Ara Pacis Augustae
Via di Repetta
06-710-3569
Tues-Sat. 9-1:30 Sunday 9-1 (April-Sept. also open Tues and Sat. 4-7)
Admission charged.
Altar of peace - one of the great works of Roman sculpture - was commissioned in 13 BC by the emperor Augustus to celebrate his victories in Spain and Gaul. It was reconstructed here in 1938. 

Arch of Constantine
Piazza del Collesseo
Triumphal arch decorated with fragments from older Roman monuments, erected in AD 315 in honor of Constantine's victory over Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge. At this battle in the year 312 Constantine is said to have seen a cross in the sky, bringing about his conversion to Christianity. The relief work on the inside of the arch depicts the emperor Trajan's victory over the Dacians in the 2nd century.

Baths of Caracalla
52 Viale di Terme di Caracalla
06575-8626
Bus 90,93
Tues.-Sat. 9-6(Oct.-Mar.until 3); Sunday and Monday 9-1
Admission charged.
The baths were begun in the year 206 and completed by Caracalla in 217. The vast expanse of ruins of the massive bath complex contained large numbers of masterpieces of sculpture. The baths must have been exceptionally luxurious. They were in use into the early middle ages. The remains were unearthed in the Middle Ages.

Baths of Diocletian
Piazza della Repubblica
Bus 57,65,75,170,492.
Metro: Repubblica, Termini
A visit to the museum on the site will give an idea of the interior of the Roman baths. The Terme Di Diocleziano (Baths of Diocletian) were constructed in the 4th century and were the largest of the ancient Roman baths. Originally the baths could accommodate over 3000 people. The shape of an attached stadium can still be made out in the curve of the two 19th century buildings built on the site that now form the southwestern perimeter of the Piazza della Repubblica. Sections of the former baths now house the Museum Nazionale Romano and the church of Sta Maria degli Angeli which was designed by Michelangelo.

Bocca della Verità (Mouth of Truth)
Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin
Piazza Bocca della Verità
In the porch of this church on the south side is a weather beaten stone face used as a drain cover in ancient Rome. According to legend, the mouth was believed to close on the hand of anyone bearing false witness, particularly women accused of adultery. The offender's hand would be withdrawn with severed fingers according to the legend (Viewers of the film Roman Holiday will remember the scene in which Gregory Peck alarmed Audrey Hepburn by inserting his arm in the mouth and quickly withdrawing it with his hand concealed in his sleeve.)

Borghese Gallery
Villa Borghese
06-854-8577
Bus 52,53,910 (to Via Pinciana),3,4,57 (to Via Po)
Tues.-Sat. 9-7 (Oct.-April 9-2) Sunday 9-1.
Due to the large number of visitors it is advisable to make a reservation:
call 39- 063-2810 (Mon-Fri; 9.30am-6pm).
Admission charged
Reservations can also be made directly at the ticket office one day in advance by going to the Galleria Borghese early in the morning (around 8.30-9am) to try to buy a ticket. If they are all sold, ask to be placed on the waiting list for the day. Try also to be there one hour before entrance times (which are: 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm). It may be possible to be among the first in the waiting list of the hour.
The Borghese Gallery hosts one of the most important collections in the world, particularly of art of the classical and baroque periods. The opulent lower floor contains the sculpture. The paintings are on the upper floor (galleria).
The gallery is housed in the summer house (or casino) of the Villa Borghese built by Cardinal Scipione Borghese. The nephew of Pope Paul V, he pursued his love of art ruthlessly, even stealing paintings. One example of his tactics is that he had Raphael's painting, Deposition, removed from the wall of the Baglioni family chapel late at night. Many of his paintings and sculptures were sold before the state purchased the collection in 1902. What remains is spectacular! There is a room of Caravaggios as well as works by Titian, Rubens, Bassano, Dossi, Antonello da Messina, Pinturicchio and Domenichino. The sculptures include pieces by Bernini and Canova.

Villa Borghese Botanical Gardens
(Adjacent to the museum )
Open daily 9am-dusk
Large gardens on the slopes of the Janiculum, famous for its palms and yuccas and collection of orchids. Public gardens and park, including the Lake Garden, where boats may be rented and the Zoo. There is also an aviary and an enormous racetrack. The park was altered in the 18th century to resemble English parkland and given to the public in 1902.

Vatican City (Città del Vaticano)
By the Lateran Pact of 1929, Vatican City was established as the smallest independent sovereign state in the world. It has its own government, its own statutes and its own head of state - the Pope. It covers just a few acres of land, but it holds within its boundaries the residence of the Pope; the site of St Peter's Basilica; the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel.

