The Most Impressive Buildings in Rome

The Colosseum is one of the most recognisable structures in the world. Built during the Flavian dynasty, between 70CE and 80CE – then known as the Flavian amphitheatre – it is the largest amphitheatre ever built and was modelled after the ancient Teatro Marcello. The Colosseum held around 65,000 spectators and was used for gladiator contests, public spectacles such as re-enactments of famous battles, theatrical productions, animal hunts and executions. Interested in visiting? You can now do so with Culture Trip on our 10-day small-group Northern Italy trip, which includes a guided bicycle tour of Rome.

The contemporary Ara Pacis Museum is a fascinating sight because it fuses old and new in an innovative way. The museum was designed by American architect Richard Meier in 2006 to contain the ancient Ara Pacis, or altar of peace, which dates back to 13BCE. The intricately decorated altar, covered in friezes depicting figures, battles and processions, is enclosed in a cleverly contrasting contemporary steel and glass structure.

Rome’s Palace of Justice, the seat of the Supreme Court of Cassation – the highest court of appeal in Italy – is an enormous building in the Prati district that dominates the banks of the Tiber River. It is often referred to as Il Palazzaccio, a pejorative name that roughly translates as “bad palace”. Its large size, ostentatious decorations and lengthy construction period seemed to suggest corruption when it was opened in 1911. Inspired by Renaissance and baroque architecture, it remains one of the most impressive buildings in the city.

Another building that Romans love to hate is Il Vittoriano, in Piazza Venezia. Dubbed the Wedding Cake for its gleaning white marble and tiered levels, this large altar was built between 1885 and 1925 to honour Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of unified Italy. Replete with stairs, columns, fountains and sculptures, it was controversial because it destroyed the area of the Capitoline Hill and dominates the skyline. Nevertheless, it lies at the heart of Rome and is a focal point of the city.

Often referred to as the Square Colosseum, Rome’s Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana is an excellent example of the Rationalist architecture that dominated the city during Fascism in the early 20th century. Built in the neoclassical style, it is located in the city’s southern EUR neighbourhood, which was designed to host the 1942 World’s Fair. The event never took place because of the Second World War, but the buildings pay tribute to this period in the city’s history. Today the building is leased by the Fendi fashion house.

Few people realise that in addition to Roman antiquities, Rome also has its own ancient pyramid. Located between the Testaccio and Ostiense neighbourhoods, the Pyramid was built between 18BCE and 12BCE as a tomb for Gaius Cestius, a magistrate in ancient Rome. With its sharp point, it closely resembles the Nubian pyramids along the Nile Delta in Egypt and includes an interior burial chamber that originally featured frescoes. The pyramid was incorporated in the Aurelian walls, which has helped preserve the structure to the present day.