Step into the rich history of ancient Rome with an audio guide
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The Roman Forum (Forum Romanum) was originally built as a marketplace and the centre of political, commercial and social life in Rome. It sits between Palatine Hill and Capitoline Hill and it would have been used for many purposes including elections, public meetings and speeches, as well as having shops, markets and stalls offering local goods and services. Historical events such as the funeral of Julius Caesar and the trail of apostle Saint Paul would also have been held there as well.
It was home to several important buildings including the Senate House, called the 'Curia', the Speaker's Platform (called the Rostra), and the local law courts, the 'Basilica Julia'. The buildings architecture would have been impressive, showing the might of the city.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Roman Forum was actually buried over time due to both human and natural causes. When it was abandoned the buildings fell into disrepair and started to crumble as well as parts of other buildings being taken and used for other purposes. For centuries it lay covered and it wasn't recovered until the 18th century when excavation works took place.
The remains can now be enjoyed again and some of the highlights you can see include:
The Roman Forum tends to be included on a lot of 'Things to do in Rome' lists and definitely think its worth visiting. It may not be as famous as the Colosseum, but we think it's equally as impressive. In fact a popular ticket is a combination ticket that includes access to the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill on one ticket. Click HERE for the ticket details.