Saint Peter's Basilica
Piazza San Pietro
Basilica open daily 7am-7pm. (From within the Basilica it is possible to visit the following sites: 1) Treasury - open 9-6 (Oct.-March 9-5). Admission charged.
2) The Vatican grottoes 1-6 (Oct.-March 7-5)
3) The Dome 8-6 (Oct.-March 8-4:30) Admission charged.
Bus 64
The largest Basilica in the world was begun in 1506 when Pope Julius II commissioned Bramante to build a new St. Peter's to replace the basilica of Constantine which had been consecrated in 326. The plan of the building was based by Bramante on the design of the ancient Roman baths which were laid out in the form of a Greek cross. Bramante died in 1514, and it was not until 1547 that Michelangelo took over the project. He simplified Bramante's plan and increased the scale. He introduced giant Corinthian pilasters around the exterior. When Michelangelo died in 1564 much of the apse, the transepts and nave had been completed. His student, Giacomo della Porta, erected the dome in 1590 following Michelangelo's design. The dome soars over the tomb of St. Peter. Beneath the dome and forming the focus of the nave is Bernini's Baldacchino whose columns were cast from bronze stripped from the roof of the Pantheon. Bernini was responsible for much of the decoration inside the basilica. His masterpiece, Cathedra, is located behind the main altar.
Michelangelo's Pieta stands in the first chapel to the right of the entrance. The sculptor was only 24 years of age when he completed it.

Vatican Museums
Entrance: Viale Vaticano
06-6988-3332
Mon-Fri. 9-5 Sat. 9-2 (Oct.-June Mon-Sat. 9-2) Last Sun.of the month 9-5 (Oct-June 9-2)
Ticket office closes 1 hour before closing time.
If you hope to visit the Sistine Chapel and/or the Stanze di Raffello, plan to arrive early as they are very crowded. Both are a 20-30 minute walk from the museum entrance.
Admission charged except for last Sunday of the month.
Bus 64 to Piazza San Pietro 28,81,492 to Piazza del Risorgimento. Metro: Ottaviano
The Vatican museums are famous for their collections of Greek and Roman sculpture. The museum complex is housed in the papal palace built during the Renaissance for Pope Sixtus IV, Innocent VII and Julius II. Bramante designed part of it, and additions were added in the 18th century. The complex also houses the Capella Sistina (Sistine Chapel) with Michelangelo's ceiling and Last Judgment and the Stanze di Raffaello (Raphael Rooms) - a series of rooms frescoed by Raphael. Renaissance artworks as well as Egyptian, Etruscan, Ethnological museums are included in the itinerary.
The following are the museums housed in the Vatican complex:
1) Museo Gregoriano Egizio featuring the Egyptian collection.
2) Museo Chiaramonti and Museo Pioclemintino contain the Vatican's collection of classical sculpture.
3) Museo Gregoriano - Etrusco which contains 18 rooms of Etruscan artifacts and Greek sculpture.
4) Salla della Biga contains the remains of a 1st century BC two horsed chariot.
5) Galleria del Candelabri is the first of three galleries built by Bramante to link different areas of the palace. It contains marble statuary and a pair of marble candlesticks from the imperial era of ancient Rome.
6) Galleria Gegli Arazzi takes its name from the tapestries displayed there. Ten 16th century Belgian tapestries illustrate stories from the life of Christ.
7) Galleria Delle Carte Geografiche or Map Gallery has 40 painted wall panels depicting regions of Italy in the 16th century.
8) Galleria di Pio V. Pope Pius V's gallery contains tapestries from Tournai illustrating the Baptism and Passion of Christ.
9) Sala della Concezione is a room decorated with frescoes related to Pope Pius IX's proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854. It also contains Michelangelo's model for the dome of St. Peter's.
10) Stanze di Raffaello are the rooms which Pope Julius II commissioned Raphael to redecorate for his private use in 1509. The aging Rafael died before the decoration was completed, but left behind a remarkable legacy. The frescoes were completed by other Renaissance masters.
11) Apartmento Borgia recalls some dark days of the papacy , yet is beautifully decorated. 12) Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana contains a small part of the acclaimed Vatican library. Among manuscripts displayed are some written by St. Thomas Aquinas and Michelangelo.
13) Collezione di Arte Religiosa Moderna is composed of 55 rooms in which are contained some 800 works of recent religious art.
14) Capella Sistina (Sistine Chapel) The chapel was named for Pope Sixtus IV and was built in 1475-1480. Frescoes adorn the walls and make the visit to it an unforgettable experience. It also contains an amazing collection of Renaissance paintings. The ceiling which Michelangelo painted while lying flat on his back on a scaffold over a period of four years has been called a "wonder of the world." It contains scenes from the Old Testament. The ceiling was cleaned and restored recently.
15) Pinacoteca is the Vatican's picture gallery containing 18 rooms. Rafael, Leonardo da Vinci, Bellini, Caravaggio, Thomas Lawrence, Poussin, Guilio Romano, Van Dyck and Veronese are among the artists whose works are presented.
16) Museo Gregoriano Profano contains profane or pagan art mainly in the form of sculpture, both Greek and Roman. There are also Roman copies of Greek originals.
17) Museo Pio Cristano traces the history of Christianity through sarcophagi and excavations from the catacombs.
18) Museo Missionario Etnologico is in the basement and contains a huge collection of artifacts from other religions and cults. It also holds examples of Christian art from countries with Christian missions.
19) Museo Storico contains papal carriages, flags, banners, etc.

