The Mausoleum of Romulus within the Circus of Maxentius on Rome’s Appian Way has reopened to the public after more than 20 years.
The mausoleum was dedicated by emperor Maxentius to his son Romulus, who died prematurely in 309 AD.
The imperial complex built by Maxentius, who was the 58th emperor of the Roman empire between 306 and 312 AD, includes the 513-meter long Circus, second in size only to the Circus Maximus in Rome, which could already be visited and is the most popular site within the complex, the ruins of the Imperial Palace and the mausoleum itself.
The restored tomb has a circular shape and was built to house the remains of the imperial family’s members, including the young Romulus.
"I am proud to be able to restore an absolute jewel of our archaeological heritage to Romans and to the millions of tourists who visit Rome each year," Rome mayor Ignazio Marino said during the inauguration ceremony. "The reopening of the mausoleum of Romulus can certainly be considered another step towards realizing our most ambitious aim: creating the world's biggest archaeological park, stretching from the slopes of the Capitoline hill in central Rome all the way here to the Appia."
The restoration of the tomb was part of a larger restoration project at the site costing a total of 873,000 euros.
Reservations are not necessary to visit the mausoulem.
