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Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, Rome

Archaeological Site

Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

Rome · Lazio

QUICK INFORMATION

CATEGORY
Archaeological Site
COUNTRY
Italy
REGION
Rome · Lazio
DURATION
3 days

ABOUT THIS ATTRACTION

The Roman Forum was the centre of public life in ancient Rome — the marketplace, the law courts, the Senate house and the temples around which the republic and empire were governed. Today it is a sprawling field of broken columns, reconstructed arches and temple foundations stretching between the Capitoline and Palatine hills, with the Via Sacra — the sacred way — running through it. The Palatine Hill above, where Romulus is said to have founded the city, holds the ruins of the imperial palaces and gives the best overview of the whole site.

HISTORY & BACKGROUND

The story behind it

The Forum began as a marshy burial ground between the hills and was drained in the 7th century BC by the Cloaca Maxima, the great sewer that still runs beneath it. Over centuries it filled with temples, basilicas and commemorative monuments — the Temple of Saturn, the House of the Vestals, the Basilica of Maxentius — until it was the densest civic space in the empire. After Rome’s fall the Forum was abandoned, silted up and used as pastureland nicknamed the Campo Vaccino, the cow field, until systematic excavation began in the 19th century.

WHAT TO SEE

What to see here

01

The Via Sacra — the main street of ancient Rome, running from the Arch of Titus past the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina to the Temple of Saturn.

02

The Arch of Titus — a 1st-century triumphal arch showing the spoils of Jerusalem being carried in triumph.

03

The Curia — the restored Senate house where the Roman republic was governed.

04

The Palatine Hill — the imperial palaces of Augustus, Tiberius and Domitian, and the Hut of Romulus, with panoramic views over the Forum and Circus Maximus.

WHY IT MATTERS

Why it matters

If the Colosseum shows how Rome entertained itself, the Forum shows how it ruled. This was the seat of the Senate, the courts and the temples of the state religion — the room, in effect, in which the western world was administered for centuries. Walking the Via Sacra past the same temples that Cicero and Caesar walked past is the closest most travellers come to standing inside the Roman world rather than looking at it.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Before you go

Tickets
Entry is on the same combined ticket as the Colosseum. The Palatine entrance on Via di San Gregorio often has the shortest queues and is a good place to start.
Access
The site is large, uneven and largely unshaded — wear sturdy shoes and bring water, especially in summer.
Best Time
Early morning or late afternoon; the Palatine views are best in the last hour before closing.
Context
The Forum and Palatine sit directly west of the Colosseum; the Capitoline Hill and the Vittoriano are a short walk beyond.

MAP & LOCATION

Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, Rome, Lazio, Italy

41.8925, 12.4853

Open in OpenStreetMap

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THINGS TO DO

Things to do nearby

01

Walk the historic centre from the Pantheon to Piazza Navona

02

Cross the Tiber to Trastevere at dusk

03

Explore the Appian Way and the catacombs

FOOD & DRINK

Where to eat nearby

01

Roscioli — a celebrated salumeria and trattoria near Campo de’ Fiori, Roman pastas and a peerless cheese counter

02

Armando al Pantheon — classic Roman cooking a stone’s throw from the Pantheon, book ahead

03

Da Enzo al 29 — the most loved of Trastevere’s honest trattorias, no-fuss carbonara and saltimbocca

04

Pizzarium — Gabriele Bonci’s by-the-slice pizza al taglio near the Vatican, arguably Rome’s best

05

Two Sizes — thin Roman-style pizza by the slice, eaten standing, near the Spanish Steps

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HOTELS & STAYS

Where to stay nearby

01

Hotel Locarno — a Liberty-style hotel near Piazza del Popolo, with a leafy courtyard and a rooftop

02

Hotel Raphael — a boutique hotel off Piazza Navona with a rooftop terrace over the rooftops

03

The Fifteen Keys Hotel — a small design hotel in Monti, a quiet base within walking distance of the Forum

04

Generator Rome — a stylish hostel near Termini, good value for a central stay

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NEARBY DESTINATIONS

Continue the journey

Tivoli

Tivoli

Lazio

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Campania

Florence

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INTERESTS

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History

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