Coming to the Eternal City, usually, like many of my fellow travelers, I already have a ticket purchased in advance on the Internet (and I recommend it to you if you want to insure yourself against hourly standing in line). But unlike most of the aforementioned brothers, I, while not too tired, direct my feet not towards the famous oval colossus, but in the opposite direction - towards the hills and embankments, towards the stones of the walls and the skeletons of the foundations.
Alas, on my first visit to Rome, I fell victim to poor preparation and as a result, I was extremely unsuccessfully allocated time to visit the main ancient ruins of the city. On that day, my life friend and I got to this whole archaeological Mecca quite late, showed our complex ticket and started with the Colosseum, as with a mandatory program. And we got to the Palatine Hill already at the time of the last launches of visitors inside. Exhaling with relief, I naively thought that "they won't be kicked out of here anymore," and slowly began my inspection from the hill. An hour later, when we had just descended down to the central plain with via Sacra, the Church of Anthony and Faustina and other endless wonders, they poured me like a tub of cold water, announcing that the museum was closed until tomorrow. The ticket was valid for 2 days, but it would not have been allowed again, and I was leaving in the morning ...
The next year, having reinsured, I set aside a whole day with Palatine and really got stuck there for many hours (as a result, on the contrary, there was no time left in the tight three-day schedule, but I was not too worried about this, since already got acquainted with it last time). Paradoxically, but true: as a result of those first two visits, it turned out that the Palatine Hill in Rome is the most familiar “antique” place in the city to me, and now I can rightfully share my impressions.
NB: For those who, like me, love to "hang" by the ancient bricks: do not repeat my mistakes! Yes, a single ticket to all these open-air museums is valid for two days, and the Colosseum can be taken out to a separate point of the program, but Foro and Palatino are on a common territory, and there is only a single entry there. You don't want to pay twice, do you? Come in advance, if possible, in the first half of the day, and allocate time wisely in order to have time to see exactly as much as you want. Then you can at least disassemble everything brick by brick.
And those who came here just in the appendage after the Colosseum will in any case be pleased to walk along the hill, even if their knowledge of the history of Rome boils down to: "these are statues in sheets, and Caesar fought there."
It is spacious and free to breathe, despite the age-old dust.
From the history of the Palatine Hill
This is where Rome began! The first Latins settled here long before the neighboring hills and, moreover, the swampy lowlands of the future Forum were inhabited. The waters of the Tiber of the twins Romulus and Remus were thrown here, here they were fed by the legendary she-wolf (in fact, the Palatine, not the Capitoline, like this!) new town, and here Romulus killed Remus, building a city on the bones, which was destined to conquer all of Europe. All this beautiful legends, of course, but throwing away the tinsel of deification, I still clearly understand that there is no smoke without fire. The city started from here anyway.
At first, however, it was much more reminiscent of a village than a city: even the name Palatium itself comes from the name of the cattle goddess Pales.
When Rome grew and the Palatine from the main location became just one of the notorious seven hills, and the city center moved down to the Forum, this hill did not want to part with its exclusive status. Now the elite has settled here, and Palatine has become the most "fashionable" area of its time. This fact especially concerns the imperial period, when almost every ruler of the state considered it his duty to build a new residence for himself, which, of course, was supposed to overshadow all the previous ones in size, splendor and luxury.
Well, after the barbarians destroyed the Empire, desolation reigned here for more than a thousand years, until in the 16th century. Pope Paul III Farnese did not acquire the wasteland as his property.
Recent history this site is the same as that of other archaeological sites in Rome: excavation and return to the roots, transformation into a museum with a front door.
What to see
The Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum are purely formally considered two different museums under open air for which a single ticket is valid. I do not notice the border between them any more than the border between neighboring Schengen countries by train or bus.
All this is one large archaeological park, surrounded by a fence along a common perimeter.
You can read about the treasures of the Forum in detail, but here I will briefly tell you what is exactly on the Palatine Hill.
Homes of the ancient Romans: from domus-palaces to tenement insul
Residential buildings in ancient Rome, leaving aside special cases like the house of the Vestals, were divided into 2 main types:
- domuses- detached houses with outbuildings and, as we would say today, all the necessary infrastructure,
- insula- multi-family high-rise buildings for many families.
