Landmark
Built by Augustus in 28 BC as a burial place for himself and his family, this massive circular structure once rivaled the grandest monuments of Rome before centuries of use as a quarry, fortress, and even a concert hall left it in ruins. A long restoration has recently reopened much of the site, though it remains sparser and less visually complete than Rome's better-preserved ruins. The adjacent Ara Pacis museum, housing Augustus's Altar of Peace, provides useful context for understanding the site's original grandeur. It appeals most to visitors specifically interested in the Augustan era rather than those seeking dramatic photo backdrops.
✨ Reasons to go
💡 Good to know
⏱️ Typical visit
20 min
🕰️ Best time
morning, afternoon or early evening
🚶 Walking intensity
Easy pace
What people say
"Today, not much splendor remains of the Mausoleum of Augustus. In 28 BC, Augustus had a family mausoleum built, which was put into use five years later when the urn containing the ashes of Augustus's son-in-law Marcellus was the first to be interred. The mausoleum had the shape of a burial mound and was perhaps derived from Etruscan burial mounds. In any case, Augustus was inspired by mausoleums such as those of Halicarnassus and Alexander the Great in Alexandria. The mausoleum had a 12-meter-high, circular base with a diameter of 87 meters, constructed of tufa and brick, and clad on the outside with blocks of travertine or white marble. On the base lay the actual 33-meter-high burial chamber, with a tall column in the center topped by a gilded bronze statue of Emperor Augustus. The mausoleum towered far above the sparsely built Campus Martius, and a 14.7-meter-high obelisk stood on either side of the entrance. Augustus's urn was likely located in the heart of the burial chamber; the urns of his wife Livia, his grandsons Lucius and Gaius Caesar, his sister Octavia, and his sons-in-law Marcellus and Agrippa stood in the surrounding corridor. Later, other members of the Julio-Claudian family were interred in the corridors around the central burial chamber, such as the emperors Tiberius, Caligula, and Claudius. His exiled daughter Julia and Emperor Nero were not buried in the mausoleum. From the 4th century onwards, decay began, and the building was gradually stripped of all ornaments and valuable materials (for instance, the bronze statue was melted down into coins during the Middle Ages). Over the centuries, the mausoleum has been rebuilt and used as a fort, residence, vineyard, vegetable garden, bullfighting arena, and theater. From 1908 to 1936, it was a famous concert hall, the Auditorium Augusteo, with a capacity of 3,500 people. In 1936, Mussolini had the mausoleum restored as much as possible to its original state with the intention of being buried there himself. Archaeological research was not conducted until 2007, and restoration work finally commenced in 2016. Who knows, it might be open to visitors (again) in the future, but whether there will be much to see...?"
— Koen