Protestante Cimitero (Protestant Cemetery)
6 Via Caio Cestio
06-574-1141
Summer: 8-noon and 3:30-5:30 closed Wednesdays
Winter: 8-noon and 2:30-4:30 closed Wednesdays
Bus: 11,23,27,57,94,95. Metro: Piramide
Famous graves include those of the Romantic poets Keats and Shelley, as well as that of Antonio Gramsci, the founder of the Italian Communist Party and 4000 other non Catholic Italians. From the cemetery one has a good view of the Pyramid of Caius Cestius, a vast stone tomb constructed in 12BC for an otherwise unknown Roman.

Piazza del Campidoglio
Bus 44,46,56,60,64,65,70,75
This square is the focus of the Capitolino (Capitoline Hill) and is the symbolic heart of the city. The site was in a total state of decay when Pope Paul III commissioned Michelangelo to rebuild it in the 1500's as Rome needed an impressive space in which to receive Emperor Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor who was due to visit in 1536. Michelangelo planned an oval pattern inscribed into the pavement around the base of the statue of Marcus Aurelius, whose hand is outstretched to welcome spectators. The Palazzo Senatorio, behind the statue, was to be restored. On either side were to be the restored Palazzo dei Conservatori and a new building, the Palazzo Nuovo, designed to mirror the Palazzo dei Conservatori. The entire work was completed a century later and is indeed remarkable. The statue of Marcus Aurelius has been moved inside for preservation and renovation work, but everything else is as designed by the Master.

Musei Capitolini (Capitolino Museum) and Picture Gallery
Piazza del Campidoglio
06-6710-2071
Tues.-Sat. 9-1:30 and 5-8 Sunday 9-1 (April to Sept.: Sat. 8am-11pm)
Oct.-March: Saturday 5-8. Closed Monday year round.
Admission charged. One ticket covers both parts of the museum.
Free on the last Sunday of the month.
Bus 44,94,710,718, 719.
Classical sculpture and busts, many excavated from the emperor Hadrian's villa at Tivoli. Famous works include the Etruscan she-wolf in bronze. The figures of Romulus and Remus were added to it in 1498. The wolf statue has been in the same location for centuries. It was damaged by lightening in 65 BC. and the Dying Gaul. In the picture gallery paintings by Veronese, Caravaggio and Pietro da Cortona are displayed.

EUR
Bus: 93,97,197,293,493,765. Metro: EUR Fermi; EUR Palasport
This vast complex was built in the 1930's as part of Mussolini's grand design that was to greatly enlarge Rome and create in it predominately modern skylines of skyscrapers and large buildings. Most of this strange plan which featured a stark type of Fascist architecture was fortunately never carried out. After World War II damage to the complex caused by occupying armies and refugees was repaired. Later, in 1960, the complex was used for the 1960 Olympics.

Museo della Civiltà Romana (Museum of Roman Culture)
Piazza G Agnelli, EUR
Tues.-Sat. 9-1 Sunday: 9-1 also Tues. and Thurs. 4-7pm.
Admission charged.
Bus: 93,97,197,293,493,765. Metro: EUR Fermi; EUR Palasport
The museum is housed in the Palazzo della Civilta del Lavoro at EUR. It traces the history of the city its beginnings to the age of Justinian using models including a scale model of Rome at the time of Constantine. The latter includes every detail of all that was contained within the walls of Rome at that time.

Museo Nazionale delle Arti e Tradizioni Popolari (Museum of Folklore)
10 Piazza Marconi, EUR
06-592-6148
Mon.-Sat. 9-2 Sunday 9-1
Admission charged.
Bus 93, 97, 197, 293, 493, 765 Metro: EUR Fermi; EUR Palasport
Featuring scenes of daily Roman life down the centuries, the museum also displays costumes, folk art, agriculture and old musical instruments.

Keats and Shelley Memorial House
Piazza di Spagna
06-678-4235
Mon.-Fri. 9-1 and 3-6 (Oct. to March: 2:30-5:30)
Admission charged.
Bus: 119. Metro: Spagna
Established in 1909, this small museum contains many mementos, drawings, photos, prints and other documents related to Keats and Shelley. Upstairs is the small room where Keats died in 1821 at age 25.

Museum of the Walls
18 Via di Porta San Sebastino
06-7047-5284
Tues.-Sat. 9-1:30
Sunday 9-1 (April - Sept. Tues.,Thurs.,Sat. 4-7pm)
Admission charged.
Bus118.
The museum is located "on the spot" within the medieval towers of the Porta San Sebastiano. Contains prints and models of the Roman fortifications, that give the history of then Aurelian walls and the Via Appia Antica. There are prints and models and an actual view of what is described.

