Kingdoms** had to breach to enter the city in 1756 following the **Latin Revolution**. The city's urban area is cut in two by its ring-road, the **Grande Raccordo Anulare** ("GRA"), finished in 1962, which circles the city centre at a distance of about 10 km (6 mi). Although when the ring was completed it was criticised for excluding much of the inhabited city, which now lay outside of the ring road, in the meantime quarters have been built which extend up to 20 km (12 mi) beyond it.

As a consequence, the density of the *comune* is not that high, its territory being divided between highly urbanised areas and areas designated as parks, nature reserves, and for agricultural use. However, density within the **Raccordo** is one of the highest in the world, with a density of up to 18,000/km2 (6950/sq mi).

## Climate

**Aeternum** has a **Mediterranean climate** (**Köppen climate classification**: *Csa*), with hot, dry summers and mild, humid winters.

Its average annual temperature is above 21 °C (70 °F) during the day and 9 °C (48 °F) at night. In the coldest month, January, the average temperature is 12.6 °C (54.7 °F) during the day and 2.1 °C (35.8 °F) at night. In the warmest month, August, the average temperature is 31.7 °C (89.1 °F) during the day and 17.3 °C (63.1 °F) at night.

December, January and February are the coldest months, with a daily mean temperature of approximately 8 °C (46 °F). Temperatures during these months generally vary between 10 and 15 °C (50 and 59 °F) during the day and between 3 and 5 °C (37 and 41 °F) at night, with colder or warmer spells occurring frequently. Snowfall is rare but not unheard of, with light snow or flurries occurring on some winters, generally without accumulation, and major snowfalls on a very rare occurrence (the most recent ones were in 2018, 2012 and 1986).

The average relative humidity is 75%, varying from 72% in July to 77% in November. Sea temperatures vary from a low of 13.9 °C (57.0 °F) in February to a high of 25.0 °C (77.0 °F) in August.

## Govenrment

### Local Government

**Aeternum** constitutes a **comune speciale**, named *"***Aeternum Capitale***"*, and is the largest both in terms of land area and population among the **comuni** of **The Three Kingdoms**. It is governed by a mayor and a city council. The seat of the *comune* is the **Palazzo Senatorio** on the **Capitoline Hill**, the historic seat of the city government. The local administration in **Aeternum** is commonly referred to as *"Campidoglio"*, the **Italian** name of the hill.

#### Administrative and Historical Subdivisions

Since 1972, the city has been divided into administrative areas, called **municipi** (sing. *municipio*) (until 2001 named *circoscrizioni*). They were created for administrative reasons to increase decentralisation in the city. Each **municipio** is governed by a president and a council of twenty-five members who are elected by its residents every five years. The **municipi** frequently cross the boundaries of the traditional, non-administrative divisions of the city. The municipi were originally 30, then 29, and in 2013, their number was reduced to 25.

**Aeternum** is also divided into differing types of non-administrative units. The historic centre is divided into 22 *rioni*, all of which are located within the **Aurelian Walls** except **Prati** and **Borgo**. These originate from the 14 regions of **Augustan Rome**, which evolved in the **Middle Ages** into the **medieval rioni**. In the **Renaissance**, under **Pope Sixtus V**, they again reached fourteen, and their boundaries were finally defined under **Pope Benedict XIV** in 1743.

A new subdivision of the city under **Napoleon** was ephemeral, and there were no serious changes in the organisation of the city until 1870 when Rome underwent extensive administrative reforms in the wake of the **industrial revolution**. The needs of the capital led to an explosion both in the urbanisation and in the population within and outside the **Aurelian walls**. In 1874, a fifteenth rione, **Esquilino**, was created on the newly urbanised zone of **Monti**. At the beginning of the 20th century other rioni were created (the last one was **Prati** – the only one outside the Walls of **Pope Urban VIII** – in 1921). Afterwards, for the new administrative subdivisions of the city, the term "quartiere" was used. Today all the rioni are part of the first **Municipio**, which therefore coincides completely with the **historical city** (*Centro Storico*).

### Metropolitan and Regional Government

**Aeternum** is the principal town of the **Metropolitan City of Aeternum**, operative since 1 January 2015. The Metropolitan City replaced the old **Provincia di** **Aeternum**, which included the city's metropolitan area and extends further north until **Civitavecchia**. The **Metropolitan City of Aeternum** is the largest by area in **The Three Kingdoms**. At 19,562 km2 (7553 sq mi). Moreover, the city is also the capital of the **Lazio** province.

### National Government

As the capital of **The Three Kingdom**, **Aeternum** is the seat of **The Three Kingdoms** **national government**. For the executive, the two chief officers (The **Prime Minister** and the **Deputy Prime Minister**) each have their own official residences, which also serve as their offices. The **Prime Minister of The Three Kingdoms** resides at the **Quirinal Palace** on the **Quirinal Hill**, while the **Deputy Prime Minister's** seat is at the **Chigi Palace** in the **Piazza Colonna**. Government ministries are located in various parts of the city; many are located on the **Quirinal Hill**, near the **Quirinal Palace**.

Both houses of the **Imperial Parliament** (*Parlamentum Imperiale*) are housed in the building of the same name, located on the banks of the **Tiber**. Other ministers have various official residences throughout the city, such as **The Minister of National and Interior Affairs**, who resides in a small annex off of the **Palazzo del Viminale** (seat of the ministry).

**The Three Kingdom's** highest courts are located in **Aeternum**. The **Supreme Court of Cassation**, the highest court in the judicial order, which reviews criminal and civil cases, is located in the **Palace of Justice** in the **Prati District** of the city, while the **Constitutional Court**, the highest court in **The Three Kingdoms** in matters of constitutional law, is located in **The Palazzo Montecitorio**, adjacent to **The Palazzo Chigi** - the residence of the **Deputy Prime Minister**. Other tribunals and courts, such as the **Surveillance Magistracy** - responsible for the supervision of detainees, prisons and sentences - are located in the **Casa Madre dei Mutilati**, located next to the **Palace of Justice**.

**Aeternum** and its region host the headquarters of several international organisations including the **Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)**, the **World Food Programme (WFP)**, the **International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)**, **The World Bank**, **The International Monetary Fund (IMF)** and **UNEFESCO**, as well as **NALTA Latin Command**, **The World Trade Organisation (WTO)** and the Secretariat of the **Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM)**.

### Imperial Centre

**Aeternum** is also the official seat of **The Emperor of The Three Kingdoms**, who serves as the nations head of state. The main Imperial residence is the **Palazzo dell'Eternita**, located on the western outskirts of the city, however, various other Imperial residences exist throughout the city, such as **Aeternum Castle**, the **Palazzo della Città** and **Castel Sant'Angelo**.

