Twin souls: Central Axis of Beijing and Historic Centre of Rome

A bird's-eye view of ancient Rome Historic Centre of Rome Rome was not built in a day. The Historic Centre of Rome 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 Outside the Walls. The major monuments include the Forums, a venue for public meetings, courts of law and gladiatorial combats, and was lined with shops and open-air markets; the Mausoleum of Augustus, the largest funerary monument in the world at the time it was built; the Pantheon, a temple dedicated to twelve gods and to the living Sovran; and Trajan's Column commemorating Roman emperor Trajan's victory in the Dacian Wars. Both the Central Axis of Beijing and the Historic Centre of Rome represent the souls of their respective cities. Around 9,000 km away from Beijing, the Historic Centre of Rome in Italy records its two-millennium history through its unparalleled architectural languages featuring a wide range of building styles and original developments in urban planning which are harmoniously integrated in the city's complex morphology.