[ Key Attractions ] [ Further Distractions ]
Foro Romano (Roman Forum) and Palatino (Palatine)
The Roman Forum is now a heap of marble fragments, columns and floor layouts. A leap of imagination is required to recreate the former market place that was the political, commercial and social heart of ancient Rome and the symbolic centre of an Empire stretching to Greece, Sicily and Carthage. Fire, barbarians and pillaging builders in medieval and Renaissance times contributed to the Forum’s present state of disrepair, but the Forum was only revealed during the excavation work of the 19th century. A bird’s-eye view is gained from behind Piazza del Campidoglio, while a closer look can be had from along Via Sacra, which runs through the heart of the Forum. Among the best preserved and most fascinating monuments are the AD203 triumphal Arch of Septimius Severus (built to celebrate victory over the Parthinians) and the remains of Caesar’s rostra, from where his great speeches were declaimed. Another stunning feature is the former atrium of the House of the Vestal Virgins and the adjacent Temple of Vesta, a circular building where the vestal virgins were entrusted in keeping the eternal flame alight. Just up from the Arch of Titus in the Forum is the Palatine where the palaces of the Roman emperors stood.
Piazza di Santa Maria Nova 53 (off Via dei Fori Imperiali)
Tel: (06) 699 0110 or 8205 9127.
Opening hours: Daily 0830-1915 (summer); daily 0830-1630 (winter), last entry one hour before closing time.
Free admission for Foro Romano; charge for Palatine and Palatine Museum. Ticket includes entry to the Colosseum (go here first to avoid long queues).
Mercati e Foro di Traiano (Trajan’s Forum and Trajan’s Markets)
Inaugurated in AD112-113, Trajan’s Forum was the last built and most impressive of the Fora. The complex contained a main square, a basilica and two libraries, and was completed by the markets of the same name, a sort of Roman, and remarkably well-preserved, equivalent of a shopping mall. The markets contained about 150 small shops spread over six storeys. Trajan’s column (which stands 38m/125ft high) is widely regarded as one of the greatest works of Roman art, and was probably located between the two libraries on a base containing the burial urns of the Emperor and his wife. Its beautifully carved reliefs tell the tale of Trajan’s war campaigns in Dacia (now Romania). On the top of the column stood a statue of the emperor. This was removed by Pope Sixtus V in 1585 and replaced with a statue of St Peter made to face the direction of the basilica dedicated to the saint that was being built at the time. The Imperial Fora (the forums of Caesar, August, Nerva and Vespasian) can be seen from the Via dei Fori Imperiali for free.
Via IV Novembre 94
Tel: (06) 679 0048.
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0900-1900 (summer); Tues-Sun 0900-1800 (winter), last entry one hour before closing time.
Admission charge. Please note: The site is currently being restored so until it reopens the entrance is at Piazza Madonna di Loreto and open Tues-Sun 0900-1400.
Colosseo (Colosseum)
Near to Via Sacra and the fourth-century Arco di Costantino (Arch of Constantine) lies the gigantic oval of the Colosseum - 186m (620ft) long, 153m (510ft) wide and about 47m (157ft) high. Emperor Vespasian began construction in AD72 and work was completed eight years later by his son Titus. It was the scene for entertainment that one can hardly comprehend - gladiatorial conquests between men, lions and wild beasts, with death guaranteed. The ‘games’ were finally outlawed in the fifth century. The stadium has been pillaged over the centuries and rocked by earthquakes. Today, only its skeletal framework remains, with the winding passages used to force animals up to the battlefield of the arena, formerly underground, now exposed.
Piazza del Colosseo
Tel: (06) 3996 7700.
Website: www.pierreci.it
Opening hours: Daily 0830-1915 (summer); daily 0830-1630 (winter), last entry one hour before closing time.
Admission charge (ticket also allows entry to the Palatine).
Pantheon
The best-preserved and most beautifully proportioned of Rome’s ancient monuments, the Pantheon has become an emblem of the city. Built by Hadrian between AD119 and AD128 as a temple to the gods, the Pantheon was converted to a Christian church in AD608 - the key to its miraculous survival. The radius of the dome is exactly equivalent to the height and a 9m (30ft) hole, known as the oculus, in the dome’s centre allows light (and rain) into the building. Statues of the deities would once have decorated the interior. Now the focal point of interest is the tomb of Raphael. Most astonishing of all are the large brass doors, which belonged to the original Roman building.