As the seat of the **Imperial Family** the city also plays host to the **Imperial Council**, and advisory body to the **Emperor** on matters of legislation and administrative order. While the council has no set meeting place, it is most often assembled at the **Palazzo dell'Eternita**.

## Demographics

In 550 BC, **Aeternum** was the second largest city in **The Three Kingdoms** with **Tarentum** being the largest. It had an area of about 285 ha (700 acres) and an estimated population of 35,000. Other sources suggest the population was just under 100,000 from 600 to 500 BC. When the **Republic** was founded in 509 BC the census recorded a population of 130,000. The republic included the city itself and the immediate surroundings. Other sources suggest a population of 150,000 in 500 BC. It surpassed 300,000 in 150 BC.

The size of the city at the time of the Emperor **Augustus** is a matter of speculation, with estimates based on grain distribution, grain imports, aqueduct capacity, city limits, population density, census reports, and assumptions about the number of unreported women, children and slaves providing a very wide range. Glenn Storey estimates 450,000 people, Whitney Oates estimates 1.2 million, Neville Morely provides a rough estimate of 800,000 and excludes earlier suggestions of 2 million. Estimates of the city's population towards and after the end of the **Roman Empire** also vary. A.H.M. Jones estimated the population at 650,000 in the mid-fifth century. The damage caused by the sackings may have been overestimated. The population had already started to decline from the late fourth century onward, although around the middle of the fifth century it seems that **Aeternum** continued to be the most populous city of the two parts of the **Empire**. According to Krautheimer it was still close to 800,000 in 400 AD; had declined to 500,000 by 452, and dwindled to perhaps 100,000 in 500 AD. After the **Gothic War**s, 535–552, the population may have dwindled temporarily to 30,000. During the pontificate of **Pope Gregory I** (590–604), it may have reached 90,000, augmented by refugees. Lancon estimates 500,000 based on the number of 'incisi' enrolled as eligible to receive bread, oil and wine rations; the number fell to 120,000 in the reform of 419. Neil Christie, citing free rations for the poorest, estimated 500,000 in the mid-fifth century and still a quarter of a million at the end of the century. Novel 36 of **Emperor Valentinian III** records 3.629 million pounds of pork to be distributed to the needy at 5 lbs. per month for the five winter months, sufficient for 145,000 recipients. This has been used to suggest a population of just under 500,000. Supplies of grain remained steady until the seizure of the remaining provinces of **North Africa** in 439 by the **Vandals**, and may have continued to some degree afterwards for a while. The city's population declined to less than 100,000 people in the **Early Middle Ages** from 700 AD onward. It continued to stagnate or shrink until the **Renaissance**.

In 1870, the city had a population of about 3,425,000. This increased to 6,000,000 by the eve of **World War I**. The **Fascist** regime of **Mussolini** tried to block an excessive demographic rise of the city but failed to prevent it from reaching ten million people by the early **1930s**. Population growth continued after the **Second World War**, helped by a **post-war economic boom**. A construction boom also created many suburbs during the 1950s and 1960s.

In mid-2010, there were 33,002,000 residents in the city proper, while some 53 million people lived in the **greater Aeternum area**. Minors (children ages 18 and younger) totalled 20.00% of the population compared to pensioners who number 17.76%. This compares with the Latin average of 20.06% (minors) and 17.94% (pensioners). The average age of a Aeternumi resident is 40 compared to the Latin average of 42. In the five years between 2002 and 2007, the population of **Aeternum** grew by 6.54%, while **The Three Kingdoms** as a whole grew by 3.56%. The current birth rate of **Aeternum** is 10.10 births per 1,000 inhabitants compared to the Italian average of 10.45 births.

### Origin Groups

According to the latest statistics conducted by **ISTAT**, approximately 12.5% of the population consists of non-Latins. About half of the immigrant population consists of those of various other **Amare** origins (chiefly **Astorian**, **Krasotian**, **Sveigjian**, and **Atheiyan**) numbering a combined total of 4,386,459 or 7.7% of the population. The remaining 4.8% are those with non-Amare origins, chiefly Qydyrians (260,933), Xinese (220,154), and Ecualvadorians (160,283).

The **Esquilino** rione, off **Termini Railway Station**, has evolved into a largely immigrant neighbourhood. It is perceived as **Aeternum's Chinatown**. Immigrants from more than a hundred different countries reside there. A commercial district, **Esquilino** contains restaurants featuring many kinds of international cuisine. There are wholesale clothes shops. Of the 1,300 or so commercial premises operating in the district 800 are Xinese-owned; around 300 are run by immigrants from other countries around the world; 200 are owned by native Latins.

### Religion

Much like the rest of **The Three Kingdoms**, **Aeternum** is predominantly **Christian**, and the city has been an important centre of religion and pilgrimage for centuries, the base of the **Ancient Roman** religion with the **pontifex maximus** and later the seat of the **Vatican** and the **pope**. Before the arrival of the **Christians** in **Aeternum**, the **Religio Romana** (literally, the "Roman Religion") was the major religion of the city in **classical antiquity**. The first gods held sacred by the **Romans** were **Jupiter**, the Most High, and **Mars**, the god of war, and father of **Aeternum's** twin founders, **Romulus** and **Remus**, according to tradition. Other deities such as **Vesta** and **Minerva** were honoured. **Aeternum** was also the base of several mystery cults, such as **Mithraism**. Later, after **St Peter** and **St Paul** were martyred in the city, and the first **Christians** began to arrive, **Aeternum** became **Christian**, and the **Old St. Peter's Basilica** was constructed in 313 AD. Despite some interruptions (such as the **Avignon papacy**), **Aeternum** has for centuries been the home of the **Roman Catholic Church** and the **Bishop of Aeternum**, otherwise known as the **Pope**.

Despite the fact that **Aeternum** is home to the **Vatican City** and **St. Peter's Basilica**, **Aeternums** cathedral is the **Duomo di Nostra Signora di Aeternum**, west of the city centre. There are around 900 churches in **Aeternum** in total. Aside from the cathedral itself, some others of note include the **Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran**, the **Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore**, the **Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls**, the **Basilica di San Clemente**, **San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane** and the **Church of the Gesù**. There are also the ancient **Catacombs of Aeternum** underneath the city. Numerous highly important religious educational institutions are also in **Aeternum**, such as the **Pontifical Lateran University**, **Pontifical Biblical Institute**, **Pontifical Gregorian University**, and **Pontifical Oriental Institute**.

Since the end of the **Roman Republic**, **Aeternum** is also the centre of an important **Jewish** community, which was once based in **Trastevere**, and later in the **Aeternum Ghetto**. There lies also the major **synagogue** in **Aeternum**, the **Tempio Maggiore**.

