Where history was made

It is not hard to figure out why the Capitoline Hill in Rome was chosen 50 years ago as the place where the EU’s founding treaties should be signed. Overlooking the Roman Forum and the Colosseum, the site was the political and religious centre of the Roman Empire, the earliest example of a united Europe.

It is also in itself a centrepiece of European culture. The piazza and palaces on the hill were designed by Michelangelo. Since the late 15th century they have served as a museum, housing some of the most important statues, frescos and inscriptions from the Roman Empire. Various emperors who left their mark on European history and political thought are honoured here. The most striking is the bronze statue of the emperor Marcus Aurelius, a reformer and philosopher, which takes pride of place in the Piazza del Campidoglio.

The European treaties were signed in the Hall of the Horatii and Curiatii, chosen for its size and grandeur. In the 14th century it became the headquarters of Rome’s farming nobility whose power was growing through its influence on the Senate.

The most impressive feature of the room is the collection of frescos hanging high up on the walls, showing scenes from the founding of Rome. The one that gives the room its name shows the Battle between the Horatii and Curiatii, which brought to an end the war between Rome and the rival city of Alba. Twelve years after the end of the Second World War, Europe’s leaders in 1957 were motivated by a desire to achieve peace.

Fifty years later, the museum is marking the anniversary of the treaty signing with an exhibition in the historic hall.

A display panel running the length of the hall carries extracts from the Treaty of Rome, the Treaty of Maastricht and the EU constitution, which was signed in the same room in October 2004 by representatives of the then 25 EU states. Television monitors play film footage from the signing of the Treaty of Rome and also show aspects of Europe’s cultural and political history. There is a copy of the European Economic Community treaty on display showing the 12 signatories from the six states.

The tourists and schoolchildren who wandered in last week appeared somewhat bemused by the blue display panel and the television sets. Some of the guides ignored the temporary exhibition and carried on talking about the frescos. Luca, a 19-year-old who was visiting with his schoolmates from Genoa, pointed to the copy of the Treaty of Rome and said: "I don’t know anything about this, but I know the EU is very important for everyone who lives in this continent. We can travel, exchange ideas and I hope to go to England one day."

Tony Medwin from London said: "I don’t even think we were part of the signing."

"Anyway it’s better to look to the future rather than the past," he added.

But the sparse exhibition may have whetted the appetites of some of those visiting the museum. Elisabetta, a security guard on duty in the hall, said: "People are interested in it [the exhibition] and keep asking me who was the prime minister of Italy, of Germany, of France at the time but I don’t know."

Elsewhere in Rome, the city authorities are making efforts to ensure that, although the main political event will take place in Berlin, the birthplace of the EU will not be forgotten. A young people’s summit is taking place at the Capitoline Hill at the same time as EU leaders hold their summit in Berlin. Six people aged between 18-30 years from each EU state will discuss issues including the environ-ment, globalisation and the social model. Ján Figel’, the commissioner for education and culture, Margot Wallström, commissioner for institutional relations and communication, Hans-Gert Pöttering, the president of the European Parliament, and Romano Prodi, the Italian prime minister, will also attend the event.

A conference is also taking place today and tomorrow (22-23 March) at the offices of the mayor of Rome on the theme, ‘50 years of Europe: Europe year zero?’. The conference will hear speakers from current and past Italian governments, including Giulio Andreotti, the former prime minister, Massimo D’Alema, the current minister for foreign affairs, Giuliano Amato, the minister for internal affairs, and Emma Bonino, the minister for European politics, a former European commissioner.

The EU’s Committee of the Regions is also staging a special plenary session and ceremony in Rome on 22-23 March to be addressed by Prodi, the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso. More than 600 national, regional and local government leaders, as well as representatives of the young people’s summit, will attend the ceremony.

It is not hard to figure out why the Capitoline Hill in Rome was chosen 50 years ago as the place where the EU’s founding treaties should be signed. Overlooking the Roman Forum and the Colosseum, the site was the political and religious centre of the Roman Empire, the earliest example of a united Europe.