Monuments Near the Colosseum: What to See Nearby?

The Colosseum is one of Rome’s main attractions and a symbol of the city, but visiting it is only the beginning of an incredible journey among the treasures of the “Eternal City.”

In the surroundings, in fact, there are other extraordinary monuments, testimonies of a past that continues to amaze and that you can reach with very short and pleasant walks that start right from the Flavian Amphitheater.

Are you ready to discover the most fascinating places within walking distance of the Colosseum?

Here’s our guide to must-see monuments with all the tips to make your visit truly perfect!

ALT! You should know that the Colosseum is one of the most famous historical monuments in the world, so it is not difficult to run into long lines at the ticket offices. Every day thousands of tourists visit Rome and the Colosseum, fascinated by its thousand-year history and the secrets it holds. Be ready: buy your skip-the-line ticket in advance and enjoy all the beauty of the Colosseum without unnecessary waiting!

The 9 monuments to visit near the Colosseum

Roman Forum

The beating heart of ancient Rome

View of the Roman Forum

A few meters from the Colosseum stretches the Roman Forum, the nerve center of imperial Rome.

In ancient times, this was a marshy area, but soon the Forum assumed its importance, ever since land reclamation works were begun in the late 7th century BC.

By the end of the 2nd century B.C., the city’s most important political, religious, economic, and judicial structures were built, and every decision affecting Rome passed through the Forum!

Suffice it to say that, even in this century, the original Forum was not deemed large enough to contain all the necessary structures.

But the great fame of the Forum is owed to the time of the emperors, each of whom embellished the area with prestigious monuments: the Monumental Arch of Septimius Severus, the Temple of Vespasian and Titus, that of Antoninus Pius and Faustina, until the last intervention in 608 A.D. with the construction of the Column in honor of the Byzantine emperor Phocas.

Although a few monuments survived, becoming, for example, a church, the area suffered silting and became a grazing place known as Campo Vaccino.

Wondering what to see at the Roman Forum?

You will admire the remains of temples: the Temple of Janus, a place of worship that was formed by an arch and two entrances; the Temple of Saturn, one of the oldest in Rome; and the Temple of Concord, built at the western end of the Forum.

Other temple ruins contained on the site are those of the temple of Divus Julius dedicated to Gaius Julius Caesar, while at the far eastern end of the Forum you will find the remains of that of Vesta with the adjoining House of the Vestal Virgins, the seat of the Vestal Priestly Council of ancient Rome. Finally we find that of Antoninus and Faustina and that of Divus Romulus.

A very important stop within the Forum is the Curia Hostilia: this is where the Roman senate met in ancient times.

On its ruins rose the Curia Iulia in 29 B.C. with inauguration by Augustus: it came into being following the destruction of the other building in 52 B.C. by fire.

But it doesn’t end there! Inside the Forum you will also find the Arch of Septimius Severus, built in honor of the emperor in 202-203 AD following his victory over the Parthians.

And if we talk about arches, we cannot fail to mention the one of Titus, with only one arch compared to the previous one described, a magnificent example of Roman architecture and a symbol of the Flavian Era.

So what are you waiting for? Come and stroll on the splendid Via Sacra, the main street axis, as well as the oldest, of the Forum!

Did you know that Romulus and Titus Tatius signed peace here following the war unleashed by the Rape of the Sabine Women?

It was at this site that celebrations, markets, and the political life of the city were held, and walking these streets almost feels like you can relive the ancient city!

Visiting tips:

If you are able to visit the Roman Forum in the morning you will benefit twice: less crowding, if you have chosen warm months for your visit, lower temperatures!

The Forum, in fact, is a true open-air museum.

Attention Buy the combined Colosseum + Roman Forum ticket to visit two wonders of ancient Rome at an even more amazing price! Plus, you’ll avoid long waits in the ticket line!

Palatine

The cradle of Rome

Ancient remains in the Palatine Hill

And do you know exactly where Rome was born? Right here, on the legendary and historic Palatine Hill, where Romulus founded the city.

Another visitable area, another step inside History: here you will find the remains of the Iron Age, the first nucleus of the city!

But that’s not all: this became an aristocratic quarter in which the residences of the aristocracy arose, featuring precious decorations such as those observable in the House of the Gryphons.

It was here that Augustus chose to build his own residence: it included several buildings, among which the House of Livia deserves special mention.

Later, the most important imperial palaces arose in this area: the Domus Tiberiana, the Domus Aurea and the Domus Flavia.

