Access to ancient Rome is looking a little different this summer. Here are the changes you can expect to see at some of the Eternal City’s most familiar icons.
You can walk through Largo di Torre Argentina now
The area sacra (sacred area) of the Largo di Torre Argentina archaeological zone — the site where Julius Caesar is believed to have been assassinated, yet better known to most locals as a transport hub and cat sanctuary — is now open to the public for visits. Previously, the site had only been visible from the street level, but new upgrades were made possible through funding from the Italian luxury jewelry brand Bulgari.
The site’s famous felines are still around, but now human visitors, too, can explore freely, walking on elevated paths around the sunken grounds.
The wheelchair- and stroller-friendly routes provide close-up views of the remains of four Roman Republican temples, labeled simply “A”, “B”, “C”, and “D”. Visitors can also explore the remains of Curia di Pompeo (Pompey’s Theater), the spot where Julius Caesar is believed to have been assassinated on the Ides of March in 44 BCE.
Two new exhibition areas are also worth noting: the medieval-era Tower of Papito and several rooms below street level on Via di Nicola de’ Cesarini. The new spaces feature a treasure trove of finds excavated over the last century, including fragments of inscriptions, sarcophagi, architectural ornamentations and two large marble heads belonging to statues of deities worshipped in the area.
If you go
Largo di Torre Argentina
Entry from Via di S. Nicola de Cesarini
Hours: 9.30am to 7pm (6pm in winter), Tue-Sun. Last entry one hour before closing
Tickets: €5 (€4 for Rome residents), available online via VivaTicket. Advance booking by phone is required for groups
Tel. +39 060608
The Pantheon is charging an entrance fee
One of the most visited and best-preserved buildings of Imperial Rome, the Pantheon sees some 9 million people cross its marble threshold each year. Until now, visiting the former Roman temple hasn’t cost a penny, though discussions about introducing an entry fee have been underway for years. As of Monday, July 3, adult visitors are being charged €5 to step inside the world’s largest unreinforced, concrete dome.
As the Pantheon has been a church since the 7th century, 30% of ticket proceeds will go to the Diocese of Rome, while the other 70% will be allocated to the Italian Ministry of Culture to fund the maintenance and security of the monument and its surrounding square.
If you go
Pantheon
Piazza della Rotonda
Open: 9am-7pm daily. Last entry at 6.30pm
Tickets: Adults, €5; ages 18-25, €2. Rome residents, visitors with disabilities and under 18s are free
Website
The Colosseum just got more accessible
Inaugurated at the end of May, a newly constructed elevator allows visitors with mobility issues to visit the top tiers or upper “orders” of the Colosseum — previously accessible only by staircase.
Authorities have emphasized that the elevator’s construction respected the integrity of the monument, which is the largest amphitheatre ever built and is classified as one of the seven wonders of the world. The new lift carries passengers to the gallery between the Colosseum’s second and third “orders” and offers bird’s-eye views of the surrounding area along the way.
The addition was made possible by a €200,000 investment from the Italian Cinema Orchestra. In 2018, during a screening of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator (2000), attended by actor Russell Crowe and soundtracked by a live performance of the Hans Zimmer score, orchestra director Marco Patrignani announced that the group would sponsor the initiative.
If you go
Colosseum
Ticket office: Piazza del Colosseo
Open: Daily from 9am (closure times vary) except December 25 and January 1
Website
