Two lovely and characteristic Vespa scooters parked near the Coliseum in the heart of Rome - Bildbanksfoto

Rome, Italy, November 02 -- Two lovely and characteristic Vespa sidecar scooters parked near the Colosseum, in the historic heart of the Eternal City. Designed starting in 1946 by the Italian motorcycle brand Piaggio, the Vespa has become one of the symbols of Italian industrial culture and design in the world. On the background, the imposing Colosseum or Coliseum. Originally known as Amphitheatrum Flavium, the Colosseum is the largest amphitheater in the world. Built at the behest of Emperor Vespasian in 70 AD. and inaugurated in 80 AD, the Colosseum could hold an estimated number of spectators between 50,000 and 87,000. According to tradition, the name of Colosseum is due to a colossal statue of Nero located near the amphitheater. In 1980 the historic center of Rome was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. Image in high definition format.