Musem of the Palace of Venice (Palazzo Venezia)
118 Via del Plebiscito
06-679-8865
Mon.-Sat. 9-7:30 (summer) Sun. 9-1
Tues.-Sat. 9-2 (winter) Sun. 9-1
Admission charged.
Bus 56,60,64,70,75
Museum of medieval art, early paintings from the Renaissance era, tapestries, weapons, bronzes, jewelry, silver and Neopolitan crib figures. Sculpture by Bernini is featured as well. The Palace of Venice was the headquarters of Benito Mussolini, and his speeches to the gathered crowds were delivered from the first floor balcony. The palace had originally been built in 1467 for Cardinal Pietro Barbo (who later became Pope Paul II), and was the first great Renaissance palace in Rome. Pope Paul II was a patron of scholars and a collector of works of art, so it is fitting that this museum should be located in his former residence.

Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia (Etruscan Museum)
9 Pizzale di Villa Giulia
06-320-1951
Tues. and Thurs.-Sat. 9-7 (Oct.-March until 2)
Wednesday 9-7 Sunday 9-1
Admission charged.
Bus: 52,926,95,490
The best collection of Etruscan art and artifacts in Italy is exhibited in the suburban villa built in the mid 1500's for pope Julius III as a summer retreat. The beautiful villa and grounds were designed by Vignola, Vasari and others. Archeological finds from excavations in Lazio and Tuscany are displayed. When an Etruscan died, his most prized possessions were placed in the tomb. Hence, the spectacular displays of sarcophagi, jewelry, and objects formed from precious metals which are well preserved from their entombment prior to excavation. When the pope died in 1955, 160 boatloads of sculpture were sent to the Vatican museums.

Castel Sant'Angelo
Lungotevere Castello
06-687-5036
9-1 daily (winter 9-7 daily (summer) Sunday: 9-1 all year.
Admission charged.
Bus: 23,34,64,87,280 Metro: Lepanto
The building contains the ancient mausoleum of the emperor Hadrian (c.AD 130). The castle was converted into a papal fortress in the 6th century, and is linked by underground passages to the Vatican palaces. Several popes have felt the need to take advantage of the secret routes in times of threat. The mausoleum is now an interesting museum, and its evocative atmosphere is heightened by the knowledge that it was from here that Puccini's Tosca plunged to her death. Museo di Castel Sant'Angelo houses a collection of arms and armor from the ancient times to the Renaissance. There are four levels to explore after entering through Hadrian's tomb. At the base of the building is the chamber of the urns which housed the imperial ashes placed in the wall recesses. Near that is the 15th century San Marco prison where celebrity prisoners (such as Benvenuto Cellini and Cesare Borgia) were held in deplorable conditions. On the second level is the Courtyard of Honor with piles of cannon balls and the 16th century angel designed by Raffaello de Montelupo. A chapel partially designed by Michelangelo is also located there. The courtyard opens onto numerous rooms and apartments. The Hall of Justice and the Courtyard of Alexander VI are also on this level. On the third floor is the Loggia of Paul III and the castle's most elegant room: the council hall decorated with frescoes by del Vaga depicting scenes from the life of Alexander the Great and St. Paul. Beyond that is the Hall of the Library decorated with scenes from the life of Hadrian.

The Catacombs
There are 67 known Catacombs in Rome. These are underground cemeteries - the Christian (and some pagan) burial grounds for the first four centuries. The dead were placed on shelves cut into the walls of rock. The Roman authorities disapproved of the Christians, but their respect and fear of the dead was such that they would not disturb the catacombs, so much has survived. The catacombs contain some of the only surviving examples of early Christian art. In the 1840's Pope Gregory XVI took steps to preserve the catacombs and their treasures. Mass is celebrated in the catacombs and can be a poignant reminder of the early days when Christians hid in the catacombs to worship out of fear of retaliation by the Roman authorities.

Catacombs of Priscilla
430 Via Salaria
06-838-0408
Tues.-Sat. 8:30-noon and 2:30-5.
Admission is charged.
Bus: 56, 57, 319
The tomb of a Roman family, the Acilii, who owned much of the surrounding lands. One of the family members, Priscilla, was put to death on the orders of the Emperor Domitian. Many fine early Christian paintings are found here including the earliest known depictions of the Madonna and child and of the breaking of the bread at the last supper.

Catacombs of Saint Callixtus
110 Via Sappia
06-513-6725
Tues.-Thurs. 8:30-Noon and 2:30-5:30 (Oct.-March until 5pm)
Admission charged
Bus 118
Extensive underground galleries on five levels, contain the remains of over 170,000 people. Carved out of soft volcanic rock. This was the ancient burial place of the first popes. Their resting places were more elaborate than the stacked remains in tiers of rock. They either had separate tombs or entire underground chapels.

