Campidoglio, Vittoriano, Zona Archeologica, Colosseo e Arco di Costantino
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The Capitol, the Victorian Archaeological Area, the Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine
From Via delle Fornaci take the bus 64 to Piazza Venezia. Here starts the second part of the itinerary: behind the square the hill of...
1. CAMPIDOGLIO
Since the early days of Rome, the hill has accomodated the offices of the power of the city and has been scene of solemn public celebrations. The square, designed by Michelangelo, is surrounded by three palaces: the central Senatorial Palace, seat of the municipal offices, and the two side ones, Palace of the Conservatives and the New Palace, which preserve the beautiful treasures of the Capitoline Museums; there are more than 200 paintings from the 14th to the 18th century kept in the Pinacoteca by extraordinary painters such as Titian, Pietro da Cortona, Caravaggio, Guercino, Rubens, and many others. The symbol of the square is a copy of the bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius; the original is in the adjacent museums.
2. IL VITTORIANO
A new passageway connects Piazza del Campidoglio to the Victorian terrace from which you can enjoy a breathtaking 360 degree view over the city. The Victorian, or Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of Italy, is entirely accessible both in its external and internal spaces, where the Sanctuary of the Flags, Museum of the Risorgimento are located, and admission is free. The monument was inaugurated in 1911, in occasion of the 15th anniversary of the unification of Italy and since 1921 it conserves the remains of the Unknown Soldier. We continue on Via dei Fori Imperiali, where we find:
3. LA ZONA ARCHEOLOGICA
It is the most important archaeological area of Rome, which extends from the Capitol to the Palatine; from the early 7th century BC, this area was the center of political, trade and religious activities. The forums of Caesar, Augustus, Nerva, Vespasian and Trajan, the most impressive and of which we can still admire the Column and Markets, were added to the Roman Forum. Not to be missed are the visits to the ruins of Nero's Domus Aurea, the Arch of Constantine and the Palatine Hill: the site of the first Roman settlement.
There are limitations to tours of the Domus Aurea,:
Reservations are compulsory for tours in Italian and English.
Tours are possible from Tuesday to Friday, from 10.00am to 4.00pm. For reservations and information call: 06 39967700
4. e 5. IL COLOSSEO Con l’ ARCO DI COSTANTINO
This name was given because a colossal statue of bronze more than 35 meters high, representing the Emperor Nero was located in its vicinity. Symbol of Rome worldwide, the Colosseum was built by the emperors of the Flavian dynasty between 72-80 A.D. The Colosseum could accomodate more than 70,000 spectators who would watch the combat between gladiators, the hunting of wild animals and, in the early days, the naumachie (naval combat): the arena was flooded and turned into an artificial lake. In the Middle Ages it was transformed into fortress and then, stripped of its structures, it became a quarry for building materials and center of hospitals, fraternities and craft guilds. In the middle of the 18th century the pillages and the devastation stopped, and the Colosseum was decreed as a sacred place by Pope Benedict XIV.
Tip: In order to avoid long lines at the entrance, we recommend that you purchase tickets near the sales point at the Palatine in Via di San Gregorio or near the Arch of Tito.
A panoramic trip can be made on the many double decker buses that stop at many points in the city center. It is a pleasant way to feel the essence of the Rome’s eternity: the historical continuity between past and present in an urban context, where monuments and buildings constructed in different historical ages coexist and live side by side.