Latium Rome - Esquilino - Santa Maria Maggiore

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Esquilin hill & - Monuments in Rome's periphery

The Esquiline Quarter is located in the center of Rome, in the area of Rome's main train station, Termini. Worth seeing in this quarter are a few important and beautiful churches. On this page we also provide information about sights that are a little bit outside the center of Rome, but which are easy to reach by metro or tram and bus.

1. Esquilin hill

Church "Santa Maria Maggiore" - This worth seeing church from the 5th century is located in the center of the Esquilino district, near the train station "Roma Termini". It has a beautiful choir facade. On the square in front of the church stands the monumental Marian column, which comes from the Roman Forum. Inside, the well-preserved mosaics with 15 scenes from the story of Moses and the story of Abraham are worth seeing. The majestic canopy over the papal altar by Ferdinando Fuga was probably inspired by Gian Lorenzo Bernini's canopy in St. Peter's.

Basilica of Santa Prassede - The early medieval basilica is located near the church of Santa Maria Maggiore. The first church on this site was built in the 3C and is the finest example of Byzantine art in Rome. Santa Prassede owes its fame primarily to its mosaics, which can still be seen unchanged today. The Zeno Chapel (Cappella di San Zenone) with gilded mosaics is one of the most important buildings of the 9th century in Rome.

Museo Nazionale d'Arte Orientale - Located on the Via Merulana, near the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, this museum presents works of art from the Orient, from the Middle East to Japan.

Roma Termini, Rome's main train station, is located in the Esquilino district. Whether you need to catch a train, want to go to the airport, want to go on a day trip, or transfer from one subway line to another. You can hardly miss Rome's main train station, called "Stazione Roma Termini". The large, spacious train station mainly offers services for travelers and passers-by, attractive shopping facilities, restaurants and fast food for every need on three levels. In the basement you also get access to the metro. Metro lines A and B intersect here.

2. San Giovanni in Laterano

Church "San Giovanni in Laterano" - This church, the first Christian basilica in Rome, was built at the beginning of the 4th century. Fires twice destroyed the church, which was rebuilt in the old form each time. The last restyling of the interior was carried out by Borromini. The facade was only added in the 18th century. The Lateran Palace was the official papal residence and until 1870 all popes were crowned in the basilica. The cloister (with double columns and marble mosaics) and the baptistery (baptistery, in the shape of an octagon) are particularly worth seeing.

La Scala Santa di Roma. The building called Scala Santa, from the 16th century, was built by Domenico Fontana. The palace includes the Scala Santa, consisting of a series of 28 white marble steps, a chapel and an oratory. According to tradition, the 28 steps of the Scala Santa, the Holy Stairs, are the very ones that Jesus is said to have walked on during his trial in the palace of Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem. They were brought to Rome by Saint Helena in the 4th century. The staircase is considered so sacred that believers only enter it kneeling and praying in remembrance of Christ's sufferings. The most famous and most visited Holy Staircase, a place of pilgrimage for Catholics, is in the immediate vicinity of the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano.

Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II - Near the "Museo Nazionale d'Arte Orientale" is the "Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II". It is the largest square in Rome and is named after King Victor Emmanuel II. Here is the Ninfeo di Alessandro, an ancient, monumental Roman fountain.

3. San Paolo Fuori le Mura

Basilica San Paolo Fuori le Mura- With the Metro B towards the sea you can reach this imposing church in a few minutes. It has a beautiful facade and a faithful reconstruction of the 4th-century basilica that burned down in 1823. Inside you can see various beautiful mosaics.

Link: https://basilicasanpaolo.org/en/- Information on the Basilica di San Paolo Fuori le Mura, in English.

Musei Capitolini - Centrale Montemartini- This museum, which is well worth seeing, can also be easily reached by Metro B. A large old industrial complex (originally Rome's first power station was located here) has been converted into an art museum. Two of the huge generators in the central engine room create a fascinating contrast to the works of art, which consist mainly of antique statues.

Link: http://www.centralemontemartini.org/en- Information about the Museo Centrale Montemartini museum, in English.

Eataly is to Rome what Harrods is to London. The only difference is that the department store in the Italian capital is less focused on luxury goods. Almost everything here revolves around the food. Those who want to discover Roman and Italian cuisine can take a look at Eataly. Here you can see very quickly what is important in Italian cuisine and you can get high-quality food from all over Italy. Address: Piazzale 12 Ottobre, Roma - Eataly is located south of the center of Rome, a few meters from the Piramide Metro B station.

4. Appia Antica

The Via Appia antica began in Roman times in the Roman Forum and continued far into southern Italy, to Brindisi. Many of Rome's noble families had their tombs built along the Via Appia. Even today, these complexes with the memorial stones and tombs shape the character of the Via Appia Antica.