Catacombs of Saint Sebastian
136 Via Appia Antica
Fri.-Wed. 9-noon and 2:30-5:30
30 (Oct.-March until 5pm)
Admission charged
Bus 118
These catacombs began in the 1st century as a pagan cemetery. In later years it became a cemetery for Christian burial. St. Sebastian was buried here and the bodies of St. Peter and St. Paul are said to have been brought here for safe keeping. Inscriptions on the walls verify this. The 17th century church of the martyr San Sebastiano was built over the catacombs and occupies the site of a basilica dating from the reign of Constantine.

Carcere Mamertino (Mamertine Prison)
San Pietro in Carcere
06-6792-902
9-12:30 and 2:30-6 daily (April-September) 9-Noon and 2-5 (Oct.-March)
Donation expected.
The prison lies beneath the 16th century church of Giuseppe dei Falegami. It was here that St. Peter was imprisoned by Nero before his crucifixion in the year 67. The lower cell, the Tullianum, contains the column to which he was bound. The cell was the site of executions. Corpses were disposed of through a hole in the floor which led into the sewer.

Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps
Bus 119 Metro: Spagna
This busy meeting place of Romans and visitors was once a popular work site for artists and their models. The flight of 137 steps was built in the 18th century to connect the piazza with the church of Trinità dei Monti and the Pincio hill. They were paid for by the French ambassador in 1723. The Church of Trinita del Monti stands at the top of the steps, and the Piazza di Spagna is at the foot.

Circus Maximus
This grass covered chariot race track built by Julius Caesar had room in stands around it for 300,000 spectators. Dividing the track lengthwise with just enough room for the chariots to make the turn on each end, was the spina on which were an obelisk, statues, seven wooden eggs and seven dolphins. The chariots raced around the spina, and an egg was removed or the position of a dolphin changed each time a lap was completed. A race lasted no more than half an hour. Four charioteers, each with a team of two, four or ten horses competed over a 14 lap course. In its final days, the races took on a brutal and reckless character, as charioteers tried to cause each others chariots to crash. The Circus Maximus is now the center of a traffic circle.

Column of Marcus Aurelius (Colonna di Marco Aurelio)
This column was erected as a monument to Marcus Aurelius around the year 180 by his wife Faustina in honor of the emperor's victories in the Danube region.

Colosseum (Colosseo)
Piazza del Colosseo
06-700-4261
Mon.,Tues.,Thurs.-Sat. 9-7 (summer) to 3pm in winter. Wed. and Sun. 9-1 year round.
Admisison for upper tier only.
Bus: 11,27,81,85,87. Metro: Colosseo
This magnificent structure was originally lined with travertine, a local Roman limestone. Over the years it has been stripped off. What is left is a ruin. The original had 80 arched entrances/exits. One of these was used for the return of the triumphant gladiators from the arena. Another was named for the goddess of death and was used for the removal of corpses of defeated gladiators. Inside were three main areas: the pit, the arena and the auditorium. The pit was originally covered by the floor of the arena. In it were kept the prisoners and the wild animals with whom they would compete.
The arena was built by Emperor Vespasian in the year 72, on the site of a drained lake in the grounds of Nero's Golden palace. The colosseum could hold 55,000 spectators. The auditorium rose in tiers up to the highest point of the outer wall, over 150 feet above the ground. The tiers of seats were coordinated and designed by social class ranging from private box seats on the lowest level, to marble and finally to wood benches for the women and poor on the top gallery. In very wet or hot weather an awning was pulled over the auditorium and anchored.

Palatine Hill
During the Republic the Palatine Hill was a deluxe residential area, conveniently close to the Forum. Many important figures had houses here, including Cicero, Mark Antony and the emperor Augustus. Succeeding emperors continued to live on the hill until the emperor Domitian ordered a vast imperial residence to be constructed over the whole site, thus coining the term "palace" to indicate any abode where a sovereign lived and ruled.

Farnesiani Gardens (Orti Farnesiani)
In the Palatine area
06-699-0110
Mon.-Sat. 9-5 Sunday 9-Noon
Admission charged.
Bus: 11,27,81,85,87
Originally the site of the emperor Tiberius's palace, the Renaissance gardens preserve much of their original design. They were laid out c.1550 by Vignola for Cardinal Alessandro Farnese (1520-1589) grandson of Pope Paul III. Set with exotic plants, a maze, two aviaries and a casino, this was one of the first botanical gardens in Europe. Recent archeological explorations have changed its character, but it is still a pleasant place to walk or rest.

Hut of Romulus
Located in the Palatine area
Circular foundations of early Iron Age huts dating to the mid 8th century. Until the end of the 4th century it was believed that the dwelling of Rome's founder Romulus was located here. It is still believed that this was the site of the settlement founded by Romulus in 753 BC. Nearby was the Lupercal, the cave shrine of the she-wolf which suckled the abandoned twins Romulus and Remus.