Piazza della Rotonda
Tel: (06) 6830 0230.
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0830-1930, Sun 0900-1800; public holidays 0900-1300.
Free admission.
Cappella Sistina & Musei Vaticani (Sistine Chapel & Vatican Museums)
An awe-inspiring glimpse of Michelangelo’s depiction of The Creation is worth the queues and crowds that go hand-in-hand with a visit to the Vatican City. Michelangelo grudgingly accepted Julius II’s commission to paint frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel - built as a private chapel of the popes between 1475 and 1480. Work began in May 1508, the frescoes were unveiled in August 1511, and completed in October 1512. Twenty-one years later, a reluctant Michelangelo painted the Last Judgement on the wall behind the altar, adding his own aged face below the figure of Christ. Pope Pius IV was scandalised by the display of nudity and the offending genitalia had to be concealed by hastily painted loincloths - most have been removed during restoration work. In fact, the latest restoration of the Old Testament scenes has caused great controversy. Although eclipsed by Michelangelo’s artistry, the Renaissance paintings that line the walls are fine works, created by the masters - including Michelangelo’s own teacher, Ghirlandaio.
The Vatican Museums alone could easily eat up a day or two of a trip to Rome. Highlights include the Stanze di Raffaello (Raphael’s Rooms), the Etruscan Museum (depicting Italy before the Romans) and the Pio-Clementino Museum - containing the world’s largest collection of Classical statues.
Viale Vaticano 100
Tel: (06) 6988 4947.
Website: www.vatican.va
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0845-1645 with last entry at 1520, Sat 0845-1345 with last entry at 1220 (Early Mar-Oct); Mon-Sat 0845-1345 with last entry at 1220 (Nov-early Mar); last Sun of month 0845-1345 with last entry at 1220.
Admission charge, free last Sun of the month.
Basilica di San Pietro (St Peter’s Basilica)
St Peter’s Basilica lies above a former shrine, which is said to mark the burial ground of the saint. Pope Julius II pulled down the original structure (despite its venerable age of 1,000 years) in 1506 (with his architect Bramante in tow) in order to build a shiny new basilica. Construction lasted 120 years, during which time a team of architects and artists (including Alberti, Bramante, Raphael, Peruzzi, Sangallo the Younger and Michelangelo) struggled over this enormous edifice. Michelangelo was responsible for the huge dome and supporting drum but died in 1564, before work was finally completed in 1590. The basilica’s interior is an unashamed display of the power of the Church. Amid the grandeur (in the first chapel on the right) lies Michelangelo’s Pietà (1498/9). Arnolfo da Cambio’s bronze statue of St Peter (1296), in the central aisle, has become famed for its foot worn to a nub by pilgrims’ kisses. Bernini’s Throne of St Peter (1665), above the papal altar (made with bronze purloined from the Pantheon on the Pope’s orders) dominates the far end of the nave. Optional extras include a trip (via lift or stairs) into the dome, the Vatican Gardens (pre-booked guided tours only), and the Vatican Grottoes, containing papal tombs (opening hours are the same as those for the basilica, and admission is free). Access to the Necropolis below the grottoes (the legendary site of St Peter’s remains) is allowed with written permission only.
Piazza San Pietro
Tel: (06) 6988 1662.
Opening hours: Daily 0700-1900 (Apr-Oct); daily 0700-1800 (Nov-Mar).
Free admission.
St Peter’s Dome
Opening hours: Daily 0800-1800 (summer); daily 0800-1700 (winter), last entry 15 minutes before closing time.
Admission charge.
Necropolis
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700. Only small, pre-arranged groups may enter. Applications should be made in writing to the Ufficio Scavi, Fabbrica di San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano (tel: (06) 6988 5318) several days prior to visit.
Admission charge.
Vatican Gardens/Vatican Guided Tours Office
Tel: (06) 6988 4676.
Organised tours take place on Thur and Sat at 1100 from Mar-Oct and Sat at 1100 from Nov-Feb and can be booked several days in advance.
Admission charge.