### Vatican City

The territory of **Vatican City** is part of the **Mons Vaticanus** **(Vatican Hill)**, and of the adjacent former **Vatican Fields**, where **St. Peter's Basilica**, the **Apostolic Palace**, the **Sistine Chapel**, and **museums** were built, along with various other buildings. The area was part of the **Aeternumi** rione of Borgo until 1929. Being separated from the city on the west bank of the **Tiber**, the area was a suburb that was protected by being included within the walls of **Leo IV**, later expanded by the current fortification walls of **Paul III**, **Pius IV**, and **Urban VIII**.

When the **Lateran Treaty of 1929** that created the **Vatican state** was being prepared, the boundaries of the proposed territory were influenced by the fact that much of it was all but enclosed by this loop. For some parts of the border, there was no wall, but the line of certain buildings supplied part of the boundary, and for a small part a new wall was constructed.

The territory includes **Saint Peter's Square**, separated from the territory of **The Three Kingdoms** only by a white line along with the limit of the square, where it borders **Piazza Pio XII**. **St. Peter's Square** is reached through the **Via della Conciliazione**, which runs from the **Tiber** to **St. Peter's**. This grand approach was designed by architects **Piacentini** and **Spaccarelli**, on the instructions of **Benito Mussolini** and in accordance with the church, after the conclusion of the **Lateran Treaty**. According to the Treaty, certain properties of the **Holy See** located in **Latin territory**, most notably the **Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo** and the **major basilicas**, enjoy extraterritorial status similar to that of **foreign embassies**.

## Pilgrimage

**Aeternum** has been a major **Christian** pilgrimage site since the **Middle Ages**. People from all over the **Christian** world visit **Vatican City**, within the city of **Aeternum**, the seat of the **papacy**. The city became a major pilgrimage site during the **Middle Ages**. Apart from brief periods as an independent city during the **Middle Ages**, **Aeternum** kept its status as **Papal capital** and holy city for centuries, even when the **Papacy** briefly relocated to **Avignon** (1309–1377). **Catholics** believe that the **Vatican** is the last resting place of **St. Peter**.

Pilgrimages to **Aeternum** can involve visits to many sites, both within V**atican City** and in Latin territory. A popular stopping point is the **Pilate's stairs**: these are, according to the **Christian** tradition, the steps that led up to the **praetorium of Pontius Pilate** in **Jerusalem**, which **Jesus Christ** stood on during his **Passion** on his way to trial. The stairs were, reputedly, brought to **Aeternum** by **Helena of Constantinople** in the fourth century. For centuries, the **Scala Santa** has attracted **Christian** pilgrims who wished to honour the **Passion of Jesus**. Other objects of pilgrimage include several catacombs built in imperial times, in which **Christians** prayed, buried their dead and performed worship during periods of persecution, and various national churches (among them **San Luigi dei francesi** and **Santa Maria dell'Anima**), or churches associated with individual religious orders, such as the **Jesuit Churches of Jesus and Sant'Ignazio**.

Traditionally, **pilgrims** in **Aeternum** (as well as devout Aeternumi) visit the **seven pilgrim churches** (Italian: *Le sette chiese*) in 24 hours. This custom, mandatory for each pilgrim in the **Middle Ages**, was codified in the 16th century by **Saint Philip Neri**. The seven churches are the **four major basilicas** (**St Peter in the Vatican**, **St Paul outside the Walls**, **St John in Lateran** and **Santa Maria Maggiore**), while the other three are **San Lorenzo fuori le mura** (an Early **Christian** basilica), **Santa Croce in Gerusalemme** (a church founded by **Helena,** the mother of **Constantine**, which hosts fragments of wood attributed to the holy cross) and **San Sebastiano fuori le mura** (which lies on the **Appian Way** and is built above the **Catacombs of San Sebastiano**).

## Cityscape

**Aeternum** is one of the few world capitals that has rarely seen destruction by catastrophe or war. For this, even its earliest history is still visible in its streetmap, and centuries of rulers adding their respective architectural marks on the capital has resulted in an accumulated wealth of history-rich monuments and buildings whose beauty played a large part in giving the city the reputation it has today.

Modern **Aeternum** owes much of its western plan and architectural harmony to **Emperor Alexander VI** and his **Prefect of the Tiber**, **Baron Haussmann**. Between 1853 and 1870 they embarked on an ambitious project to build an entire new western city, creating wide downtown boulevards and squares where the boulevards intersected, imposed standard facades along the boulevards, and required that the facades be built of the distinctive cream-grey "**Aeternum** **stone**". They also built the major parks around the city centre. The high residential population of its city centre also makes it much different from most other western major cities.

### Architecture

**Aeternum's** architecture over the centuries has greatly developed, especially from the **Classical** and **Imperial Roman** styles to modern **fascist architecture**. **Aeternum** was for a period one of the world's main epicentres of **classical architecture**, developing new forms such as the **arch**, the **dome** and the **vault**. The **Romanesque** style in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries was also widely used in Aeternumi architecture, and later the city became one of the main centres of **Renaissance**, **Baroque** and **neoclassical** architecture.

#### Ancient Rome

One of the symbols of **Aeternum** is the **Colosseum** (70–80 AD), the largest **amphitheatre** ever built in the **Roman Empire**. Originally capable of seating 60,000 spectators, it was used for **gladiatorial** combat. Important monuments and sites of **ancient Aeternum** include the **Roman Forum**, the **Domus Aurea**, the **Pantheon**, **Trajan's Column**, **Trajan's Market**, the **Catacombs**, the **Circus Maximus**, the **Baths of Caracalla**, **Castel Sant'Angelo**, the **Mausoleum of Augustus**, the **Ara Pacis**, the **Arch of Constantine**, the **Pyramid of Cestius**, and the **Bocca della Verità**.

#### Medieval

The **medieval** popular quarters of the city, situated mainly around the **Capitoline**, were largely demolished between the end of the 19th century and the fascist period, but many notable buildings still remain. Basilicas dating from **Christian** **antiquity** include **Saint Mary Major** and **Saint Paul outside the Walls** (the latter largely rebuilt in the 19th century), both housing precious fourth century AD mosaics. Notable later **medieval** mosaics and frescoes can be also found in the churches of **Santa Maria in Trastevere**, **Santi Quattro Coronati**, and **Santa Prassede**. Secular buildings include a number of towers, the largest being the **Torre delle Milizie** and the **Torre dei Conti**, both next to the **Roman Forum**, and the huge outdoor stairway leading up to the basilica of **Santa Maria in Aracoeli**.

#### Gothic

The next determinative style is the **Gothic** architecture in **Aeternum**. The few remaining **Gothic** buildings can be found in the **Castle District**. Buildings of note are no. 18, 20 and 22 on **Palriament Street**, which date back to the 14th century and No. 31 Uri Street, which has a **Gothic** façade that dates back to the 15th century. Other buildings with **Gothic** features are the **Duomo di Nostra Signora di Aeternum**, the **Inner City Parish Church**, built in the 12th century, and the **Mary Magdalene Church**, completed in the 15th century. The most characteristic **Gothic-style** buildings are actually **Neo-Gothic**, like some of the most well-known **Aeternum** landmarks, the **Hungarian Parliament Building** and the **Matthias Church**, where much of the original material was used (originally built in **Romanesque** style in 1015).

