Since the start of the new millennium, Rome has been experiencing a cultural renaissance prompted by Mayor Walter Veltroni. In the past, Rome based its value on its vast historical buildings and Renaissance and Baroque art, but with the help of international architecture competitions, contemporary art initiatives, and the Internet, the city is embracing the future. Enhanced by new buildings, such as the Auditorium, the MAXXI, and Richard Meier's Ara Pacis, Rome has never before looked so good, juxtaposing the classic with the contemporary.