Musei Capitolini (Capitoline Museums)
The oldest public collection in the world, the Capitoline Museums are made up of two separate buildings: the Palazzo dei Conservatori houses ancient and baroque sculptures by the likes of Gianlorenzo Bernini on the first floor (and a newly built section displays to great effect the original of the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, a copy of which stands in the middle of the Piazza del Campidoglio) and Renaissance and baroque art by Titian, Tintoretto and Caravaggio on the second floor; the Palazzo Nuovo houses the country’s most important collection of Roman sculpture. Entry is through the Palazzo dei Conservatori.
Piazza del Campidoglio 1
Tel: (06) 8205 9127. Website: www.museicapitolini.org
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0900-2000, last entry at 1900.
Admission charge.
Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain)
A string of legends surround the Trevi Fountain, which is situated amid the labyrinthine streets off Via del Tritone. It is said that a virgin came across a three-way (tre-vie) spring, causing the original fountain to be built. More recently, the far-from-virginal Anita Ekberg immortalised the fountain in the famous scene of Fellini’s La Dolce Vita (1959). According to myth, a coin cast in these waters will ensure a return visit to Rome. The baroque extravaganza was designed by Nicolò Salvi for Pope Clement XII and completed in 1762. The statues (representing Abundance, Agrippa, Salubrity, the Virgin and Neptune guiding a chariot drawn by sea horses) appear as a cast of characters performing a melodrama, with a Renaissance palace for their backdrop and craggy rocks in the foreground. Try and come here early in the morning or late at night to avoid the ubiquitous throngs of tourists.
Piazza di Trevi
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Free admission.
The Spanish Steps and Keats-Shelley Memorial House
The Piazza di Spagna district is little changed from 18th-century prints depicting the area - and is still dominated by the elegant double steps known as the Spanish Steps. These were designed in 1723-26 by Francesco de Sanctis to link Via del Babuino with Via Felice - the first great street planned by Sixtus V (1585-90). Reminiscent of the grand ascent to the Sacré Coeur in Paris, the steps lead up to the 16th-century Trinità dei Monti. From here, spectacular views over the city rooftops more than warrant the steep climb. The Spanish Steps acquired their name from the neighbouring Spanish embassy but the area is more intimately associated with England - even becoming known to the rather provincial Romans as er ghetto de l’Inglesi (English Ghetto). The tourists on the Grand Tour of the 18th and 19th centuries (including Keats, Shelley, Byron and the Brownings) helped to establish the district’s reputation as a cosmopolitan artistic quarter. At the foot of the steps lies the boat-shaped Barcaccia fountain, designed in 1627 by Bernini. To the right stands the modest Keats-Shelley Memorial House, where 25-year-old John Keats died of tuberculosis in 1821. Exhibits include pictures and prints, private letters, an urn bearing Shelley’s ashes and a lock of Keats’ tawny red hair. It is essential to book in advance.
Keats-Shelley Memorial House
Piazza di Spagna 26
Tel: (06) 678 4235.
Website: www.keats-shelley-house.org
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1300 and 1500-1800, Sat 1100-1400 and 1500-1800.
Admission charge.
Piazza Navona
This dramatic piazza, lined with cafés and restaurants, lies at the heart of the centro storico (historic centre). Its oval shape follows the form of the former stadium, built in AD86 by Emperor Domitian. During the Renaissance, the site was flooded to stage mock naval battles. The piazza gained its current form in the mid-17th century, when Pope Innocent X commissioned Borromini to design the Church of Sant’Agnese. In front of the church Bernini built the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers), adorned with powerful figures representing the four great rivers (the Nile, the Danube, the Ganges and the Rio de la Plata or River Plate) which in turn represented the four areas of the world known in Borromini’s time (Africa, Europe, Asia and America respectively).
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Free admission.