Remains of both of these types of dwellings can be found on the Palatine Hill.
Today, the remains of several palaces-domuses - Octaviana Augustus, Tiberius, Domitian, North... Apart from the latter, these are all early emperors of the first century; perhaps the fact is that in later centuries the financial position of the imperial treasury no longer allowed the rebuilding of the same whopper.
Few of the palaces have survived, mainly foundations, some columns and in some places walls.
Below in the photo is one of the most spectacular domus of the Palatine - the well-preserved Flavian Palace.
But this does not prevent the remains from impressing with their dimensions. The size of the palaces and neighboring structures is easy to imagine, seeing these spaces. For example, the area of Domus Flaviev (aka Domitian's palace) was 5 hectares, and next to it there was a stadium 160 x 50 meters.
The domus of the August family in the very center of the Palatine is also large, but, judging by the descriptions, it was much simpler - the first and greatest Roman emperor did not like to live in luxury at all.
Most likely, because Octavian kept in mind the history of his predecessor in power over Rome, Julius Caesar (and who does not remember: at that time the Romans were still very shaken for the freedom of their Republic and killed those who were suspected of royal manners). Among the extensions to the Palace of Augustus there are House wife of Octavian, empress Libya (Casa di Livia).
There is, by the way, on the Palatine and house the founder himself Romulus (Casa Romuli), although there are much more doubts about the authenticity of the latter than in the case of the emperors and their families.
Huts
Waste remains of dwellings the mighty of the world this, more precisely, that, on the Palatine they lead to philosophical thoughts like nowhere else. We continue to go from more pretentious to more modest: now let's go to see the folk dwellings. Behind the house of Libya in the westernmost part of the hill is the most ancient place excavations - where the Roman land came from, so to speak, even before Romulus. On maps and tablets it is simply called “ Huts» ( Capanno del Palatino). The first stones of Rome!
Catacombs
Usually, ancient ruins end up underground as a result of merciless time. But there are some buildings on the Palatine that have never seen the sky. Some underground passages were indeed underground even when they were built.
Secret passages connected the palaces to each other and made it possible, for example, to escape from the Praetorian Guard, which was perpetrating the next coup. This, as we see, was also invented in antiquity long before the appearance medieval castles.
What else?
In this place, you especially feel the unity of space and time: on a tiny territory, the remains of tens of generations are buried, compressed for 12 centuries. But in fact, much more, because before the founding of Rome, and after the fall of the Empire, they built and lived here, albeit not so actively. On the Palatine there are decrepit "old people" and relatively recent buildings, for example:
- pre-Roman pagan shrines such as the sacred cave of the she-wolf and altar of Pan,
- NS Ram Jupiter Stator , based on the dawn of the city's existence (if not by Romulus himself, as the myth says, then still by one of his contemporaries),
- temple of Cybele the heyday of the Republic,
- palaces of emperors,
- basilicas of the early Middle Ages (5-6 centuries AD) - Church of Sant'Anastasia, Church of Sant Teodoro,
- Farnese gardens, broken on the abandoned Palatine already in the 16th century. under Pope Paul III,
- Museum Antiquarium.
Dwell in detail on all former temples, basilicas and columns of the Palatine Hill will not. When you arrive, you will feel everything yourself and re-read the tablets, it is better to see it once. At least in photographs, they also convey feelings better than words.
Some of the aisles still look like gates, although the Roman architects, of course, did not conceive this at all.
Observation Decks
Even if Palatine was pristine, it would still make sense to go to him for the sake of - this is a beautiful observation deck... From here you have views of everything that surrounds the hill: the city, the Cathedral of the Saint, the Baths of Caracalla and, of course, the Roman Forum itself at the foot of the hill.
And here is how the huge Basilica of Maxentius looks from the Palatine Hills, about which you can read in more detail the articles about the Forum.
On the southwest side, under the Palatine Hill, lies the Circo Massimo, a large vacant lot left over from an ancient hippodrome. Also looks nice from above.
In general, as a free observation deck on Rome, the hill is beautiful, and even seagulls understand this.