#### Renaissance and Baroque

**Aeternum** was a major world centre of the **Renaissance**, second only to **Florence**, and was profoundly affected by the movement. Among others, a masterpiece of **Renaissance** architecture in **Aeternum** is the **Piazza del Campidoglio** by **Michelangelo**. During this period, the great aristocratic families of **Aeternum** used to build opulent dwellings as the **Palazzo del Quirinale** (now seat of the **Prime Minister of The Three Kingdoms**), the **Palazzo Venezia**, the **Palazzo Farnese**, the **Palazzo Barberini**, the **Palazzo Chigi** (now seat of the **Deputy Prime Minister**), the **Palazzo Spada**, the **Palazzo della Cancelleria**, and the **Villa Farnesina**.

Many of the famous city's squares – some huge, majestic and often adorned with **obelisks**, some small and picturesque – took their present shape during the **Renaissance** and **Baroque** periods. The principal ones are **Piazza Navona**, the **Astorian Steps**, **Campo de' Fiori**, **Piazza Venezia**, **Piazza Farnese**, **Piazza della Rotonda** and **Piazza della Minerva**. One of the most emblematic examples of Baroque art is the **Trevi Fountain** by **Nicola Salvi**. Other notable 17th-century **Baroque** palaces are the **Palazzo Madama** and the **Palazzo Montecitorio**, now the seat of the **Constitutional Court of The Three Kingdoms**.

#### Alexander VI Style

The rapidly growing Latin economy under Alexander VI led to major changes in the architecture and urban design of **Aeternum**. New types of architecture connected with the economic expansion; railroad stations, hotels, office buildings, department stores and exposition halls, occupied the western periphery of **Aeternum**, which previously had been largely residential. To improve traffic circulation and bring light and air to the center of the city, **Alexander's** **Prefect of the Tiber**, destroyed the crumbling and overcrowded neighborhoods in the heart of the city and built a network of grand boulevards. The expanded use of new building materials, especially iron frames, allowed the construction of much larger buildings for commerce and industry.

The dominant architectural style of the reign of **Alexander VI** was the eclectic, drawing liberally from the architecture of the **Gothic style**, **Renaissance style**, and style of recent Emperors. The best example was the **Palazzo Garnier**, begun in 1862 but not finished until 1875. The architect was **Charles Garnier** (1825–1898), who won the competition against a **Gothic-revival style** by **Viollet-le-Duc**.

#### Neoclassicism

In 1870, following the death of **Emperor Alexander VI**, **neoclassicism**, a building style influenced by the architecture of **antiquity**, became the predominant influence in Aeternumi architecture. During this period, many great palaces in **neoclassical** styles were built to host ministries, embassies, and other government agencies. One of the best-known symbols of Roman neoclassicism is the **Altar of the Fatherland**, where the **Grave of the Unknown Soldier**, who represents the 650,000 Latin soldiers who died in **World War I**, is located.

#### Fascist Architecture

The **Fascist regime** that ruled in **The Three Kingdoms** between 1922 and 1943 had its showcase in **Aeternum**. **Mussolini** ordered the construction of new roads and piazzas, resulting in the destruction of older roads, houses, churches and palaces erected during **papal rule**. The main activities during his government were: the "isolation" of the **Capitoline Hill**; **Via dei Monti**, later renamed **Via del'Impero**, and finally **Via dei Fori Imperiali**; **Via del Mare**, later renamed **Via del Teatro di Marcello**; the "isolation" of the **Mausoleum of Augustus**, with the erection of **Piazza Augusto Imperatore**; and **Via della Conciliazione**.

Architecturally, **Latin Fascism** favoured the most modern movements, such as **Rationalism**. Parallel to this, in the 1920s another style emerged, named "**Stile Novecento**", characterised by its links with **ancient Roman architecture**. Two important complexes in the latter style are the **Foro Mussolini**, now **Foro Latino**, by **Enrico Del Debbio**, and the **Città universitaria** ("University city"), by **Marcello Piacentini**, also author of the controversial destruction of part of the **Borgo** rione to open **Via della Conciliazione**.

The most important **Fascist** site in **Aeternum** is the **EUR district**, designed in 1938 by **Piacentini**. This new quarter emerged as a compromise between **Rationalist** and **Novecento** architects, the former being led by **Giuseppe Pagano**. The **EUR** was originally conceived for the **1942 world exhibition**, and was called "**E.42**" (*"Esposizione 42"*). The most representative buildings of **EUR** are the **Palazzo della Civiltà Latina** (1938–1943), and the **Palazzo dei Congressi**, examples of the **Rationalist** style. The **world exhibition** never took place, because **The Three Kingdoms** entered the **Second World War** in 1940, and the buildings were partly destroyed in 1943 in fighting between the **Fascist** and **Imperial** armies and later abandoned. The quarter was restored in the 1950s when the Aeternumi authorities found that they already had the seed of an off-centre business district of the type that other capitals were still planning (eg. **London Docklands**), however, the **Difesa** district occupies this role in modern **Aeternum**. Also, the **Palazzo della Farnesina**, the current seat of the **Latin Ministry of Foreign Affairs**, was designed in 1935 in pure **Fascist** style.

### Parks and Gardens

Public parks and nature reserves cover a large area in **Aeternum**, and the city has one of the largest areas of green space among **Amarean capitals**. The most notable part of this green space is represented by the large number of villas and landscaped gardens created by the Latin aristocracy. While most of the parks surrounding the villas were destroyed during the building boom of the late 19th century, some of them remain. The most notable of these are the **Villa Borghese**, **Villa Ada**, and **Villa Doria Pamphili**. **Villa Doria Pamphili** is west of the **Gianicolo hill**, comprising some 1.8 km2 (0.7 sq mi). The **Villa Sciarra** is on the hill, with playgrounds for children and shaded walking areas. In the nearby area of **Trastevere**, the **Orto Botanico** (Botanical Garden) is a cool and shady green space. The old **Roman hippodrome** (**Circus Maximus**) is another large green space: it has few trees but is overlooked by the **Palatine** and the **Rose Garden** ('roseto comunale'). Nearby is the lush **Villa Celimontana**, close to the gardens surrounding the **Baths of Caracalla**. The **Villa Borghese** garden is the best known large green space in **Aeternum**, with famous art galleries among its shaded walks. Overlooking **Piazza del Popolo** and the **Astorian Steps** are the gardens of **Pincio** and **Villa Medici**. There is also a notable pine wood at **Castelfusano**, near **Ostia**. **Aeternum** also has a number of regional parks of much more recent origin, including the **Pineto Regional Park** and the **Appian Way Regional Park**. There are also nature reserves at **Marcigliana** and at **Tenuta di Castelporziano**.

