Headquarters of the Roman Empire, and later of the papacy, which made it a center of Renaissance culture, Rome has played a major role in European history. This highly detailed view of sixteenth-century Rome depicts its many ancient ruins, churches, towers, walls, and palaces. Such familiar landmarks as the Colosseum, Pantheon, Castel St. Angelo, and Trajan's Column are clearly visible and keyed with numbers to a legend at the bottom of the map. The Vatican area, however, has changed greatly since this view was made. The present St. Peter's Basilica was begun in 1506 but not completed until 1626.