Finally, an interesting point. The word "palace" in Russian is derived from the court. But there is another synonym - “chambers”, which sounds like “palaces” of other countries: the Anglo-French palace and the Ukrainian-Belarusian “palace”. Obviously, all this is not a simple decoration ... sorry, not just a coincidence. For a long time this eloquent fact did not strike my eye, but now I understand that the words came from a common Latin root, from a single place name - Palatine. Remember how many luxurious palaces were built here by the emperors, trying to outstrip one another? So the very type of buildings became associated exclusively with this hot spot. And the former "domus" became different palaces and palats, including, of course, the Italian "palazzo".
Museum Antiquarium
Deserves a couple of separate words. This is a much newer building than everything that surrounds it, and it reminds us much more of a museum in the usual sense.
On its two floors, all kinds of excavated "trifles" are collected, which are best demonstrated by a tourist not in the open air, but in a room under glass: bas-reliefs, mosaics, granite rocks.
The sculptures here, by the way, are not only excavated ancient Roman, but modern ones too.
In addition, there is a room dedicated to the history of Rome in a slightly more orderly presentation.
The museum is open from 9 am, closes two hours before sunset, and is closed on Mondays. Admission is free, it is enough to have your legal "forum-palatine ticket" with you.
Palatine Hill Map
I attach a diagram of the location of the sights of the Palatine in the picture below. By pressing it you can increase it.
At the entrance to the hill, if I don't confuse anything, both on the main one and on the one that leads from the Forum, there is also a map-diagram, which from the very beginning does not allow us to get lost.
Tickets, opening hours, useful life hacks
Ticket, along which you can visit the Colosseum, the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum at once, is one and acts on all three museums. It is valid for two days, one-time entrance to the territory of the Colosseum and one-time entrance to the Forum + Palatine.
In addition, the considerations that I have already expressed - about the need to correctly allocate time - this has other consequences. For example, there is one little trick. Each of the museums has its own ticket office, and the ticket is given the same. If you have not bought a ticket in advance online via the Internet, then you, in any case, stand in line. But, regardless of where you are actually drawn more, where do you think there will be more queues, and where less? That's right, not everyone is as smart as you and me, many untrained tourists they do not read any useful articles in advance and simply do not know that the ticket is general. There is always a crowd in the Colosseum, on the Forum opposite - the tail is more modest, and the entrance to the Palatine Hill is generally to the side, and it is relatively empty. Therefore, even for those who are saddened by the fragments of pebbles and who just want to take pictures against the background of the famous semicircular arena, it makes sense not to immediately run to the cashier of the Colosseum itself, but to cheat and look into the queue next door.
Now the full fare ticket costs 12 EUR, there are discounts for selected categories, for teenagers (under 18) free of charge. If you have taken tourist map Roma Pass, then all the listed museums are included in it, and you do not need to buy any additional tickets.
Opening hours Museum "Palatine Hill" coincide with. The entrance always opens at 8:30, and closes in different seasons in different ways (moreover, the last admission of guests to the territory of the museums ends an hour before the complete closure). It is best to look at the information about the exact hours in advance (you can).
How to get there: just as we get to and to: line B Rome metro station "Colosseo".
You can get to the Palatine by going up from the Forum (the entrance is where the Arch of Titus is opposite the Colosseum), or by entering directly from the street via San Gregorio.
Summary
For connoisseurs of antiquity - a must. These bricks have been seen by as many consuls and emperors as doctors of historical sciences cannot even remember.
At the sight of such labyrinths, it is not so difficult to strain your imagination and mentally finish the walls and passages to their logical conclusion. What a beauty it once was!
Just do not forget to clarify the schedule of closings in advance, so that it will not be excruciatingly painful for wasted funds. And it's best to come in the morning.
Rome is built on seven hills, the most ancient and significant of which is the Palatine. Archaeologists claim that the first buildings in the Eternal City were built on this 40-meter hill. At the time of the power of the Empire, the dwellings of the rulers were built here, and it was the Palatine Hill that became the progenitor of the Latin word palatium, which means "palace". The name of the hill was given in honor of the goddess Pales, who patronized cattle breeding.