All of these residences were interconnected through basements, which were also often decorated.

As we said, you cannot miss the many gems contained in the Palatine, especially the house of Augustus and the house of Livia.

You will also enjoy breathtaking views of the Forum and Circus Maximus. To admire the charms of the Palatine and have a unique experience, you can book your Colosseum, Arena, Underground, Forum and Palatine + Guided Tour ticket. You will not regret it!

Arch of Constantine

The symbol of victory

Arch and Colosseum

Its location leaves no doubt as to the reason for its construction: located along the Triumphal Way, between the Circus Maximus and the Arch of Titus, it was built to celebrate Constantine’s victory over Maxentius.

It is the largest arch that has come down to us: a symbol of the emperor’s propaganda, it bears an inscription explaining that the monument is a dedication by the Senate in memory of the battle won and was erected to mark the tenth year of Constantine’s rule.

The victory over Maxentius, in fact, occurred in 312 CE, and the arch was built in 315 CE.

It is essential to focus on some of the artistic details of the monument: the decorations consist of marble slabs in relief. Materials from other older imperial monuments were reused. On the arch we can admire many images that are all related to the emperor’s political goal: to restore the empire!

How to visit:

Access is free-a perfect opportunity for a little stop where you can take a great photograph!

To accomplish this, let me give you a little advice: if you arrive by subway, cross the street and go past the Colosseum, go past the Arch and only then turn around to take your picture.

You will enjoy the best possible angle: the Arch in the foreground and the Colosseum in the background, all within one frame!

Domus Aurea

The secret palace of Nero

The Hall of the Sphinx in the Domus Aurea

The Domus Aurea is the grand and majestic residence of Nero, named precisely for the pageantry he flaunted.

The emperor began building it after the great fire that devastated Rome in 64 AD.

The palace consisted of various buildings, among which stood beautiful gardens, woods, vineyards, and even an artificial lake right where the Colosseum now stands.

It was a complex that stretched across the Palatine and the Colle Oppio, but the grandeur it left to posterity consists mainly of its marvelous decorations composed of stucco, colored marble, gold, precious stones and paintings.

After the tyrant’s death, however, his successors condemned him to damnatio memoriae, erasing all traces of him: the palaces were stripped of their coverings and sculptures, only to be filled with earth and sometimes used as bases for other buildings.

The areas that can be visited today are those that were used for festivities, probably used for banquets, located on the Oppio hill.

The areas were rediscovered during the Renaissance, and the great artists of this era were in no small part enthusiastic about them: painters of the caliber of Pinturicchio and Raphael lowered themselves from above in order to copy the decorative motifs that, because of this location, were later known as “grotesques.“

How to visit:

Do you know you can do even better than Pinturicchio and Raphael?

You can directly “drop in” to the life of the palace as it looked two thousand years ago, in the time of Nero!

You can, in fact, live a unique experience: a guided tour inside the Domus Aurea, at the end of which with a virtual reality (VR) visor you can immerse yourself in an immersive video story of the golden age of this building. Don’t miss this wonder: book your entrance ticket + Guided Tour + VR Experience and discover one of the most beautiful hidden treasures of Rome!

Basilica of San Clemente

Three overlapping eras

Mosaic in the Basilica of San Clemente

Located in Piazza Clemente just five minutes from the Colosseum, this is a real treasure that is hidden through different levels of depth that relate back to different past moments of Rome.

A place truly beloved by visitors, whether tourists, pilgrims or students-you can’t miss this attraction!

The upper floor shows us the splendid medieval basilica dating back to the 12th century, embellished with a fantastic mosaic, early Renaissance frescoes, the 6th-century marble choir, and many other wonders.

But going down one floor, accessing the middle level you can visit another church dating back to the 4th century inside which you can admire some of the most precious medieval frescoes in the world!

Just think that they are dated between the 8th and 9th centuries.

But it doesn’t end there! At an even lower level you will enter an area dating back to the 1st century where you can admire the underground Mithraic temple.

From here, through a tunnel you will come to a large public building, and around it you will find the lost waters of ancient Rome!

How to visit:

Visiting it is a truly unique experience, not to be missed by history lovers.

It is basically three tours in one, connected to three different historical moments, each of them characterized by peculiar splendors. Discover the Basilica of San Clemente with an exclusive tour: book the underground guided tour and plunge into the depths of the Eternal City!

