From the left the Temple of Vespasian, the arch of Septimius Severus, the Temple of Saturn and the Basilica Giulia
The Roman Forum or Forum Romanum (Italian: Foro Romano) is a is an archaeological area of Rome enclosed between the Palatine Hill , the Campidoglio , Via dei Fori Imperiali and the Colosseum. It represented, during the eras, the political, legal, religious and economic centre of Rome. It is a rectangular forum (plaza) surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the centre of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient city referred to this space, originally a marketplace, as the Forum Magnum, or simply the Forum. Today it is one of the most visited archeological sites in Rome, for the historical relevance of the remains of buildings and monuments of heterogeneous eras.
As the Roman Forum is one of the most attractive tourist centres together with the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill, the queues at the entrance tend to be very long (especially in summer) so to get around them we advise you to book a skip-the-line ticket in advance. If your visit is in summer, since the Roman Forum is purely outdoors and there are not many shady areas, we recommend that you have water, sunglasses, a hat and sunscreen with you. For the winter, however, we suggest you to have an umbrella with you: it could be useful. If your visit to the Roman Forum precedes that to the Colosseum make sure you have enough time to see everything so that you don’t miss your entry time for the Colosseum. Your ticket is valid over 2 days, but once you have entered there is no re-entry. Keep in mind that visiting the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill will take around 3 hours to visit the sites on your own or with an audio guide. If, on the other hand, you decide to opt for a guided tour, you will probably want to be free to explore the sites on your own later. If you want to see the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill on the same day you should calculate at least 5 hours.
How to best experience Roman Forum?
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Best Roman Forum Tickets
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What is the Roman Forum?
The Roman Forum was where religious and public life in ancient Rome took place. The Forum is, along with the Colosseum, the greatest sign of the splendour of the Roman Empire that can be seen today. Many of the oldest and most important structures of the ancient city were established on or near the Forum.
Over time, newer structures were built in other parts of the city, and the Forum became less important. Some of the buildings were converted into churches, and some of the materials were taken to build towers and castles during the medieval period.
The area fell into disrepair, but artists used it for inspiration for its monumental architecture, when painting images of classical Rome. Some private archaeological excavations began in 1803, but it wasn’t until 1898 that the Italian government began to excavate and restore the site.
General information
Useful information for your visit to the Roman Forum.
Location
Between the Colosseum and Piazza del Campidoglio. It is located in the small valley between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills. The address is: Via della Salara Vecchia, ⅚
Opening hours
To visit the Roman Forum the times are as follows:
- Every day: from 8:30 am
- Closing times vary throughout the year as follows: from January 2 to February 15 the site closes at 4.30 pm, from February 16 to March 15 the site closes at 5 pm, from March 16 to the last Saturday in March the site closes at 5.30 pm. From the last Sunday of March until August 31 the site closes at 7.15 pm, from September 1 to September 30 the site closes at 7 pm, from October 1 to last Saturday of October the site closes at 6.30 pm, and from the last Sunday of October until December 31 the site closes at 4.30 pm. Final admission is one hour before the site closes.
- 25 December and 1 January: closed
How to get to the Roman Forum
To reach the Roman Forum:
Metro: Colosseo, line B (blue) (click to see our guide to the Metro).
Tram: line 3
Buses: 75, 81, 175, 204, and 175.
Taxi. This is an effective but rather costly way to get around Rome (click to see our guide to taxis in Rome).
Limo service (NCC). A rental service with driver (click to see our guide to limo services in Rome).
Attractions nearby
- Piazza del Campidoglio (335 m)
- Capitoline Museums (348 m)
- Arch of Constantine (407 m)
- Santa Maria in Aracoeli (412 m)
- Palatine Hill (424 m)
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