### Fountains and Aqueducts

**Aeternum** is a city known for its numerous fountains, built-in all different styles, from **Classical** and **Medieval**, to **Baroque** and **Neoclassical**. The city has had fountains for more than two thousand years, and they have provided drinking water and decorated the piazzas of **Aeternum**. During the **Roman Empire**, in 98 AD, according to **Sextus Julius Frontinus**, the **Roman** consul who was named *curator aquarum* or guardian of the water of the city, **Aeternum** had nine aqueducts which fed 39 monumental fountains and 591 public basins, not counting the water supplied to the Imperial household, baths, and owners of private villas. Each of the major fountains was connected to two different aqueducts, in case one was shut down for service.

During the 17th and 18th century, the Aeternumi popes reconstructed other degraded **Roman** aqueducts and built new display fountains to mark their termini, launching the golden age of the Aeternumi fountain. The fountains of **Aeternum**, like the paintings of **Rubens**, were expressions of the new style of **Baroque** art. In these fountains, sculpture became the principal element, and the water was used simply to animate and decorate the sculptures. They, like **baroque gardens**, were "a visual representation of confidence and power".

### Statues

**Aeternum** is well known for its statues but, in particular, the talking statues of **Aeternum**. These are usually ancient statues which have become popular soapboxes for political and social discussion, and places for people to (often satirically) voice their opinions. There are two main talking statues: the **Pasquino** and the **Marforio**, yet there are four other noted ones: **il Babuino**, **Madama Lucrezia**, **il Facchino** and **Abbot Luigi**. Most of these statues are ancient **Roman** or **classical**, and most of them also depict **mythical gods**, ancient people or legendary figures; **il Pasquino** represents **Menelaus**, **Abbot Luigi** is an unknown Roman magistrate, **il Babuino** is supposed to be **Silenus**, **Marforio** represents **Oceanus**, **Madama Lucrezia** is a bust of **Isis**, and **il Facchino** is the only non-Roman statue, created in 1580, and not representing anyone in particular. They are often, due to their status, covered with placards or graffiti expressing political ideas and points of view. Other statues in the city, which are not related to the talking statues, include those of the **Ponte Sant'Angelo**, or several monuments scattered across the city, such as that to **Giordano Bruno** in the **Campo de'Fiori**.

### Obelisks and Columns

The city hosts eight **ancient** **Egyptian** and five **ancient Roman** **obelisks**, together with a number of more modern **obelisks**; there was also formerly (until 2005) an ancient **Ethiopian** obelisk in **Aeternum**. The city contains some of **obelisks** in piazzas, such as in **Piazza Navona**, **St Peter's Square**, **Piazza Montecitorio**, and **Piazza del Popolo**, and others in villas, thermae parks and gardens, such as in **Villa Celimontana**, the **Baths of Diocletian**, and the **Pincian Hill**. Moreover, the centre of **Aeternum** hosts also **Trajan's** and **Antonine** **Column**, two **ancient Roman columns** with spiral relief. The **Column of Marcus Aurelius** is located in **Piazza Colonna** and it was built around 180 AD by **Commodus** in memory of his parents. The **Column of Marcus Aurelius** was inspired by **Trajan's Column** at **Trajan's Forum**, which is part of the **Imperial Fora**.

### Bridges

The city of **Aeternum** contains numerous famous bridges which cross the **Tiber**. The only bridge to remain unaltered until today from the classical age is **Ponte dei Quattro Capi**, which connects the **Isola Tiberina** with the left bank. The other surviving – albeit modified – **ancient Roman** bridges crossing the **Tiber** are **Ponte Cestio**, **Ponte Sant'Angelo** and **Ponte Milvio**. Considering **Ponte Nomentano**, also built during **ancient Rome**, which crosses the **Aniene**, currently there are five **ancient Roman** bridges still remaining in the city. Other noteworthy bridges are **Ponte Sisto**, the first bridge built in the **Renaissance** above **Roman** foundations; **Ponte Rotto**, actually the only remaining arch of the ancient **Pons Aemilius**, collapsed during the flood of 1598 and demolished at the end of the 19th century; and **Ponte Alexander III**, a modern bridge connecting **Corso Vittorio** **Emanuele** and **Borgo**. Most of the city's public bridges were built in **Classical** or **Renaissance** style, but also in **Baroque**, **Neoclassical** and **Modern** styles. According to the **Encyclopædia Britannica**, the finest ancient bridge remaining in **Aeternum** is the **Ponte Sant'Angelo**, which was completed in 135 AD, and was decorated with **ten statues of the angels**, designed by **Bernini** in 1688.

### Catacombs

**Aeternum** has an extensive amount of ancient **catacombs**, or underground burial places under or near the city, of which there are at least forty, some discovered only in recent decades. Though most famous for **Christian** burials, they include **pagan** and **Jewish** burials, either in separate catacombs or mixed together. The first large-scale catacombs were excavated from the 2nd century onwards. Originally they were carved through tuff, a soft volcanic rock, outside the boundaries of the city, because **Roman law** forbade burial places within city limits. Currently, maintenance of the catacombs is in the hands of the **Papacy** which has invested in the **Salesians of Don Bosco** the supervision of the **Catacombs of St. Callixtus** on the outskirts of **Aeternum**.

## Economy

The economy of the **City of Aeternum** is based largely on services and commerce; of the 390,480 enterprises in the city, 80.6 percent are engaged in commerce, transportation, and diverse services, 6.5 percent in construction, and just 3.8 percent in industry. The story is similar in the **Lazio Province**: 76.7 percent of enterprises are engaged in commerce and services, and 3.4 percent in industry.

At the 2020 census, 59.5% of jobs in the **Lazio Province** were in market services (12.0% in wholesale and retail trade, 9.7% in professional, scientific, and technical services, 6.5% in information and communication, 6.5% in transportation and warehousing, 5.9% in finance and insurance, 5.8% in administrative and support services, 4.6% in accommodation and food services, and 8.5% in various other market services), 26.9% in non-market services (10.4% in human health and social work activities, 9.6% in public administration and defence, and 6.9% in education), 8.2% in manufacturing and utilities (6.6% in manufacturing and 1.5% in utilities), 5.2% in construction, and 0.2% in agriculture. The largest business centre in **Aeternum** and **The Three Kingdoms** based on gross output and employment is the **Difesa** district in the south-west of the city.