Palatine Hill Legends
There is evidence that the strategically important elevation above the Tiber crossing was inhabited in the 9th-8th centuries. BC NS. As the legend says, it was here that the dwelling of the she-wolf, who nurtured Romulus and Remus, was located, and it was here that the founding brothers of the city were found by the shepherd Faustulus, who later raised them. From the hill, the brothers began the construction of the Great City, a little later here Romulus killed his brother and ringed the Palatine with two rows of powerful walls. Not so long ago, scientists discovered a cave that could have been the lair of the legendary she-wolf.
Mansion of Octavian Augustus
During the time of the Republic, every patrician considered it his duty to build a luxurious estate on the Palatine. Starting with the founder of the empire, Octavian Augustus, rulers began to settle on the Palatine Hill. Modest by the standards of those in power, the mansion of Octavian was built of marble and was famous for its unique frescoes. In addition to the mansion, at that time there were the temples of Vesta and Apollo, propylaea and a colonnade with big amount statues. Special attention should be paid to the house of the wife of the ruler of Libya, consisting of 14 rooms, decorated with frescoes depicting mythological creatures, flowers, candelabra and sphinxes.
The followers of Octavian erected a much more significant palace complex, known in documents as the House of Tiberius. The beginning of construction took place under the leadership of Tiberius himself, and Nero was engaged in the expansion of the territory. To the north of the creation of Tiberius was the Palace of Caligula.
Complex of the times of Domitian
The next surge in activity was observed under Domitian, when a luxurious palace complex was built on the Palatine Hill with the Throne Hall, a fountain surrounded by a colonnade, the Hall of Jupiter and a beautiful basilica. At the time of Domitian, who loved sports games, a stadium was erected with a special box for the emperor and his entourage.
Palace of Septimius Severus
The last of a series of Palatine palaces appeared on the map under Septimius Severus. In those days, a monumental fountain with columns, consisting of seven levels, and a bath appeared at the foot of the hill.
After the fall of Rome, the elevation was in decline until the 16th century, when the restoration of this unique place the Farnese family took over. About 25% of the buildings were dug up and destroyed beautiful gardens that delight visitors today. The restoration was completed under Napoleon III.
Antiquarium Museum and Roman Forum
Unique items, bas-reliefs, fragments of mosaics, ancient and modern sculptures are kept in the Antiquarium Museum, which opened doors for visitors on the hill.
At the foot of the Palatine Hill, it is located where the main political issues were decided and the destinies of rulers and states were decided.
How to get to Palatine Hill?
The hill is located in an area called XCampitelli.
The exact address is piazza S. Maria Nova, via di S. Gregorio 30.
To get here, just take the metro line B to Colosseo station.
In the winter and summer time the attraction has a different working schedule: in the cold season, a visit is possible from 8:30 to 16:30, and in the period from March to the end of August - from 8:30 to 19:15.
Later, than an hour before closing, they are not allowed to enter the territory.
Price entrance ticket- 12 euros.
There is a system of discounts, which can be found in more detail on the website. tourist center Of the Eternal City. In addition to the hill itself, you can visit the Colosseum and the Forum with a ticket for two days. For those who want to save money on the services of a guide, there is the possibility of ordering a Russian-language audio guide for 5 euros.
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Palatine Hill begins its history even before the founding of Rome. Shepherds lived in this place about three thousand years ago. Later, the hill became the main scene in the legend of Romulus and Remus. Experts have found settlements founded in 1000 BC, which confirms the earlier settlement of the Palatine in comparison with the other six hills. The greatest Roman poem, The Aeneid, says that the first city on the site of Rome was founded by people from the harsh Greek Arcadia. It was called Pallantius, and the Palatine was its core and center. Although, perhaps, the hill was named after Pales - the patron goddess of the shepherds.
Romulus settlement model The history of Ancient Rome began from this place. It was to the foot of the Palatine, according to legend, that the waves of the Tiber nailed a basket with two babies - Remus and Romulus, who became the founders " Of the eternal city". According to legend, here was the cave of the she-wolf (Luperkali), who nurtured the brothers.
