Exclusive tour at the Museum of Forma Urbis: Immerse yourself in the map of Ancient Rome

Explore the historic Colle Celio-Celian Hill where the Forma Urbis Museum offers a unique window into the urban and architectural splendor of ancient Rome. The museum houses the remains of the Forma Urbis, a monumental marble map from the 3rd century AD, once displayed in the Temple of Peace in the Roman Forum. Perched on one of Rome’s famous seven hills, the Celian Hill itself provides a stunning backdrop to this immersive experience, with its layers of history, leafy parks, and ancient ruins. This private walking tour will guide you through both the museum and the ancient surroundings of the Celio, offering a deeper understanding of the grandeur that once was Rome.

A Hidden Gem: The Celian Hill

Begin your private tour of Forma Urbis Museum with a stroll through the peaceful surroundings of the Celian Hill. As one of the lesser-visited of Rome’s seven hills, it offers a serene contrast to the bustling tourist spots. Rich with history, walking through its tree-lined streets and parks, you’ll feel a connection to the past. The Celio was once the residence of wealthy patricians and imperial elites, who built grand homes and gardens here to escape the busy streets of the city center. These aristocratic retreats echo the history of the area as a privileged enclave in ancient Rome.

Your expert guide will get you into the magic of this place with an introduction to the Celian Hill's importance in Roman times—from its early military and religious significance to its evolution into a district of palatial residences. This context sets the stage for the map, as you explore how the Forma Urbis revealed the urban planning of a thriving metropolis.

Discovering the Forma Urbis: Fragments of the Ancient City

Now you are ready to immerse yourself into the Forma Urbis Museum where you are immediately greeted by an overview of the map's significance. Originally commissioned by Emperor Septimius Severus, this colossal marble map of ancient Rome once adorned a massive wall, giving Romans a bird’s-eye view of their city.

Step by step you’ll know better the fragments of the Forma Urbis—pieces of the vast map that once detailed every street, building, and monument in the city. Although much of the map was lost to time, the surviving fragments are rich with intricate details.

Be amazed by famous Roman landmarks fragments, including the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and even parts of the Celian Hill itself. Here, you’ll find remnants of Roman bathhouses, temples, and villas that once stood in ancietn times, probably worth your next Rome private tour. Marvel at how the ancient urban landscape is brought to life through these stone carvings, showing how Rome was meticulously organized, down to the smallest details.

Rome’s Hidden Layers: the Secrets of the Forma Urbis through a Baroque Map

Discover how the Forma Urbis captures the intricate layout of ancient Rome in the 3rd century AD, mapping out every building, street, and monument with meticulous detail. Meanwhile, Nolli’s map from the 18th century unveils a similar mastery in depicting the city's Baroque streetscape, but with an innovative twist: it also reveals the internal spaces of churches, courtyards, and piazzas, just as the Forma Urbis revealed Rome’s public spaces centuries earlier.

Your private guide will unlock the secrets behind these two extraordinary maps, drawing fascinating connections between them. As you move between the ancient fragments of the Forma Urbis and Nolli's map, you’ll witness how the urban landscape of Rome evolved over time, yet maintained a deep connection to its roots. Both maps serve as invaluable tools for understanding the continuity between ancient and modern Rome—how the streets and monuments of Imperial Rome continued to influence the city’s structure throughout the centuries.

This dialogue between the Forma Urbis and the Nolli's Map invites you to explore the city's history in unprecedented detail, uncovering layers of architecture, culture, and design that continue to shape Rome’s vibrant layout today. The result is a captivating journey through time, as ancient and Baroque visions of the Eternal City merge into one seamless urban masterpiece.

Your private tour of the Museum ends reflecting on how ancient Rome continues to shape the modern city. The Forma Urbis Museum not only unveils the layout of the ancient city but also invites you to appreciate how much of that world still survives beneath and alongside the modern city. Walking through the Celio, with its blend of ancient ruins, Renaissance churches, and modern life, provides the perfect ending to a journey through the heart of Rome’s history.