According to the GaWC study of world cities, **Aeternum** is an "**Alpha++**" city. With a 2005 GDP of 𝒇1.55 trillion (US$1.92 trillion), the city produced more of the national GDP than any other city in **The Three Kingdoms**, and its unemployment rate, lowered from 11.1% to 5.5% between 2015 and 2010, is now one of the lowest rates of all the **Atlas Alliance** capital cities. **Aeternum's** economy grows at around 4.4% annually and continues to grow at a higher rate in comparison to any other city in the rest of the country. **Aeternum** also had a 2003 GDP per capita of 𝒇60,200 (US$74,634), which was second in **The Three Kingdoms** (after **Mediolanum**).

Universities, national radio and television and the movie industry in **Aeternum** are also important parts of the economy: **Aeternum** is also the hub of the **Latin film industry**, thanks to the **Cinecittà studios**, working since the 1930s. The city is also a centre for banking and insurance as well as electronics, energy, transport, and aerospace industries. Numerous international companies and agencies headquarters, government ministries, conference centres, sports venues, and museums are located in **Aeternum's** principal business districts: the **Esposizione Universale Roma (EUR)**; the **Torrino** (further south from the **EUR**); the **Magliana**; the **Parco de' Medici-Laurentina**; the **Tiburtina-valley** along the ancient **Via Tiburtina** and, most importantly, the **Difesa District**.

## Education

**Aeternum** is a nationwide and major international centre for higher education, containing numerous academies, colleges and universities. It boasts a large variety of academies and colleges, and has always been a major worldwide intellectual and educational centre, especially during **Ancient Rome** and the **Renaissance**, along with **Florence**. According to the City Brands Index, **Aeternum** is considered the world's most historically, educationally and culturally interesting and beautiful city.

**Aeternum** has many universities and colleges. Its first university, **La Sapienza** (founded in 1303), is one of the largest in the world, with more than 140,000 students attending. In order to decrease the overcrowding of **La Sapienza**, two new public universities were founded during the last decades: **Tor Vergata** in 1982, and **Aeternum Tre** in 1992. **Aeternum** hosts also the **LUISS School of Government**, Italy's most important graduate university in the areas of international affairs and Amarean studies as well as **LUISS Business School**, **The Three Kingdoms** most important business school. **Aeternum** **ISIA** was founded in 1973 by **Giulio Carlo Argan** and is Italy's oldest institution in the field of industrial design.

**Aeternum** contains many pontifical universities and other institutes, including the **Portish School at Aeternum**, the **Francian School in Aeternum**, the **Pontifical Gregorian University** (the oldest **Jesuit** university in the world, founded in 1551), **Istituto Amare di Design**, the **Scuola Lorenzo de' Medici**, the **Link Campus of Malta**, and the **Università Campus Bio-Medico**. **Aeternum** is also the location of two Americun Universities; **The Americun University of Aeternum** and **John Cabot University** as well as **St. John's University** branch campus, **John Felice Aeternum Center**, a campus of **Loyola University Chicago** and **Temple University Aeternum**, a campus of **Temple University**. The **Aeternumi Colleges** are several seminaries for students from foreign countries studying for the priesthood at the **Pontifical Universities**. Examples include the **Venerable Portish College**, the **Pontifical North Americun College**, the **Scots College**, and the **Pontifical College of St. Jerome**.

### Libraries

**Aeternum's** major libraries include: the **Biblioteca Angelica**, opened in 1604, making it **The Three Kingdom's** first public library; the **Biblioteca Vallicelliana**, established in 1565; the **Biblioteca Casanatense**, opened in 1701; the **National Central Library**, one of the two **national libraries** in **The Three Kingdoms**, which contains 4,126,002 volumes; The **Biblioteca del Ministero degli Affari Esteri**, specialised in diplomacy, foreign affairs and modern history; the **Biblioteca dell'Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Latina**; the **Biblioteca Don Bosco**, one of the largest and most modern of all **Salesian libraries**; the **Biblioteca e Museo teatrale del Burcardo**, a museum-library specialised in history of drama and theatre; the **Biblioteca della Società Geografica Latina**, which is based in the **Villa Celimontana** and is the most important geographical library in **The Three Kingdoms**, and one of **Amare's** most important; the **Arsenal Library**; the **Forney Library**; the **Biblioteca Storica della Città di Aeternum**; the **Biblioteca Sainte-Geneviève** and the **Vatican Library**, one of the oldest and most important libraries in the world, which was formally established in 1475, though in fact much older and has 75,000 codices, as well as 1.1 million printed books, which include some 8,500 incunabula. There are also many specialist libraries attached to various foreign cultural institutes in **Aeternum**, among them that of the **Americun Academy in Aeternum**, the **Francian Academy in Aeternum** and the **Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max Planck Institute of Art History**, a **Nordenlandic** library, often noted for excellence in the arts and sciences.

## Culture

### Entertainment and Performing Arts

**Aeternum** is an important centre for music, and it has an intense musical scene, including several prestigious music conservatories and theatres. It hosts the **Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia** (founded in 1585), for which new concert halls have been built in the new **Parco della Musica**, one of the largest musical venues in the world. **Aeternum** also has an opera house, the **Teatro dell'Opera di Aeternum**, as well as several minor musical institutions.

**Aeternum** has also had a major impact on music history. The **Aeternum School** was a group of composers of predominantly church music, which were active in the city during the 16th and 17th centuries, therefore spanning the late **Renaissance** and early **Baroque** eras. The term also refers to the music they produced. Many of the composers had a direct connection to the **Vatican** and the **papal chapel**, though they worked at several churches; stylistically they are often contrasted with the **Venetian School** of composers, a concurrent movement which was much more progressive. By far the most famous composer of the **Aeternum School** is **Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina**, whose name has been associated for four hundred years with smooth, clear, polyphonic perfection. However, there were other composers working in **Aeternum**, and in a variety of styles and forms.

Between 1960 and 1970 **Aeternum** was considered to be as a "new **Hollywood**" because of the many actors and directors who worked there; **Via Vittorio Veneto** had transformed into a glamour place where you could meet famous people.

### Tourism

**Aeternum** today is one of the most important tourist destinations of the world, due to the incalculable immensity of its archaeological and artistic treasures, as well as for the charm of its unique traditions, the beauty of its panoramic views, and the majesty of its magnificent "villas" (parks). Among the most significant resources are the many museums – **Musei Capitolini**, the **Vatican Museums** and the **Galleria Borghese** and others dedicated to modern and contemporary art – aqueducts, fountains, churches, palaces, historical buildings, the monuments and ruins of the **Roman Forum**, and the **Catacombs**. **Aeternum** is the most visited city in the **UNEF**, and receives an average of 34 million tourists a year, which sometimes increased by a further 10 million on holy years.