Subsequently, Romulus surrounded the Palatine Hill with a wall with two gates - this was the first semblance of the "Eternal City".
The legendary cradle of Rome in our time has become its most romantic garden with columns that have fallen among the wildflowers. During the Roman Republic, this area was considered elite and only rich and aristocratic people such as Crassus and Cicero lived here. There was the house of the Gracchus family, from which the reforming brothers of the 2nd century BC came out. e., there lived Tiberius Claudius Nero, the father of the emperor Tiberius, there lived Mark Antony, Caesar's companion and the future husband of Cleopatra.
The imperial style was initiated by August. He was tried to be surpassed and overshadowed by subsequent emperors. Over time, the entire area turned into one huge palace. The word palace itself comes from the name of the hill.
The invasion of the barbarians turned the Palatine into a scorched desert. The hill remained deserted until the seventeenth century, when it came into the possession of Pope Paul III Farnese. From this moment, the revival of the hill begins. It was this family that first began to partially restore a long-forgotten history.
View of the Palatine Hill with the Arch of Constantine. A.R.L. Dukros (1748-1810) Private archaeological work on the Palatine Hill was completed with the support of Napoleon III in the 60s of the 19th century, after which the Roman authorities took away Napoleon's property in connection with historical value discovered during excavations.
Today, the Palatine is a cluster architectural monuments the most different eras, from the ancient period to the buildings of the nineteenth century. That is why all travelers who are at least a little interested in history and architecture should visit the place where the history of the great city originates.
There is little reminiscent of the imperial pomp on the current Palatine. For a long time, the hill was completely closed to the public: archaeological excavations... This work continues now (a smaller part of the monuments has been excavated), but the Palatine is one of the few archaeological zones in the center of Rome where you can just walk and forget about what this hill was for the people who lived on and around it two thousand years ago : the buildings on the Palatine are even worse preserved than on the Forum, there are almost no signs. And the imposing brick-faced ribs and vaults sticking out along the edges of the hill are not the remains of the buildings themselves, but of their foundations. In addition, the Palatine grew not only in breadth, but also upward. The present hill is largely the work of human hands: in its central part, the cultural layer rises above the natural geological base by as much as fifteen meters!
You can climb the Palatine Hill from the eastern part of the Roman Forum, from the ruins of the House of the Vestals.
View of the Forum from the Palatine Hill The pavilions and terraces of the 17th-century gardens of the Farnese family offer beautiful views of the Forum. V small museum exhibits discovered nearby. The botanical rarities of the Farnese Gardens were famous as early as the 17th century, but the current layout of the plantings is largely the work of the archaeologist of the time of Napoleon III, Giacomo Boni. Boni worked on the Forum excavations, but lived on the Palatine. There he is buried - in the center of the garden, which he restored according to ancient Roman models.
Farnese Gardens on the Palatine The Farnese Gardens are surrounded by temples. The main religious center of Rome was the Capitol - from the western part of the current gardens a majestic view of the Temple of Jupiter opened up. But this view became especially majestic when, through the efforts of several generations, the Palatine was equal in height to the Capitol.
To the west of the garden is the House of Augustus ( Casa di Augusto), in which Augustus lived about 30 BC, until he acquired supreme power and built his palace complex higher on the hill Domus Augustana... After many years of restoration in 2008 for visitors rooms with exquisite frescoes opened.
House of August Palace architecture Domus Augustana quite simple and made of marble. Nearby there is a temple to the ancient Roman god Apollo, which is also made of pure marble. There are two libraries in the temple. At the beginning of our era, the palace burned down, but its owner immediately began to renovate the building. As a result, everything was restored to its original form, and a beautiful colonnade appeared nearby. It consisted of fifty-two columns, the spaces between which were filled with amazing statues.
