View over the ancient ruins

The view over the ancient ruins

The Rome audio-guided tour offers you, from a footbridge, a beautiful open view over the Forum of Trajan, the last of the imperial forums.

The Forum of Trajan and its column

Erected at the beginning of the second century after Jesus Christ, the Forum of Trajan was the last and most grandiose of the imperial forums, financed in part by the booty of the emperor's victory over the Dacians. On the left stand the ruins of the Ulpia basilica, of which only sections of columns remain, and, behind, the famous Trajan's Column, remained intact: its bas-reliefs wind in a spiral to tell the victorious campaigns of Trajan. Opposite, the immense arc-shaped monument is the market of Trajan, a vast ensemble of warehouses and shops often presented as one of the first covered shopping centres in history. Since 2007, it houses the museum of the Imperial Forums, which helps to understand the functioning of this monumental ensemble.

What there is to see

The view embraces the Forum of Trajan, Trajan's Column and its spiral bas-reliefs, as well as the market of Trajan, considered one of the first shopping centres in history. From the footbridge, one grasps at a glance the grandeur of this last imperial forum. It is an ideal viewpoint to contemplate the ancient ruins of Rome.

Practical information

The footbridge offering the view over the Forum of Trajan is in the heart of Rome, near the imperial forums. The view can be discovered freely; the market of Trajan and the museum of the Imperial Forums can generally be visited under paid access, according to hours to be checked on site.

What is Trajan's Column?

An intact column whose bas-reliefs wind in a spiral to tell the victorious campaigns of the emperor Trajan.

What was the market of Trajan?

A vast ensemble of warehouses and shops, often described as one of the first covered shopping centres in history.