To what extent is the Catholic Church central to Rome's status as a Essay

To what extent is the Catholic Church central to Rome's status as a contemporary World City - Essay Example Other factors such as economic activities, politics, and geographical location have also shaped the city into its current status. The history and development of Rome City can be traced back during the Roman Empire. The influences of the tradition of the Roman Empire are evident in the architecture of the city’s buildings and other structures. Architecture was necessary in the growth and success of Rome. Formal architecture like basilicas and temples, and their related structures such as aqueducts and bridges have played significant roles in shaping Rome into its current status. Although there are several factors that led to the development and success of Rome City, this paper mainly focuses on the influence of the Catholic Church on Rome’s current claims to World City status. Introduction Rome, or particularly Vatican City, is the center of the Roman Catholic religion. It was pronounced a sovereign nation in 1929 as a result of Lateran Accords (Giorgi, 2008 p223). Earli er, before it was designated as a sovereign state, Vatican comprised of smaller Papal States. Vatican City exists as a walled-enclave in Rome, and it is the world’s smallest country. The Lateran Accord of 1929 pronounced Roman Catholicism the official religion of Italy (Davies & Nichols, 2006 p5). It is, therefore, obvious that most of the county’s development and success has been cultural. Roman Catholicism beliefs and architectures are deeply rooted in Rome’s landscape. Being a Roman Catholicism Empire, the Vatican City is ruled by Pope, whose office is the highest in Catholic Church, and serves as the headquarter s of the Roman Catholic Church (Davies & Nichols, 2006 p6). Vatican City is situated on the Vatican Hill surrounded by Rome, which is Italy’s Capital City, and it covers an area of 44 hectares (Nicolet, 1991 p13). The city is surrounded by Renaissance and medieval walls, constructed using the ancient roman architectural designs, which separate s it from other cities except St. Peters Square. Within the city, there are a number of magnificent gardens, buildings, complex of courtyards, and a well organized network of roads and walking paths (Nicolet, 1991 p13). History of the Vatican City The first foundation, basilica, in the city was laid down by Emperor Constantine the Great in the 14th Century AD. This foundation is what is believed to be the tomb of St. Peter, who the Catholics claim to be the first Pope. The vast regions of the Vatican Valley and Hill, was anciently used for chariot races and other sports, and as a burial ground (Bonechi Books, 2000 p4). As time passed by, this region became a sacred ground where the Roman Catholic used to perform most of their functions. In the following century, Popes who returned from France established themselves, and took official residence in the Vatican City, and reconstructed the Vatican Palace and the St. Peter basilica to expand its size, beautify its gardens, and add more b uildings to accommodate their governmental offices (Lanciani, 2009 p123). In the late 16th Century, the government of the Vatican and Popes officially occupied Quirinal Palace, located in the outcasts of the Vatican City. The government of Italy, in 1870, confiscated Papal States, and the Popes lived in Vatican as self imposed prisoners for over fifty years (Lanciani, 2009