Ludus Magnus

The gladiators’ gymnasium

The Ludus Magnus and the Colosseum in the background

We could define the Ludus Magnus as the gymnasium of gladiators: it was in fact the largest training center for these fighters.

Built in the time of Domitian from 81 A.D. onward, it actually shows us only ruins dating back to a second phase, to the time of Trajan and thus from 98 A.D. onward.

The remains were discovered in 1937, and their exploration lasted about 20 years: we had information about the existence of this center through ancient sources, but its location was unknown.

The Ludus Magnus was built in this area because there was a need to connect it to the Colosseum to improve the success of the performances: that is why a tunnel was dug connecting it to the Colosseum’s basement.

Unfortunately, the site is temporarily closed to the public due to the start of work under the NRP.

Roman houses of the Caelian

Dwellings of an aristocratic family transformed into a place of Christian worship

Roman houses of the Caelian

Have you ever imagined what daily life was like in ancient Rome? To find out, there’s no better place than the Roman Houses of the Caelian, an authentic treasure hidden beneath the Basilica of Saints John and Paul.

Here you can literally descend into the depths of time, traversing underground rooms that tell stories of life, faith and transformation.

The houses, dating back to the 2nd-3rd centuries AD, show perfectly preserved rooms decorated with beautiful frescoes that are still visible.

Initially they were elegant homes of an aristocratic family, but in later centuries they were transformed into a place of Christian worship, making them a perfect example of the continuity between the pagan and Christian worlds in ancient Rome.

As you walk through the rooms, you will see residential rooms with vivid paintings and original mosaics, remains of a small Christian oratory, and fascinating passages and corridors between the different eras.

A visit here is an immersive and evocative experience, often accompanied by a deep silence that amplifies the sense of mystery and sacredness of the place.

Mamertine Jail

The maximum security prison of antiquity

Mamertine Prisons

Right at the foot of the Capitol, hidden among the majestic remains of the Forum, lies one of the oldest and most eerie places in all of Rome: the Mamertine Prison.

Also known as Tullianum, it was the maximum security prison of antiquity, where Rome’s most feared enemies were locked up, often awaiting execution.

People such as Vercingetorix, the leader of the Gauls, and Jugurta, king of Numidia, spent their last hours here.

According to Christian tradition, St. Peter and St. Paul were also imprisoned in these dark and bare cells.

To visit the Mamertine is to enter an environment charged with history and tension: a narrow staircase leads to a small, damp and bare underground space where time seems to stand still.

A place that recounts the harshness of Roman justice, but also the birth of the Christian faith.

Inside the Mamertine Prison you can discover an ancient cistern carved into the rock, the Christian altar dedicated to St. Peter, and memorial inscriptions of martyrs.

Capitoline Museums

The oldest public museum in the world

Senatorial Palace, Capitol Square

A ten-minute walk from the Colosseum you will find the Capitoline Museums.

Spread over three buildings, the entrance is located in Piazza del Campidoglio, where you can admire the flooring designed by Michelangelo and a reproduction of the famous Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius-the original, however, is housed inside the museum.

There are indeed many splendid works of art that you can admire: from bronze statues, such as the Spinarius and the Capitoline She-wolf, to marble statues, such as the wonderful Capitoline Venus and the dying Galata.

But not only statues: the museums are also famous for their precious picture gallery, where you will find two masterpieces by Caravaggio and a wonderful altarpiece by Guercino, as well as many other masterpieces.

Finally, you can also admire tapestries, ceramics and temporary exhibitions organized to further enrich the artistic heritage.

Are you curious and want to know more? Visit the Capitoline Museums website , you really will find all the information you need!

Frequently asked questions

Conclusions

View from the monument to Victor Emmanuel II

Here we come to the conclusion of this guide to the monuments located near the Colosseum.

I have listed the tourist sites that you can find within a few minutes’ walk of the Flavian Amphitheater, and for each of them I have provided some historical background.

You will be able to find links to book your tickets directly online and skip the lines at the ticket offices.

Also remember that by choosing a combination ticket, you can access multiple attractions and take advantage of exclusive offers reserved for online purchases.

Finally, I have answered the most frequently asked questions related to the Colosseum surroundings, but should you have any other curiosities, please feel free to contact us by leaving a comment below!

By reading this article you will certainly have realized that there is so much more to see in Rome besides the Colosseum!

Buy combination tickets and discover the best of the Eternal City without stress!