Description: A phenomenal 24 million people will visit the city during the Jubilee year of 2000. This includes more than 2.5 million Americans -- an unprecedented 250% increase from 1997. In a recent study, 32% of Rome's visitors cited cultural experience as the main motivation for their trip; 14% cited religious tourism.

Every 25 years since 1300 AD, Christian pilgrims converge on Rome seeking the special plenary indulgence. This year's Jubilee is the first ever to coincide with the Millennium. To commemorate this historic event, Rome has been dramatically refurbished, and spectacular celebrations are planned throughout the year, beginning on Christmas Eve 1999, when the Pope opens the Holy Door of St. Peter's with three strikes of a golden hammer. Millions will attend, and the U.S. media is jockeying for position to cover the event: all major networks and CNN have committed to large coverage of the Jubilee throughout the year.

This book was conceived by Fodor's creative director Fabrizio La Rocca, himself a Roman. It was written by top local specialists from the Italian Touring Club, Italy's largest and most respected travel guidebook publisher. The photography, mostly done on assignment, captures the latest face of Rome's renovation, and the guidebook carries the imprimatur of Rome's official agency for the Jubilee and a forward by the city's Mayor.

This extremely useful guide explores the religious history of the city as it can be seen by today's visitors. It features thorough area-by-area coverage of more than 300 major and minor sights including basilicas, churches, museums, monuments, catacombs, mausoleums, convents, monasteries, and works of art -- all connected with early Christianityand the Roman Catholic Church. Plus, there are more than 250 gorgeous photographs -- both archival and contemporary -- that capture unique architectural details, street scenes, and hidden places that will inspire.

In addition to practical information, the guide also includes a fully integrated thematic section dedicated to the truly curious and unexpected facts and legends imbedded in the life of the city. Stories range from religious folklore to the history of the Jubilee to the role of the papacy in the arts. It's packed with timelines, thematic itineraries, biographical boxes, anecdotes, and more.

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