Colonna Traiana

Ancient Rome

LoginSave

Towering over the Foro di Traiano, Trajan's column (AD 113) is adorned with a microscopically-detailed spiral frieze illustrating the Romans' victorious campaign against Dacia (roughly modern-day Romania). It later served as Trajan's tomb – his ashes were interred in a room inside the column's hollow base – and was crowned by a statue of the emperor. In the late 16th century, Pope Sixtus V replaced this with the statue of St Peter you see today.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Rome Lazio Italy. The Vatican Museums in Vatican City. Raphael rooms frescoes

    Vatican Museums

    1.7 MILES

    Founded by Pope Julius II in the early 16th century and enlarged by successive pontiffs, the Vatican Museums boast one of the world's greatest art…

  • Basilica di San Pietro. Rome. Italy. 160245212 ancient, architecture, basilica, building, capital, cathedral, catholic, church, city, day, dome, egyptian, europe, exterior, facade, famous, front, heritage, historical, history, italian, italy, landmark, monument, obelisk, old, outdoor, peter, piazza, religion, roma, roman, rome, saint, san pietro, sightseeing, sky, square, st peter, street, touristic, travel, urban, vatican, view

    St Peter's Basilica

    1.6 MILES

    In the city of outstanding churches, none can hold a candle to St Peter's, Italy’s largest, richest and most spectacular basilica. Built atop a 4th…

  • 568886113 2015; Ancient History; Ancient Rome; Archaeology; Architecture; Capital Cities; City; Copy Space; Day; High Angle View; International Landmark; Italian Culture; Italy; Lazio; Majestic; No People; Old Ruin; Outdoors; Photography; Roman; Roman Forum; Rome; Rome - Italy; Scenics - Nature; Temple - Building; Temple Of Saturn; The Past; Tourism; Travel Destinations; Vertical; The temple of Saturn in the Roman Forum, Rome, Lazio.

    Roman Forum

    0.3 MILES

    An impressive – if rather confusing – sprawl of ruins, the Roman Forum was ancient Rome's showpiece center, a grandiose district of temples...

  • Farnese Gardens built a top Domus Tiberiana on Palatine Hill at the Roman forum in Rome, Italy.

    Palatino

    0.51 MILES

    Sandwiched between the Roman Forum and the Circo Massimo, the Palatino (Palatine Hill) is one of Rome's most spectacular sights. It's a beautiful,…

  • Inside the Colosseum, an amphitheater located in Ancient Rome. 614830518 Lazio, Color Image, Travel Destinations, Horizontal, Panoramic, Famous Place, Photography, Amphitheater, Rome - Italy, Italy, Capital Cities, Roman, Coliseum - Rome, Europe, Monument, Old Ruin, Built Structure, Indoors, Ruin, Innovation, Rome

    Colosseum

    0.56 MILES

    Everyone wants to see the Colosseum, and it doesn’t disappoint, especially if accompanied by tales of armored gladiators and hungry lions. More than any…

  • OCTOBER 3, 2012: Antique marble busts inside the Capitoline Museum. 311817245 hill, italian, nobody, rome, national, sculpture, capitol, italy, travel, statue, european, destinations, culture, landmark, attraction, details, old, roman, historic, figure, famous, interior, inside, classic, exhibit, tourism, art, roma, antique, ancient, indoor, vacation, capitoline, europe, museum, close-up, luxury, human, man, nice, tourist, many, lot, history, stone, marble, head, fine, hellenistic

    Capitoline Museums

    0.19 MILES

    Dating from 1471, the Capitoline Museums are the world's oldest public museums, with a fine collection of classical sculpture.

  • The Roman Pantheon is the most preserved and influential building of ancient Rome. It is a Roman temple dedicated to all the gods of pagan Rome.

    Pantheon

    0.43 MILES

    With its revolutionary design, this awe-inspiring temple has served as an architectural blueprint for millennia.

  • Piazza Navona in Rome, Italy

    Piazza Navona

    0.61 MILES

    With its showy fountains, baroque palazzi and colorful cast of street artists, hawkers and tourists, Piazza Navona is central Rome’s elegant showcase…

View more attractions

Nearby Ancient Rome attractions

1. Basilica Ulpia

0.02 MILES

A series of grey granite columns is all that remains of the Basilica Ulpia, a vast 40m-high hall that once stood in Trajan's Forum. Built in the early 2nd…

2. Foro di Traiano

0.04 MILES

Overshadowed by Trajan's towering administrative complex (the Mercati di Traiano), this was the last of the Imperial Forums to be built, dating to the…

3. Le Domus Romane di Palazzo Valentini

0.04 MILES

Underneath a grand mansion that’s been the seat of the Province of Rome since 1873 lie the archaeological remains of several lavish ancient Roman houses;…

5. Vittoriano

0.09 MILES

You can't ignore the Vittoriano, built at the turn of the 20th century to honor Italy's first king, Vittorio Emanuele II.

6. Museo delle Cere

0.1 MILES

Rome’s waxwork museum is said to have the world’s third-largest collection, which comprises more than 250 figures, ranging from Dante to Snow White, plus…

8. Imperial Forums

0.1 MILES

The forums of Trajan, Augustus, Nerva and Caesar are known collectively as the Imperial Forums. They were largely buried when Mussolini bulldozed Via dei…