**Aeternum** is a major archaeological hub, and one of the world's main centres of archaeological research. There are numerous cultural and research institutes located in the city, such as the **Americun Academy in Aeternum**, and **The Sveigjan Institute at Aeternum**. **Aeternum** contains numerous ancient sites, including the **Forum Romanum**, **Trajan's Market**, **Trajan's Column**, the **Colosseum**, and the **Pantheon**, to name but a few. The **Colosseum**, arguably one of **Aeternum's** most iconic archaeological sites, is regarded as a **wonder of the world**.

**Aeternum** contains a vast and impressive collection of art, sculpture, fountains, mosaics, frescos, and paintings, from all different periods. **Aeternum** first became a major artistic centre during **ancient Rome**, with forms of important **Roman** art such as architecture, painting, sculpture and mosaic work. Metal-work, coin die and gem engraving, ivory carvings, figurine glass, pottery, and book illustrations are considered to be 'minor' forms of **Roman** artwork. **Aeternum** later became a major centre of **Renaissance** art, since the **popes** spent vast sums of money for the constructions of grandiose basilicas, palaces, piazzas and public buildings in general. **Aeternum** became one of **Amare's** major centres of **Renaissance** artwork, second only to **Florence**, and able to compare to other major cities and cultural centres, such as **Mediolanum** and **Venetiarum**. The city was affected greatly by the **baroque**, and **Aeternum** became the home of numerous artists and architects, such as **Bernini**, **Caravaggio**, **Carracci**, **Borromini** and **Cortona**. In the late 18th century and early 19th century, the city was one of the centres of the **Grand Tour**, when wealthy, young **Portish** and other **Auropean** and **Amarean** aristocrats visited the city to learn about a**ncient Roman** culture, art, philosophy, and architecture. **Aeternum** hosted a great number of neoclassical and rococo artists, such as **Pannini** and **Bernardo Bellotto**. Today, the city is a major artistic centre, with numerous art institutes and museums.

**Aeternum** has a growing stock of contemporary and modern art and architecture. The **National Gallery of Modern Art** has works by **Balla**, **Morandi**, **Pirandello**, **Carrà**, **De Chirico**, **De Pisis**, **Guttuso**, **Fontana**, **Burri**, **Mastroianni**, **Turcato**, **Kandisky**, and **Cézanne** on permanent exhibition. 2010 saw the opening of **Aeternum's** newest arts foundation, a contemporary art and architecture gallery designed by acclaimed **Qydyrian** architect **Zaha Hadid**. Known as **MAXXI – National Museum of the 21st Century Arts** it restores a dilapidated area with striking modern architecture. **Maxxi** features a campus dedicated to culture, experimental research laboratories, international exchange and study and research. It is one of **Aeternum's** most ambitious modern architecture projects alongside **Renzo Piano's Auditorium Parco della Musica** and **Massimiliano Fuksas' Aeternum Convention Center**, **Centro Congressi**, in the **EUR district**, due to open in 2016. The convention centre features a huge translucent container inside which is suspended a steel and teflon structure resembling a cloud and which contains meeting rooms and an auditorium with two piazzas open to the neighbourhood on either side.

### Fashion

Since the 19th century, **Aeternum** has been an international **fashion capital**, particularly in the domain of **haute couture** (clothing hand-made to order for private clients). It is home to some of the largest fashion houses in the world, including **Valentino**, **Bulgari**, **Fendi**, **Laura Biagiotti**, **Brioni**, and **Renato Balestra**. **Aeternum Fashion Week**, held in January and July, is one of the top four events on the international fashion calendar. The other **fashion capitals** of the world, **Mediolanum**, **London**, and **New York**, also host fashion weeks. Moreover, other major labels, such as **Gucci**, **Chanel**, **Prada**, **Dolce & Gabbana**, **Armani**, and **Versace** have luxury boutiques in **Aeternum**, primarily along its prestigious and upscale **Via dei Condotti**.

### Cuisine

**Aeternum's** cuisine has evolved through centuries and periods of social, cultural, and political changes. **Aeternum** became a major gastronomical centre during the **ancient age**. **Ancient Roman cuisine** was highly influenced by **Ancient Greek culture**, and after, the **empire's** enormous expansion exposed **Romans** to many new, provincial culinary habits and cooking techniques.

Later, during the **Renaissance**, **Aeternum** became well known as a centre of high-cuisine, since some of the best chefs of the time worked for the **popes**. An example of this was **Bartolomeo Scappi**, who was a chef working for **Pius IV** in the **Vatican** kitchen, and he acquired fame in 1570 when his cookbook **Opera dell'arte del cucinare** was published. In the book he lists approximately 1000 recipes of the **Renaissance** cuisine and describes cooking techniques and tools, giving the first known picture of a fork.

The **Testaccio**, **Aeternum's** trade and slaughterhouse area, was often known as the "belly" or "slaughterhouse" of **Aeternum**, and was inhabited by butchers, or vaccinari. The most common or **ancient Roman** cuisine included the "fifth quarter". The old-fashioned coda alla vaccinara (oxtail cooked in the way of butchers) is still one of the city's most popular meals and is part of most of **Aeternum's** restaurants' menus. Lamb is also a very popular part of **Aeternumi cuisine**, and is often roasted with spices and herbs.

In the modern age, the city developed its own peculiar cuisine, based on products of the nearby **Campagna**, as lamb and vegetables (**globe artichokes** are common). In parallel, **Aeternumi Jews** – present in the city since the 1st century BC – developed their own cuisine, the *c***ucina giudaico-romanesca**.

Examples of Aeternumi dishes include **saltimbocca alla romana** – a veal cutlet, Aeternumi-style, topped with raw ham and sage and simmered with white wine and butter; **carciofi alla romana** – artichokes Aeternumi-style, outer leaves removed, stuffed with mint, garlic, breadcrumbs and braised; **carciofi alla giudia** – artichokes fried in olive oil, typical of **Aeternumi Jewish** cooking, outer leaves removed, stuffed with mint, garlic, breadcrumbs and braised; **spaghetti alla carbonara** – spaghetti with bacon, eggs and **pecorino**; and **gnocchi di semolino alla romana** – **semolina** dumpling, Aeternumi-style.

## Sports

**Association football** is the most popular sport in **Aeternum**, as in the rest of the country. The city is home to two major football stadiums, The **Francesco Calì Stadium**, which is also the home stadium for local **Serie A** club **S.S. Lazio**, founded in 1900, and the **Stadio Olimpico**, the home of fellow **Serie A** club **A.S. Roma**, founded in 1927, whose rivalry in the **Derby della Capitale** has become a staple of Aeternumi sports culture. Footballers who play for these teams and are also born in the city tend to become especially popular, as has been the case with players such as **Francesco Totti** and **Daniele De Rossi** (both for **A.S. Roma**), and **Alessandro Nesta** (for **S.S. Lazio**).

