Palatine Hill, Rome

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The best and the most romantic way of discovering the Forum is to climb on the Palatine Hill by the entry located Via di San Gregorio 30, close to Porta Capena. The visit begins thus with the vestiges of the thermal baths of Settimo Severo at the South-eastern angle of the Palatine.
The entry of Palatine is to be paid for but it gives right to a combined entry to the Coliseum and the Foro Romano and avoids consequently the long lines at the Coliseum which can be joined by going down towards the Arc of Titus and the Via Sacra.

It is on the Palatine that Rome was born with Romulus in the 8th century before J-C, it is there that Cicero lived under the Republic and it is still on this hill that the emperors August, Tiber, Domitian had their residence. Excavations started in the 18th century and are still going on; they made it possible to discover the palaces Domus Augustana, Domus Flavia, Casa di Livia as well as temples of Cibele and Apollo and a stadium.
One needs some imagination to evoke the splendour of this site of the time of the Empire but the place is quiet and shaded by beautiful trees of which the famous romantic umbrella pines.
While moving towards North one reaches the Farnese gardens with a terrace from where one has an extraordinary view downwards on the Foro Romano. It is really a unique sight which no tourist, no photographer could ignore being in Rome.

Open all days from 08.30 till 1 hour before sunset.
Closing times in 2011:
16/02 - 15/03 = 17.00 h
16/03 - 26/03 = 17.30 h
27/03 - 31/08 = 19.15 h
01/09 - 30/09 = 19.00 h
01/10 - 30/10 = 18.30 h
31/10/11 - 15/02/12 = 16.30 h
Attention: closed on 1/01 and 25/12 !
The ticket offices close 1 hour before above times.

Tickets available at the "biglietterie" Largo Salaria Vecchia and Via di San Gregorio, 30 (also the ticket offices of the Forum and the Coliseum as the ticket is a combined one).
Price combined ticket: normal 12 €; reduced 7,50 € for EU citizens between 18 and 24 years old.
Free for EU citizens less than 18 or 65 years old.

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Poor or rich people they all want to have a garden, the difference is that the poor have a garden with onions and tomatoes while the rich ones pay decorators to create something more complicated that will include flowerbeds and fountains :)

It was back in the 16th century when the cardinal Al.Farnese bought the palace of Tiberius at the and asked architecture Vignola to create the (once) beautiful Farnese Gardens that spread down from Palatine Hill to Forum (the palace of Tiberius was at the foothill). The Botanical Gardens were one of the first in Europe but they also became famous for some other reasons like long nights with girls and dance :)

We were already tired and the sun was hard on us so we didn’t really stay much here as there are not any flowers or other interesting foliage left but there are different terraces and pavilions where you can enjoy the view and take numerous pictures (pics 3-4)

At the upper side of the Gardens was located the Temple of Cybele that was built in 204BC to house the Black Stone of the goddess, burned down 2 times later and restored again by Augustus. Cybele was the goddess of fertility (Great Mother for the Greeks) that was served by castrated priest (strange balance of fertility in the temple). Nothing left for us to see there today though.

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Have you ever wonder where the word “palace” came from? Many emperors later built their palaces at the Palatine Hill. What’s more it was probably the spot of the earliest settlements in the area. So, Palatino isn’t just one of the 7 hills of Rome.

Have in mind though that if you are looking for impressive palaces you won’t see any here, the palaces here are ancient and ruined so you actually imagine most of them but still we enjoyed our tour on the hill because it was a tour through history.

The hill must be chosen for its position, 50m above the Tiber river and above the Roman Forum from the other side. Legend says that Rolulus and Remus were found here by the she-wolf and later they built a city that would become the eternal Rome.

The first site we saw when we walked up the hill was the Stadium of Domidian(pic 1),. It was used for games, fights and private hunts. Some sources claim that it wasn’t open to the public but only for the emperor and his guests! Columns ran round the stadium although we can only see the bases of them today.

