The Roman Forum

A fantastic archaeological site right in the middle of Rome, the Roman Forum was Rome’s showpiece centre – a series of temples and public places which was originally an Etruscan burial group. It was first developed in the 7th Century BC, and while in the early republic, it was a chaotic place with food stalls and temples. Eventually, it outgrew itself to become a social, juridical, political, and commercial landmark of the empire. Among the best sights in the Roman Forum there are the Arco di Settimio Severo, the Curia and the Casa delle Vestali, a huge complex of 50 rooms where the priestess and the Vestal Virgins who attended the Temple of Vesta (dedicated to the goddess of earth) lived. As many other landmarks of imperial Rome, the Forum was abandoned with the fall of the Roman Empire, to the point that it was used as pasture land. In the Middle Ages when it was called Campo Vaccino (Cow Field), it was plundered of its marbles and stone. The Forum started to be excavated in the 18th century and to date excavations continue.
Tip: A proper visit of the Roman Forum requires a good amount of time (calculate no less than 3 hours). The best point of entrance is the one near the Colosseum.