What the west end of the Forum looked like in Roman times, based on a 3D computer model by Lasha Tskhondia - L.VII.C.Slung between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills, the Forum was the cradle of the Roman Republic, a low spot whose buildings and streets became the epicenter of the ancient world.
It takes a healthy imagination to turn what are now dusty chunks of architrave jumbled on the ground, crumbling arches, and a few shakily re-erected columns into the Glory of Ancient Rome.
The early Etruscan kings drained this swampy lowland, and under Republican rule it became the heart of the city, a public "forum" of temples, administrative halls, orators' podiums, markets, and law courts.
During the Middle Ages, Rome became a provincial backwater, and frequent flooding of the nearby river helped rapidly bury most of the Forum under nine meters of dirt, debris, and silt. This former center of the empire became—of all things—a cow pasture.
(Note: This is not to confuse you with the nearby Foro Boario, the so-called "Cow Forum," with its miniature temples and Mouth of Truth by the Tiber.)
Some bits of the Forum's temples and structures did still stick out above ground, notably the top half of the Arch of Septimus Severus, which was used to shelter a barbershop. There are plenty of older paintings and engravings that show cows contentedly munching among the broken columns (see the slideshow above).
It wasn't until 1813 that people really became interested in excavating these ancient ruins to see what Rome must once have looked like in its glory.
The Forum underwent four overall phases of excavation: Those original, slow digs in the early and middle 18th century; a much more organized and (for the era) professional series of excavations in the 1870s and 1880s; Mussolini's slapdash "I'm forming an empire, too!" repristination in the 1930s; and modern, more focused excavations scattered across the last 80 years.
« Back to Forum home On to Stop 1: Temple of Antonius & Faustina »
Entrances: Via della Salaria Vecchia 5/6 (at Via dei Fori Imperiali/Via del Foro Romano) and Piazza Santa Maria Nova 53 (also: Palatine Hill entrance at Via San Gregorio 30)
tel. +39-06-3996-7700 or +39-06-0608
archeoroma.beniculturali.it
or
www.coopculture.it
Daily as follows:
Last entry: one hour before closing
€12
Book tickets: Reserve tickets ahead of time with Select Italy:
Roma Pass: Yes (free, or 37% off)
Bus: 75, 117, 53, 80, 85, 87, 175, 186, 271, 571, 810, N2
Metro: Colosseo (B)
Hop-on/hop-off: Piazza Venezia or Colosseo
Planning your day: You could wander through the Roman Forum in an hour or two, but many people spend four or five hours and pack a picnic lunch to eat on the Palatine (technically illegal; see below).
The ticket office closes one hour before the site.
Lines at the Forum can last up to half an hour in summer.
To save your precious vacation time, it's well-worth paying the €1.50 fee to book your entry ahead of time (tel. +39-06-3996-7700, www.coopculture.it or at Select Italy)—though if you're visiting in off-season, the wait is usually more like 10–15 minutes so booking might not be necessary.
The regular ticket covers entry to both the Roman Forum/Palatine Hill and the Colosseum for the amazing low price of €12 (you get two days in which to visit them both).
You can buy this ticket ahead of time (and skip the lines) via Select Italy. Or buy a ticket at any of four ticket offices:
This is a fantastic deal—though also consider using this as one of the two freebies you get with the Roma Pass (you get two "get in free" coupons, and this is one of the pricier entries on the potential list, so a great choice to use a coupon on). » more
I advise against the Archeologia Card, which you will also see offered. This card covers entry to these sights (Forum & Colosseum) plus the Museo Nazionale Romano group (Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Palazzo Altemps, Baths of Diocletian, Crypta Balbi, Aula Ottagona; normally €7–€10), and the Appian Way group (Baths of Caracalla, Tomb of Cecilia Metella, Villa of the Quintili; normally €6).
Sounds good, right? Some major-league sights in there, yes? True: But the savings is actually only €2–€5, and you can get more bang for your sightseeing buck by using the Roma Pass instead to cover the Forum/Colosseum (plus either the Museo Nazionale Romano group or something else major like the Galleria Borghese). » more
The site runs one-hour tours in English for just €5—though only Fri–Sun at 11am and 12:30pm.
Or you can take a guided tour of the Roman Forum with one of our partners:
You can rent an audio guide from the entrance for €5 that gives you context and background details and walks you through the entire Forum and Palatine Hill site in about two hours.
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Entrances: Via della Salaria Vecchia 5/6 (at Via dei Fori Imperiali/Via del Foro Romano) and Piazza Santa Maria Nova 53 (also: Palatine Hill entrance at Via San Gregorio 30)
tel. +39-06-3996-7700 or +39-06-0608
archeoroma.beniculturali.it
or
www.coopculture.it
Daily as follows:
Last entry: one hour before closing
€12
Book tickets: Reserve tickets ahead of time with Select Italy:
Roma Pass: Yes (free, or 37% off)
Tours: From €32
Bus: 75, 117, 53, 80, 85, 87, 175, 186, 271, 571, 810, N2
Metro: Colosseo (B)
Hop-on/hop-off: Piazza Venezia or Colosseo
This article was written by Reid Bramblett and was last updated in February 2014.
All information was accurate at the time.
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