Link: https://www.parcoarcheologicoappiaantica.it/- Information on the Parco archeologico dell'Appia Antica park, only in Italian.

Worth seeing along the Via Appia are:

The archaeological complex of the Maxentius Villa extends in a scenic location on the Via Appia Antica. The villa consists of three main buildings: the palace, the circus and the dynastic mausoleum, all built in honor of Emperor Maxentius. The most famous monument of the whole complex is the Circus, the only one of the Roman circuses that is still well preserved in all its architectural elements. The imposing Romulus mausoleum is also worth seeing.

Link: http://www.villadimassenzio.it/en- Information on Villa di Massenzio, Appia Antica, in English.

The Catacombe di Domitilla on the Via Ardeatina / Via delle Sette Chiese, probably the largest underground tomb complex in Rome. They served as a final resting place for both pagan and Christian Romans.

The Catacombe di San Callisto is a sprawling complex with intricate passageways and many burial sites.

Link: https://www.catacombesancallisto.it/de/index.php- Information on the Christian catacombs of Rome, also in English.

The Church of San Sebastiano Fuori le Mura, on the Via Appia, is famous for the martyrdom of St. Sebastian one of the seven pilgrimage churches of Rome.

The circular building of the tomb of Cecilia Metella, visible from afar, is one of the most impressive monuments on the Via Appia Antica. It is the huge, cylindrical tomb of the noblewoman Cecilia Metella

The Villa of the Quintilii, also called Roma Vecchia because the remains give the appearance of an ancient city. A pyramid-like tomb core marks the entrance to the villa on the Via Appia. Nearby are the impressive arches of the Aqua Appia aqueduct.

The Casale Rotondo, the largest monument on the Via Appia, has a cylindrical core like the mausoleum of Augustus.

The best way to get to the Via Appia Antica is to take the Metro A (stop Colli Albani). From there, take bus number 660 that will take you in a few minutes to the center of Via Appia Antica attractions. Another way to visit the Via Appia Antica is by taking the Roma Archeologica tourist bus, which runs from Stazione Termini station to the Via Appia.

The Caffè Appia Antica is located on the Via Appia Antica, at the corner with Via Cecilia Metella. There you can eat something small outside in the garden and also rent bicycles.

5. Maxxi Museum

Maxxi - The National Museum of Arts of the XXI. Century (Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo - "MAXXI") is located in the north of Rome, near the "Foro Italico" and is easily accessible by tram from Piazza del Popolo. It is a contemporary art museum in Rome. The architect Zaha Hadid was commissioned with the construction in 1998. The museum has an L-shaped basic form and consists of several long exposed concrete building parts that seem to flow into each other, over and under each other. Inside, the building is dominated by spacious galleries, inclines, ramps and curves, artificial light and natural light from large glass fronts illuminate the galleries, halls and cabinets. The individual floors are connected to each other by free-floating black stairs.

Link: https://www.maxxi.art/en/- Information about the Maxxi Museum - Museo Nazionale delle Arti del XXI secolo, in English.

Auditorium Parco della Musica - Very close to the "Maxxi" museum is the Auditorium, a cultural center opened in 2002. The building was built according to the plans of the Italian architect Renzo Piano. The Auditorium Parco della Musica includes concert halls, theater stages and areas for changing exhibitions. The auditorium is the seat of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.

Link: https://en.auditorium.com/- Information about the Auditorium Parco della Musica, also in English.

Ponte della Musica - Modern bridge popular with skateboarders that allows pedestrians and cyclists to reach the Foro Italico (a large sports complex). It is located near the "Maxxi" museum.

6. Villa Torlonia

Villa Torlonia - North of central Rome, easily accessible by bus from the city centre, this villa and museum (manor house) is set in a beautiful park. Villa Torlonia was Mussolini's official residence from 1925 to 1943. Neoclassical sculptures can be found in the park. The Casino Nobile is an example of neoclassical architecture and the must-see "Casina delle Civette" is an Art Nouveau building that was recently transformed into a museum. The villa and the park can be visited.

Link: http://www.museivillatorlonia.it/en- Information about Villa Torlonia, in English.

Quartier Coppedè - This quarter is easily accessible on foot from Villa Torlonia or from the "Villa Borghese" park. The Quartier Coppedè is not actually a Roman district in its own right, but a district in which squares, residential buildings and villas were built in Art Nouveau style. The quarter is named after the architect Gino Coppedè, who realized this "work" between 1915 and 1926 on 31,000 square meters. Between the streets of Via Tagliamento, Via Arno and Via Clitunno there are buildings that, from an architectural point of view, are a potpourri of Art Nouveau, Baroque and Middle Ages. There are no souvenir shops, cafes or ice cream parlors here. No "old stones", no temples or forums. Nothing else reminiscent of the Roman roads.