House of Libya 
Romulus's hut
House of Libya ( Casa di Livia), in which his ambitious wife lived, is also decorated with wonderful frescoes and wall mosaics. Perhaps this is the former home of the orator Hortense, bought by Augustus. The surviving paintings depict garlands of fruits and flowers, landscapes in the Egyptian style, and mythological scenes in the central room. One wall depicts the nymph Galatea and the one in love with her sea giant Polyphemus, on the other - Io, which is guarded by Argus. On the sides of the long wall there are two small paintings in the Greek style, called pinax, "plaque" - they were highly valued and were closed with special doors; on both - three-figure compositions depicting noble women. Nearby, three round Stone Age dwellings, excavated since the legendary founding of Rome, are known as the huts of Romulus ( Cappane di Romolo).
Covered passage Criptoportico connected buildings on the Palatine Hill with the palace of Nero.
The western part of the hill was decorated with the palace of Tiberius ( Domus tiberiana).
Huge ensemble of ruins Domus flavia includes the basilica, throne and banquet hall, baths, porticoes and a fountain in the form of a labyrinth. Together with Domus Augustana the complex is known as Domitian's palace. The architecture of the building itself was luxurious and distinguished by its particular sophistication. There was a basilica and various halls on the territory of the palace. For example, the Throne Room, where the emperor gave audiences and held councils. The dining room was gigantic - in length and in height it exceeded thirty meters. The walls were decorated with three tiers of multicolored columns. Everything shone with marble and polished granite. The dining room was surrounded by gardens with fountains. All around were open courtyards, each the size of a palace.
Domitian's palace To the east of this splendor, another gigantic garden was laid out in the form of a "stadium" or "hippodrome" - one of the most impressive sights on the Palatine. What was in the Palatine "stadium", except for the fountains on both sides (for which Domitian had a weakness), is unknown. Perhaps gold and silver statues depicting the emperor, which he only allowed to put up, himself assigning their weight.
Domitian Stadium Septimius Severus, the last emperor to build on the Palatine Hill, erected imperial palace at the southeast edge of the hill. Therefore his Domus severiana was the first thing that caught the eye of visitors to the capital. The building had a very interesting structure of seven floors, and each level rises above the previous one thanks to high columns. During the Middle Ages, it was dismantled and its marble decorations were used to build Renaissance Rome.
From the same edge of the hill, there is a beautiful view of the huge, grassy field of the stadium. where crowds of spectators watched chariot racing from rows of marble seats.
Circus Maximus Many temples were also built on the Palatine. Although today only one ruins remain of them (Victoria, Apollo) - in the 15-18 centuries the temples were taken away for building materials. The temple of Apollo kept the books of Sibyllic prophecy, placed there by Augustus. These books were in golden chests hidden under the pedestal of the statue of Apollo. And also, over time, churches and basilicas appeared on the hill.
In November 2007, a group of Italian archaeologists led by Irene Jacopi and Andrea Carandini announced the discovery. A medium-sized grotto was discovered under the "house of Libya". Its domed ceiling is decorated with colorful mosaics of smalt, pumice and seashells, in the center - the image of a white eagle. The researchers announced with great fanfare that they had found the legendary Lupercal - a sanctuary dedicated to Romulus, Remus and the she-wolf who nursed them. Our contemporary has not yet stepped inside the grotto - it is filled with construction debris from two millennia and may collapse. Nevertheless, there were photographs taken with a special camera probe.
Lupercal You can get to the Palatine after visiting. A ticket to the Roman Forum costs 12 euros and includes a visit to the Palatine Hill. So, once in Rome, you don't have to stand in a two-hour line at the Colosseum ticket office, but just walk 100 meters to the side and buy the same ticket at the Forum box office. The ticket is valid for two days from the date of visiting any of the three attractions. Admission is free for persons under 18.
If you like the history of Ancient Rome and the remnants of a former empire, then the Palatine in Rome will definitely appeal to you.
The Palatine is one of the 7 hills on which Rome stands. This hill was inhabited much earlier than the others, therefore it is considered the oldest, and during the time of the empire only the upper class of society lived here. Therefore, the buildings that have survived here were huge.
For comparison, the buildings in the background are people
History of the Palatine
The Palatine Hill dates back to before the founding of Rome, because shepherds lived on this hill a thousand years before our era. Later, the hill became the main scene of the famous legend about Romulus and Remus.
- According to legend, it was on the Palatine Hill that the she-wolf found and nurtured the 2 founding brothers of Rome;
- It was here (later) that Romulus and Remus began to build the great city;
- And it was on the Palatine Hill that Romulus killed Remus.