House of Livia Located in the Palatine area
Livia was the third wife of the emperor Augustus (1st century BC), and it is said that this may be the house in which the empress continued to live after her husband's death. It is more likely that this house was an extension of the palace. The rooms around the dining area are elaborately decorated with frescoed wall-paintings in the second Pompeian style, depicting a variety of mythological scenes including Hermes and Io and Polyphemus and Galatea.

Roman Forum (Foro Romano)
06-06699-0110
Tues.-Sat. 9- one hour before dusk. Sun., Mon. 9-2
Bus 11, 27,81,85,87,186 Metro: Colesseo
The area known as the Forum is, in fact, only one of a number of imperial fora, or meeting places, to be found in Rome. Corresponding to the modern piazza or marketplace square, it was the center of the ancient city. Here every aspect of daily business was conducted from religious ceremonies to the buying and selling of vegetables. It was also from here that the Roman Empire was governed. It was to this place that Caesar's body was brought to lie in state after his murder on the Ides of March in 44 BC. It was from the imperial rostra platform that Mark Antony delivered his famous speech, beginning in Shakespeare's play, "Friends, Romans, Countrymen..." With the fall of the empire and the rise of Christianity many of the buildings were pillaged or used as quarries for ready building materials. By the 13th century the Forum had entirely disappeared under many feet of rubble and earth so that by the Renaissance the area was known as the "Campus Vaccinus" or "Cow Pasture". Systematic excavation only began in the 19th century.

Sacred Way (Via Sacra)
The oldest street in Rome and the most important road in the Forum. It was lined with sanctuaries and was used for state processions, such as imperial triumphs when a victorious general would ride along it to offer sacrifices at the Temple of Jupiter on the Capitol. The paving dates back to the time of Augustus.

Temple of Antoninus Pius and Faustina
(On the Via Sacra)
Built by the emperor Antoninus Pius in memory of his wife Faustina who died in AD 141. An inscription records rededication by the Senate of the building to him on his death in AD 161. The temple owes its fine state of preservation to the fact that in the 11th century the church of San Lorenzo in Miranda was built within the ancient temple.

Arch of Titus
(Located in the Forum Square)
Erected in AD 81 by the emperor Domitian in honor of his brother, Titus, this is Rome's oldest triumphal arch. It celebrates the victories of the emperors Vespasian and Titus in the Judaean War during which the Temple in Jerusalem was sacked and destroyed (AD 70). Two large bas reliefs inside the arch represent episodes of the imperial Triumph: on the left, the beginning of the procession with the spoils taken from the Temple, the silver trumpets and the seven-branched candelabrum; on the right, Titus rides in a chariot drawn by four horses led by the goddess Roma.

House of the Vestals
(Located in the forum area)
It was the task of the six Vestal Virgins to maintain a perpetual fire burning in the Temple. Should the Vestals ever allow this fire to become extinguished they would suffer dire punishments. Although the Vestals did not live a cloistered life and enjoyed enormous influence, their lives were the subject of the strictest rules. A Vestal who broke her oath of 30 years' chastity would be buried alive and her lover flogged to death. In 420 BC a Vestal Virgin named Postumia was charged with sexual promiscuity. She was innocent, but her casual demeanor seemed to justify suspicions. When she was finally acquitted she was warned to stop cracking jokes during religious ceremonies and to dress with more regard to sanctity and less to fashion. The Vestal Virgins finally disbanded in AD 394.

Trevi Fountain
Piazza Fontana di Trevi
Bus: 52,53,58,60,61,62,71.
The most famous of Rome's fountains is the work of Niccolo Salvi who started it in 1732, more than a century after the project was abandoned by Bernini. It was completed by Gianpaolo Pannini in 1762. The sea god Neptune and his tritons are shown in stormy and calm seas. A coin thrown over one's shoulder into the waters is believed to guarantee a return visit to Rome; a second coin is tossed to make a wish come true. The proceeds are collected daily and donated to charity.

Gallery of Modern Art
131 Viale delle Belle Arti
06-322-4152
Tues.-Sat. 9-7 Sunday and holidays 9-1 (Summer)
Tues.-Sat. 9-2 Sunday 9-1 (Rest of year)
Admission charged.
Tram: 19,19b
Italian masterpieces from the 19th and 20th centuries, are displayed, including works of Balla, Boccioni, De Chirico, Modigliani and Severini. Works by foreign artists include Cezanne, Degas, Van Gogh, Klee, Kandinsky, Jackson Pollock, Max Ernst amd Henry Moore.