Further up (pics 2-3) you can visit the Museum of Palatino which was closed during our visit so we kept walking and checked the ruins of the Palace of Flavians(Domus Flavia ) that was also built at the end of 1st century for Domidian(he was member of the Flavian dynasty, ruled as the emperor 81-96AD). Although you have to do some homework and read about the buildings you can still see some structures(or better call them ruins) here like the Peristilio(pic 4, it was the large pillared courtyard of the palace), the Triclinium(a big hall, probably the dining room), Aula Regia(the throne room) etc

At the far end of the Palatine Hill we visited the House of Augustus(Domus Augustana ) which is partly excavated and that’s why closed in most parts. House of Livia (she was Augustus’ wife) seems simple but I’ve read that ceramic pipes in the walls were providing central heating while expensive paintings decorated the walls, not bad for a house at the time of Christ, don’t you think? :)

The palatine hill is open 9.00-19.00(till 14.00 in winter) and the entrance fee is €12 including entrance to Colosseo+Mostra+Palatino+Forum.

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Palatine Hill is another of Rome's fabled seven, the mythological site of Lupercal Cave - where Romulus and Remus were said to have been raised by a she-wolf - and where some emperors and very wealthy citizens built massive palaces and splendid homes. Augustus, Tiberius, Septimius Severus, Caligula, Domitian, Cicero and Marc Anthony all resided here at one time. Long after the fall of Rome, churches, convents and Cardinal Farnese's gardens were built on top of the remains of the previous structures.

Some of the ruins to see here are the palaces of Domitian - the largest in Rome for 300 years - Caligula (Tiberius), Septimius Severus, and Augustus and his wife, Livia. There are also the remains of a stadium and the excavation of some Iron Age dwellings known as The Huts of Romulus and Remus. From Farnese Gardens is an amazing view of the Forum!

Tickets can be purchased at the entrance near the Arch of Constantine on via di San Gregorio and cover entrance to the Colosseum and Forum as well. To avoid long lines at the Colosseum, buy your combo ticket HERE - they're around 12 euro depending on special exhibitions at the Colosseum. Audio guides as well as guided tours are also available - ask at the entrance. A note of caution: if not booking a tour or audioguide, bring along a guidebook that will walk you through the high points as you don't receive any information with your ticket.

Here's a website with some general info: http://www.060608.it/en/content/item/area/cultura_e_svago/id/88/itm/12635

Where?

On the Palatine hill, overlooking the Roman Forum

What?

The vast complex was built for Emperor Domitian by Rabirius in 1st century AD and was the main imperial palace for over 300 years. It was constructed on the spot where many patricians, or Roman aristocrats, have built their villas in the centuries before.

The palace comprised:

- Domus Augustana, or the private residence
- Domus Flavia, the imperial palace with public function areas, and
- The Stadium

Where?

Just down the road from the Arco di Costantino, with entrances at Piazza di S. Maria Nova and Via di S. Gregorio.

What?

Palatine is one of the 7 hills of Rome and is the place where Romulus killed Remus and founded Rome. Having happened in 753BC, it is Rome's oldest crime scene.

Sights

Palatine is an excellent place for both photographers and history buffs with both views and ruins. The ruins are mainly those of the complex built for Emperor Domitian, as fairly little remains of the numerous houses aristocrats have built there overlooking the Roman Forum - most of them where torn down to make way for the imperial palace.

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Rome has its origins on the Palatine; recent excavations show that people have lived there since approximately 1000 BC. Many affluent Romans from 510 BC – c. 44 BC had their residences there. The ruins of the palaces of Augustus 63 BC – 14, Tiberius 42 BC – 37 and Domitian 51 – 96 can still be seen. Augustus also built a temple to Apollo here, beside his own palace.

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It was at Palatine Hill where Rome's Imperial rulers lived in luxury. Legend holds that Romulus defeated his twin brother Remus on the Palatin Hill and became the city's first ruler in 753 BC. At the height of Roman opulence, the area offered a beautiful panorama of the city away from the chaos below and expansive villas packed the area.