The legends are confirmed by archaeological excavations: specialists have found settlements that were founded in 1000 BC, which confirms the early settlement of the Palatine, in comparison with the other six hills.
During his lifetime, Romulus surrounded the Palatine Hill with a wall with two gates - these were the first defenses of Rome .
Noble place
Hundreds of years later, the Romans sacredly honored their history and remembered where their ancestors lived. Therefore, many people wanted to live on the Palatine, this hill was considered the most prestigious in the city, but only the Roman nobility inhabited the hill.
Only the rich and emperors could afford to build their villas and palaces on the Palatine Hill.
To show its importance, each new palace was built larger and more luxurious than the previous ones. At some point, such structures became so huge that there were no analogues in the world at that time.
They were even given their own name - Domus. It was considered an honor to have such domus, so each emperor built his domus as soon as he ascended the throne. The most famous domus surviving to this day are the residences of the emperors Augustus, Tiberius and Dominician.
One of these domus. The fence in the center is approximately chest-high
The decline of the Palatine
After the invasion of the Goths on Rome, the buildings on the Palatine were destroyed, and after that no one dealt with them until the 17th century. But when the hill fell into the possession of the Farnese family, the reconstruction of the buildings buried underground began actively on it.
The final archaeological work on the Palatine Hill in Rome was completed with the support of Napoleon III in the 1860s, but after the Roman authorities took away Napoleon's property due to the historical value found during excavations.
Throughout history, many buildings have been built on the Palatine, which still impress tourists today. The Palatine Hill is an intact part of the history of Rome.
Museum Antiquarium
One of the most interesting places Palatina - Museum Antiquarium. On two floors of the museum, there are ancient sculptures, mosaics and bas-reliefs, miraculously preserved under a layer of earth. The museums also have rooms with modern sculptures.
The museum is sharply distinguished by its white color from other buildings, so it is easy to find it
Admission is free, with the Colosseum-Palatine-Forum ticket. It is worth visiting for lovers of history and artifacts of antiquity, as well as the rest of the Palatine.
The museum opens at 9:00 am and closes 2 hours before sunset from Tuesday to Sunday.
Palatine video
Rome is a city on seven hills. The Palatine Hill is the central and most significant of them. According to legend, it was here that the she-wolf found and nursed the brothers Romulus and Remus. Here Romulus later founded the city of Rome (in 754 - 753 BC).
People lived on the Palatine long before the foundation of the city. This place is the oldest inhabited in Rome. The first settlements appeared here in about 1000 BC. NS. Permanent settlements, judging by the archaeological artifacts found here, appeared on the Palatine in the 12th century BC. NS.
The name of the hill comes from the name of the goddess Pales - the patroness of cattle. The hill has long been a place for grazing pets and worshiping this goddess.
The ancient Romans treated their history with reverence. Therefore, it was very prestigious to live on the site of the city's founding. During the Roman Empire, only noble people lived on the Palatine. Today you can see the well-preserved houses of the ancient Roman aristocrats. Starting with the emperor Octavian Augustus, the Palatine became the seat of the ancient Roman rulers. Each new emperor wanted to build for himself the most luxurious palace, surpassing the palaces of its predecessors in splendor and splendor. Over time, they began to build residences for the Roman emperors, which in scale did not have analogues in the whole world at that time. These structures are called "domusy". The domus of three emperors - Dominician, Augustus and Tiberius - have survived to this day.
Antique buildings
The ruins of stunning villas, domus and palaces have been preserved on the Palatine. The Palatine is a true open-air museum of ancient Roman history.
Houses of Libya and Augustus
The houses of Emperor Augustus and his wife were built in the 1st century BC. NS. The palace of Augustus has hardly survived - only the ruins of the foundation and walls. Libya's house is much better preserved. On its walls you can see frescoes depicting scenes from ancient mythology and beautiful landscapes. The courtyard of Libya's house is decorated with mosaics.