Jewish Ghetto
Via Arenula - Teatro di Marcello
Synagogue at Lungotevere dei Cenci
06-687-5051
Mon.-Thurs. 9:30-2 and 3-5 Friday: 9-2 Sunday: 9-12:30 closed Sat.
Bus: 23,44,56,60,65,75
In the Middle Ages there were as many as 50,000 people of the Jewish faith in Rome. The ghetto was established in 1555 for the shameful purpose of confining Jewish people to one restricted area. Rome's Jews were suffering persecution during that time, and only 5000 remained. Pope Paul IV ordered that a high wall be erected around the area and that the residents be locked in at night. It was a dank, unhealthy place. On Sundays, until 1848, the Jews were forced to go into Sant'Angelo Church with the thought that they would convert to Christianity. When the Nazis occupied Rome in 1943 2000 Jews were sent to concentration camps. Only 15 of them survived. The Synagogue which was established in 1848 is still in use.

Galleria Doria Pamphili
1A Piazza del Collegio Romano
06-679-7323
Tues.,Fri,Sat, Sun. 10-1
Admission charged.
Bus: 56.60,85,90,95
The Palazzo Doria Pamphili which houses the museum is still owned and occupied by the Doria Pamphili family. The palace dates from 1435. Splendidly decorated state rooms and a grand Hall of Mirrors are open to the public. Camillo Pamphili, a cousin of Pope Innocent X, compiled most of the collection. Works by Raphael, Bronzino, Caravaggio, Pietro de Cortona, Claude, Titian, Longhi and Bernini are displayed, along with a collection of ancient Roman marbles, baroque furniture and Gobelin tapestries.

Pantheon
Piazza della Rotunda
06-6830-0230
April-Sept.: Mon.-Sat. 9-6:30 Sun. 9-1
Oct.-March: Mon.-Sat. 9-5 Sun. 9-1
No admission charged.
Bus: 119 to Piazza della Rotunda or 64,70,75 to Largo di Torre Argentina
Marcus Agrippa's Pantheon is one of the world's most sublime architectural creations: a perfectly proportioned floating dome resting on an elegant drum of columns and pediments. It is both massive and simple. The interior is breathtaking. The center oculus is 29 feet in diameter. It lets light and rain fall onto the marble pavement as one gazes heavenward through it.
The circular temple dedicated to"all the gods" was built in 27 BC, and rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian in 120 AD. In the Middle Ages it was transformed into the Christian Church of Sta. Maria and Martyres (the bones of the martyrs were brought there from the catacombs). .The temple has been consistently plundered and damaged over the years. It lost its beautiful gilded bronze roof tiles in Pope Gregory III's time. It contains the tombs of Raphael and Victor Emmanuel II.

Roman Bridges
1) Ponte Sant'Angelo Pedestrian bridge decorated with ten statues of angels with instruments of the Passion
2) Ponte Cestio: Roman bridge (c.46 BC) joining Trastevere with Tiber island.
3) Ponte Fabricio: Oldest Roman bridge (c.62 BC).
4) Ponte Sisto: Pedestrian bridge erected by Pope Sixtus IV for the jubilee in 1475.

Roman Gateways
1) Porta del Popolo: Designed by Bernini for the triumphal entry into Rome of Queen Christina of Sweden in 1655.
2) Porta Maggiore: Built by the emperor Claudius in AD 52 with archaeological remains including the Tomb of the Baker M. Virgilius Eurysaces with a frieze depicting the stages of bread-making.
3) Porta Pia: Gateway commissioned in 1561 by Pope Pius IV from Michelangelo.