Villa & Galleria Borghese
Just to the east of the Spanish Steps lies green relief from sightseeing - the sculpture-scattered gardens landscaped in the 17th century for Cardinal Scipione Borghese (nephew of Pope Paul V). This area includes the city zoo (website: www.bioparco.it), Piazza di Siena horse-jumping arena, mock ancient temples, imitation medieval castles and an artificial lake. The pull of culture will definitely be strong enough to lure the resting visitor into the Casino Borghese, a treasure trove of sculpture and antiquities, the Museo Nazionale Etrusco (National Etruscan Museum) in nearby Villa Giulia, with its remarkable sarcophagus of the reclining ‘Bride and Bridegroom’ from Cerveteri, or the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna (National Gallery of Modern Art) featuring Italian art of the 19th and 20th centuries housed in a massive neo-classical palazzo built in 1912. Lesser-known venues that are still of great interest include the modern art museum Carlo Bilotti (website: www.museocarlobilotti.it); a delightful and minute children’s cinema Cinema dei Piccoli (website: www.cinemadeipiccoli.it); the Casa del Cinema (website: www.casadelcinema.it); the Silvano Toti Globe Theatre (website: www.globetheatreroma.com), which puts on plays in summer and features some original-language productions; a puppet theatre and ludoteca (games centre). A new pass, called Villa Borghese Card, offers reductions and free entrance to special events in this multi-faceted park. However, the Galleria Borghese (home to Bernini’s most famous work, Apollo and Daphne) should be seen first (ticket reservation is obligatory and visitors are only admitted every two hours).
Website: www.villaborghese.itGalleria Borghese
Piazzale del Museo Borghese 5
Tel: (06) 328 101.
Website: www.galleriaborghese.it
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0900-1930, last entry at 1700.
Admission charge.
Villa Giulia
Piazzale di Villa Giulia 9
Tel: (06) 320 0562.
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0830-1930, last entry at 1830.
Admission charge.
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Galleria Doria Pamphilj
A British voice with a cut-glass accent issuing from the hand-held free audio guide leads visitors through the picture-clogged rooms, lavish furnishings and ageing sculptures - in short, the excessive wealth of the powerful Doria Pamphilj family, a pillar of Rome’s papal aristocracy. Jonathan Doria Pamphilj, the half-British sibling and heir, along with his sister, of the Doria Pamphilj fortunes is a modern-day prince and recalls childhood memories of rollerskating along the parquet floor of the 18th-century ballroom - tiny indentations prove the truth of his tale. The rambling palace is still occupied and a number of the private apartments are open to the public (mornings only) for a small additional fee. Works by Correggio, Caravaggio, Titian and Velázquez are on show here, as well as some amusing pieces by lesser-known artists.
Piazza del Collegio Romano 2
Tel: (06) 679 7323.
Website: www.doriapamphilj.it
Opening hours: Fri-Wed 1000-1700; last entry at 1615.
Admission charge.
Campo de’ Fiori
From Monday to Saturday, each day at dawn, stall holders at Rome’s best-known and most picturesque fruit and vegetable market set up their wares at Campo de’ Fiori. This down-to-earth square (surrounded by tumbledown orange-ochre facades and the only main piazza in Rome that does not contain a church) is a far cry from the more grandiose piazzas of the centro storico (historic centre). Here one encounters the friendliness and spontaneity for which Romans are so renowned. Come sunset, some of the city’s liveliest and most authentic wine bars and trattorie spill their tables out onto the cobbles, as locals and visitors, famous actors and ordinary office workers alike flock here to eat and drink below the stars.
Campo de’ Fiori
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 0700-1300 for the market.
Free admission.
Centrale Montemartini (Montemartini Art Centre)
One of Rome’s most intriguing and memorable museums, the Centrale Montemartini displays 400 pieces of Roman sculpture from the Capitoline collection of ancient sculpture among the gleaming machinery and furnaces of a former electricity power plant. Initially intended as a stop-gap solution during renovations on the Capitoline Museums, its popularity has ensured it a place on the Roman museum scene.
Via Ostiense 106
Tel: (06) 8205 9127.
Website: www.centralemontemartini.org
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0900-1900, last entry at 1800.
Admission charge.
MACRO (Museo d’Arte Contemporanea di Roma)
Rome’s municipal museum of modern and contemporary art is located not far from Piazza Fiume north of the city centre in a converted former Peroni brewery. The venue is being expanded to cover 10,000sq m (107,639 sq ft) under a project by French architect Odile Decq, which foresees the creation of a vast rooftop area-cum-garden housing a café and terrace by the end of 2007. The venue pulls in big international names as well as young and local artists. Some shows are also displayed at another venue in the former slaughterhouse in Testaccio.
Via Reggio Emilia 54
Tel: (06) 671 070 400.
Website: www.macro.roma.museum
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0900-1900.
Admission charge.
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