Tiberius palace
The palace was built under the Emperor Tiberius. Then, by order of Caligula, the residence was expanded. At a time when the palace appeared in all its grandeur, legends were made about its magnificence. In the 16th century, the Farnese Gardens were built on the ruins of the palace. Today, only fragments of brickwork remind of the beautiful structure. The palace has an observation deck with stunning views of the Roman Forum and the Colosseum.
Flavian Palace
The Flavian Palace was built in 80-82 during the reign of Emperor Domitian as part of the Domus Augustus. It was a ceremonial building where important guests were received and feasts were held. The palace housed a sanctuary, a basilica, throne and column halls with fountains. Today, only fragments of the foundation and fountains have survived from the palace. Next to the Flavian Palace is the Palatine Museum. The exposition of the museum presents ancient sculptures and other relics found during excavations on the Palatine. The entrance to the museum is free (you must show a ticket to the Palatine).
Stadium
The stadium was built at about the same time as the Flavian Palace. It was a majestic amphitheater, stretching in the valley between the slopes of the Palatine and Aventine. Its length exceeded 600 meters, and its width reached 90 meters. This place was a natural arena. Spectacular chariot competitions were held here. Under Caesar, the area of the stadium was increased, and stone stands were also erected here. According to legend, this structure was built on the site of the abduction of the Sabine women.
Domus Septimius Severus
This structure was located on the southeast side of the hill. It is difficult to judge its size, since most of buildings are still underground. Today only high arched galleries remain from the domus. This palace was the last to be built on the Palatine.
The prosperity of the Palatine lasted until the invasion of the Goths, when the barbarians destroyed the beautiful buildings of the Palatine. Until the middle of the 19th century, only the Farnese Gardens and ruins occupied the territory of the Palatine. In 1861, Napoleon III bought the gardens from the King of Naples, Francis II. After lengthy bureaucratic deliberations, thanks to Rainier's support, archaeological excavations began on the Palatine.
Tickets
To visit the hill, you must purchase a single ticket that includes the Palatine, Colosseum and Roman Forum. The ticket price is 12 euros. A preferential price of 7 euros is valid upon presentation of an ISIC, ITIC, IYTC card Up to 18 years of age, admission is free. Also free admission on the first Sunday of every month. You can buy a ticket at the box office of any of the attractions listed above. The queues at the Palatine and Forum ticket offices are much smaller than at the Colosseum. Tickets can also be purchased online. When booking a ticket through the website, a commission of two euros will be charged. You need to arrive at the place half an hour before the time indicated on the ticket in order to have time to pass the security check (check of things and bags).
A visit to the Palatine is included in a single Roma pass. It is also possible to purchase a single Roma Archeologia Card, which entitles you to visit the ten most popular museums for seven days.
The ticket is valid for two days. It should be borne in mind that the Roman Forum and the Palatine are located nearby. If you entered the territory of one of these objects, then you need to visit both of them, since it will not be possible to enter with the same ticket a second time.
Working hours
The entrance to the Palatine Hill is possible every day except January 1 and December 25. From January 2 to February 15, Palatine is open from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm. From February 16 to March 15 from 8.30 to 17.00. From March 16 to the last Saturday of March 8.30 am to 5.30 pm. From the last Saturday of March to 31 August from 8.30 to 19.15. From 1 to 30 September from 8.30 to 19.00. From the last Sunday in October to 31 December from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm. From October 1 to the last Saturday in October from 8.30 to 18.30. Ticket offices close one hour before the end of work.
How to get there
Palatine is in the heart historic center Rome.
By public transport
The closest metro station to the Palatine is Colosseo. It will take 7-10 minutes to walk from it to the Palatine.
There are a lot of buses running to the Colosseo stop - № 51, 75, 85, 87, 118, N2.
How to walk from the Colosseo stop to the Palatine entrance.
By taxi
It is convenient to order a taxi in Rome using the Uber app.
This famous landmark in Rome is a favorite location for wedding photo shoots. It should be noted that the city, like Italy as a whole, has become one of the popular destinations the so-called "wedding tourism". Considering that it is not such a troublesome business (thanks, of course, to intermediaries in the person of wedding agencies), the large flow of people who want to make this memorable day even more special is understandable.
Video: Palatine Hill
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