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Trajan's Column

Name: Trajan's Column
Rating: 4.8

4.8 ·

Stand before Trajan's Column in the heart of ancient Rome. Trace the spiraling relief of roughly 155 carved scenes from bottom to top, reading Trajan's Dacian campaigns like an ancient comic strip.

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Reasons to go

Erected around 113 AD, its spiraling relief unfolds across roughly 155 scenes depicting Trajan's Dacian campaigns, meant to be read bottom to top like a comic strip.
The column's base once held Trajan's ashes, and a statue of Saint Peter has crowned it since the 16th century, replacing the original figure of Trajan.
It still stands on its original site in Trajan's Forum, making it one of the best-preserved monuments of ancient Rome.

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Full description

Erected around 113 AD to commemorate Emperor Trajan's victories in Dacia (modern Romania), the column's continuous relief spirals upward through roughly 155 individual scenes depicting the campaigns in extraordinary detail — originally painted, and read from bottom to top like an ancient comic strip. Trajan's ashes were once held in its base, and a statue of Saint Peter has topped it since the 16th century, replacing the original figure of Trajan.

Its survival in such good condition, standing in what was once the heart of Trajan's Forum, makes it a key document for historians of the Roman military as much as a monument. It takes only a few minutes to appreciate, best paired with a walk along Via dei Fori Imperiali.

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Address

Via dei Fori Imperiali, 00187 Roma RM, Italy · Monti

Website

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Booking

Walk-in

Duration

15 min

Best time

morning, afternoon or early evening

Intensity

Easy pace

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Good to know

Bring binoculars or a zoom lens to make out the carved detail near the top
it's free and visible from the street at any time
combine with a walk along Via dei Fori Imperiali past the other Imperial Fora.

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Reviews

Trajan's Column is a very famous column in Rome. It was built to celebrate Emperor Trajan's victory in the Dacian Wars and is covered with beautiful carvings that tell the story of the campaign. The level of detail is impressive, and it is amazing to see how well it has been preserved. It is a great place to stop,…

Nikolas Kardoulias

2/5

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