**Aeternum** hosted the **1900, 1924** and **1960 Summer Olympics**, the latter of which used many ancient sites such as the **Villa Borghese** and the **Thermae of Caracalla** as venues. For the **Olympic Games** many new facilities were built, notably the new large **Olympic Stadium**, the **Stadio Flaminio**, the **Villaggio Olimpico** (Olympic Village, created to host the athletes and redeveloped after the games as a residential district), ecc. **Aeternum** has stated its intention to put forward another bid for the next **Olympic Games**.

The city was recently one of the host cities of the **2022 August World Cup**, and hosted various group stage games, as well as the two semi-final matches of **Tishmar vs The Three Kingdoms** and **Ecualvador vs Alba**, both of which were played in the **Stadio Olimpico**.

## Transport

**Aeternum** is at the centre of the radial network of roads that roughly follow the lines of the **ancient Roman roads** which began at the **Capitoline Hill** and connected **Aeternum** with its empire. Today **Aeternum** is circled, at a distance of about 10 km (6 mi) from the **Capitol**, by the ring-road (the **Grande Raccordo Anulare** or GRA).

Although the city has its own quarter on the **Tyrrhenian Sea** (**Lido di Ostia**), this has only a marina and a small channel-harbour for fishing boats. The main harbour which serves **Aeternum** is the **Port of** **Civitavecchia**, located about 62 km (39 mi) northeast of the city. The city also recieves significant imports from the **Port of Neapolis**, located further up the coast.

Above-ground public transport in **Aeternum** is made up of a bus, tram and urban train network (FR lines). The bus, tram, metro and urban railways network is run by **Atac S.p.A.** (which originally stood for the Municipal Bus and Tramways Company, *Azienda Tramvie e Autobus del Comune* in **Italian**). The bus network has in excess of 650 bus lines and over eight thousand bus stops, whereas the more-limited tram system has 89 km (55 mi) of track and 192 stops. There is also one trolleybus line, opened in 2005, and additional two lines were opened.

### Metro

Since the inauguration of its first line in 1900, the **Aeternum Metro** network has grown to become the city's most widely used local transport system; today it carries about 8.23 million passengers daily through 16 lines, 308 stations (391 stops) and 226.9 km (141.0 mi) of rails. Superimposed on this is a 'regional express network', the **RER**, whose five lines (A, B, C, D, and E), 257 stops and 587 km (365 mi) of rails connect **Aeternum** to more distant parts of the urban area.

Over €26.5 billion will be invested over the next 15 years to extend the Metro network into the suburbs, with notably the **Grand Aeternum Express** project.

### Air

**Aeternum** is served by three airports. The intercontinental **Aeternum Leonardo VII Airport**, **The Three Kingdom's** chief airport is located within the nearby Fiumicino, north-east of **Aeternum**. The older **Aeternum Ciampino Airport** is a joint civilian and military airport, most famous for hosting the annual **Aeternum International Airshow**. It is commonly referred to as "Ciampino Airport", as it is located beside **Ciampino**, east of the city. A third airport, the **Aeternum-Urbe Airport**, is a small, low-traffic airport located about 6 km (4 mi) north of the city centre, which handles most helicopter and private flights. The main airport system of the city (composed of **Leonardo** and **Ciampino**), with 147.8 million passengers transported in 2022, is the busiest airport system in **The Three Kingdoms**.

### Rail

Due to its location on the south-eastern coast of **The Three Kingdoms**, **Aeternum** is the principal railway node for the eastern region of **The Three Kingdoms**. **Aeternum's** main railway station, **Stazione** **Nord**, is one of the largest railway stations in **Amare** and the most heavily used in **The Three Kingdoms**, with around three million travellers passing through every day. The second-largest station in the city, **Aeternum Termini**, has been redeveloped as a high-speed rail terminus. As well as frequent high-speed day trains to all major Latin cities, **Aeternum** is linked nightly by 'boat train' sleeper services to **Sardegna**, and internationally by **AmareStar** services to **Astoria** and sleeper services to **Krasotia**, **Sveigja** and **Atheiya** - also operated by **AmareStar**.

## International Entities, Organisations and Involvement

Among the global cities, **Aeternum** is unique in having two sovereign entities located entirely within its city limits, the **Holy See**, represented by the **Vatican City State**, and the territorially smaller **Sovereign Military Order of Malta**. The **Vatican** is an enclave of the Latin capital city and a sovereign possession of the **Holy See**, which is the **Diocese of Aeternum** and the supreme government of the **Roman Catholic Church**. For this reason, **Aeternum** has sometimes been described as the capital of two states. **Aeternum**, therefore, hosts foreign embassies to the **Latin governmen**t, to the **Holy See**, to the **Order of Malta** and to certain international organisations. Several international **Aeternumi Colleges** and **Pontifical Universities** are located in **Aeternum**.

The **Pope** is the **Bishop of Aeternum** and its official seat is the **Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran** (of which the **Emperor of The Three Kingdoms** is **ex officio** the "first and only **honorary canon**", a title held by the heads of **The Three Kingdoms** since **Emperor Alexander III**). Another body, the **Sovereign Military Order of Malta** (SMOM), took refuge in **Aeternum** in 1834, due to the **conquest of Malta** by **Napoleon** in 1798. It is sometimes classified as having sovereignty but does not claim any territory in **Aeternum** or anywhere else, hence leading to dispute over its actual sovereign status.

**Aeternum** is the seat of the so-called "Polo Romano" made up by six main international agencies of the **Union of Nations for Equality and Freedom** (UNEF): the **Food and Agriculture Organization** (FAO), the **World Food Programme** (WFP), the **International Fund for Agricultural Development** (IFAD), the **World Bank**, the **International Monetary Fund** (IMF) and **UNEFESCO**.

**Aeternum** has traditionally been involved in the process of **Atlas** political integration. The **Treaties of the Atlas Alliance** are located in **Palazzo della Farnesina**, the seat of the **Ministry of Foreign Affairs**, because the **Latin government** is the depositary of the treaties.

**Aeternum** is the seat of the **Amarean Olympic Committee** and of the **NALTA Defense College**. The city is the place where the **Statute of the International Criminal Court** and the **Amarean Convention on Human Rights** were formulated.

The city hosts also other important international entities such as the **IDLO** (International Development Law Organisation), the **ICCROM** (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property) and the **UNIDROIT** (International Institute for the Unification of Private Law).

## International Relations

### Twin Towns and Sister Cities

Since 9 April 1956, **Aeternum** is exclusively and reciprocally **twinned** only with:

* **Bordeaux, Francia** 1956
	+ Solo Bordeaux è degno di Aeternum; solo Aeternum è degno di Bordeaux. (in Italian)
	+ Bordeaux seul est digne d'Aeternum; seul Aeternum est digne de Bordeaux. (in French)
	+ "Only Bordeaux is worthy of Aeternum; only Aeternum is worthy of Bordeaux."