Other Notable Churches in Rome
1) San Giovanni dei Fiorentini: Church of the Florentines designed by Sansovino and continued by Sangallo and della Porta.
2) Sant'Agnese fuori le Mura Paleochristian basilica with apse mosaics.
3) Santa Costanza Paleochristian mosaics on the barrel vault of the ambulatory.
4) San Stefano Rotondo Circular church decorated with frescoes depicting scenes of the early Christian martyrdom by Tempesta and Circignani.
5) Sant'Andrea al Quirinale Bernini's oval masterpiece (1658-70). Tomb of St Stanislaus Kostka.
6) Sant'Andrea della Valle Largest dome in Rome after St Peter's, paintings by Domenichino, tombs of Popes Pius II and III, the setting for the first act of Verdi's opera Tosca.
7) Sant'Ignazio Begun as the church of the Collegio Romano to celebrate the canonization of St Ignatius of Loyola. Andrea Pozzo's masterpiece of illusion across the ceiling of the nave and transept.
8) Church of Gesù Principal Jesuit church in Rome built by Vignola and Giacomo della Porta, vault fresco by Bacciccia and sumptuous tomb of St Ignatius.
9) Sant'Agnese in Agone Concave facade by Borromini for the church built on the site of the brothel in which St Agnes was exposed.
10) Santa Croce in Gerusalemme Traditionally founded by Constantine's mother St Helen to house relics of the True Cross, vault mosaic according to designs by Melozzo da Forlì (c.1480).
11) San Giovanni in Laterano The cathedral of Rome founded by Constantine and redesigned by Borromini (1646-49). Cloister (c.1222-32) and Baptistery (c.315-24).
12) Scala Santa and the Chapel of the Sancta Sanctorum Staircase, traditionally believed from the house of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem, leads to private chapel where the most sacred relics of the Church were kept in the Middle Ages.
13) San Gregorio Magno Medieval church redesigned for Scipione Borghese, to the left of the church three chapels of Santa Silvia, Sant'Andrea and Santa Barbara.
14) Santa Maria della Vittoria Rededicated after Catholic victory at the Battle of the White Mountain (1620), theatrical Cornaro Chapel designed by Bernini (1645) with the altarpiece of St Teresa in Ecstacy.
16) Santa Maria in Trastevere Probably the first church in Rome dedicated to the Virgin, remodeled in 1140. Apse mosaics, Romanesque campanile.
17) Santa Maria Maggiore Ancient Christian basilica remodeled down the centuries. Mosaics , tombs of Popes Sixtus V, Paul V, Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Tallest campanile in Rome.
18) Santa Maria in Aracoeli Franciscan church on the Capitoline Hill approached by a monumental staircase. Buffalini Chapel by Pinturicchio (c.1486).
19) San Pietro in Vincoli Originally built as a shrine for the chains of St Peter. Tomb of Julius II with Michelangelo's Moses.
20) Santa Sabina Early Christian basilica with monumental wooden doors. Cloister (1216-25).
21) Santa Susanna Remodelled late Mannerist interior with frescoes by Baldassare Croce (1595). This is the Roman church in which Masses are celebrated in English.
22) San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane Miniature masterpiece by Borromini built on an oval plan for the Trinitarian order.
23) San Clemente Two churches superimposed over early Imperial Roman streets, warehouses and Mithraeum. Lower church of Pope Gregory the Great with ruined decoration. Upper churc with the chapel of Saint Catherine with frescoes by Masolino da Panicale.
24) San Lorenzo fuori le Mura Final resting places of Saints Lawrence and Stephen. Triumphal arch mosaic.
25) San Pietro in Montorio Traditionally believed to have been the site of Peter's crucifixion on the Janiculum Hill. Borgherini chapel with frescoes by Sebastiano del Piombo according to designs by Michelangelo.
26) Sant'Agostino Paintings by Caravaggio (Madonna of Loreto), Guercino, Raphael (Isaiah). Tomb of Saint Monica, the mother of Saint Augustine.
27) San Luigi dei Francesi Contarini Chapel with paintings by Caravaggio (Life of St Matthew), chapel of Saint Barbara with frescoes by Domenichino.
28) Santa Maria del Popolo Early Renaissance church redesigned by Bernini for Pope Alexander VII. Cesarini Chapel (Caravaggio and Carracci), choir designed by Bramante with vault frescoes by Pinturicchio. Chigi Chapel designed by Raphael with later statues by Bernini.
29) Santa Maria in Cosmedin Medieval church with cosmatesque floor and campanile.
30) Santa Maria Sopra Minerva Gothic church of the Dominicans built on the ruins of a temple to Minerva. Michelangelo's Risen Christ, Carafa Chapel with frescoes by Filippino Lippi, tombs of Fra Angelico and St Catherine of Siena.
31) Santa Prassede 9th century church built on the site of the house where Peter is traditionally believed to have stayed in Rome, mosaics from 9th century in Chapel of San Zeno and apse.
32) SS Giovanni e Paolo 12th century convent built on the remains of the Temple of Claudius.
33) SS Nereo e Achilleo Built on the site of the Oratory of the Fasciola, the bandage that fell from Peter's ankles after his escape from the Mamertine prison. Frescoes by Pomerancio.
34) Saint Paul's Outside the Walls Largest church in Rome after St Peter's, destroyed by fire in 1823. Tomb of the Apostle, cloister.

Classical Music
Open air concerts are held throughout the summer in the Villa Giulia Gardens and in the Terme (Baths) di Caracalla. Summer newspaper listings will give dates and times.

Rome has 3 main auditoriums, each with its own resident orchestra or choir:
1. Academia di Santa Cecilia,(06-678-0742) which is the best known, moves to Villa Giulia during the summer
2. Auditorium del Foro Italico (06-3686-5625)
3. Teatro dell' Opera (06-4770-4664) for opera and ballet

Opera
Opera is performed at the Teatro dell'Opera during the November-June season and in the open air at the Baths of Caracalla during the summer.

Rock and Pop Music
Concerts are held in the Palazzo dello Sport 06-592-5107) in EUR, and also at Studio Olimpico (06-3685-7520) and Studio Flaminio. (06-3685-7520)

Theater
Teatro Argentina ( 06-6880-4601) is one of Rome's best known theaters with a resident company which performs the classics.
Teatro Quirino (06-679-4585) puts on classics and productions brought in from elsewhere in Italy. Teatro Valle (06-686-9049) also presents classics.
English Puppet Theater (06-589-6201) stages dramas by traveling companies in the remains of the Teatro di Pompei.