Pyramid Caius Cestius, Rome

This unique structure built into the Aurelian Walls was built as a tomb for Gaius Cestius Epulo, an important magistrate during the period of the early empire. It was erected in part by the slaves who he freed in his last testament. It is truly a unique building, as if it was transported from Egypt and placed in its home in Rome.

I wouldn't make a special trip just to see Rome's only pyramid; however, if you are traveling to Ostia Antica or spending a day in Testaccio, it is worth a quick visit. Take the Metro B (Blue) Line to the Pyramide stop. Go up the stairs out of the Metro station and it is right there. We stopped to see it on our way to Ostia Antica.

This pyramid was built by a rich citizen of ancient Rome (Gaius Cestius) and now serves as his tomb. You can't go inside, but it is nice to see and get a quick picture of.

We didn't spend any additional time in Testaccio; however, I wish we had.

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"He was buried in the romantic and lonely cemetery of the Protestants, under the pyramid which is the tomb of Cestius, and the massy walls and towers, now moldering and desolate, which formed the circuit of ancient Rome. It is an open space among the ruins, covered in winter with violets and daisies. It might make one in love with death, to think that one should be buried in so sweet a place."
— Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), in the preface to his "Adonais: An Elegy on The Death of John Keats"

PYRAMID TOMB The Pyramid of Cestius is a funerary monument built in 12 BC as a tomb for Gaius Cestius Gallus, the son of a Roman consul, and himself a consul in AD 42. It is made of brick-faced concrete covered with slabs of white marble.

The peculiar conceit of a pyramid in Rome can be explained by Rome's conquest of Egypt in 30 BC; the new province's culture became fashionable in the capital.

In the third century AD, the pyramid was included in the Aurelian Walls. The towers of Porta San Paolo, also part of the Aurelian Walls, can be seen behind the 88.5-foot-tall tomb. Fittingly, the Cimitero Acattolico (Non-Catholic Cemetery), more commonly known as the English, or Protestant, Cemetery, stretches out at the base of Cestius's pyramid-shaped tomb.

Our visit to the Pyramid of Cestius was combined with a visit to the Cimitero Acattolico on a sunny day in late May 2007, which made for very good conditions for good photos.

This Pyramid was built for Caius Cestius. It has a marble exterior and was erected to hold his ashes.Part of the pyramid is incorporated into the city walls, and can be seen clearly from the non-catholic Cemetery

A remarcable monument. In Rome it is well
known since a metro station is named after
this building. When it was build it must
already have been an eye catcher.

Who are we talking about?
Gaius Cestius - He was praetor (judge) and
tribuun. He was alos a member of the
'septimviri Epulones' - the council of seven
that had to survey the holy festivities.
Also written on the piramid is that it was
build in only 330 days.

Pitty that the monument is only open for public
once in every five years.

Anyway - was this an important person.
Not really. You need to know that at that time
in Roma about 1% of the population was
aristocratic , had a high position...
and was stinking rich. To be noticed those
rich people spend huge amounts of money
to build a remarcable monument.

This white marble tomb set next to the Aurelian wall is an umissable landmark. Its occupant Caius Cestius was a wealthy Roman magitrate, who died in 12BC. You liked the pyramids in Egypt so much that he decided he'd want one for himself.

This was my very first pyramid and it wasn´t even in Egypt. A very rich man who died in
12 BC is the person whos tombe this is. It sort of bursts out of the Aurelian Wall and it´s a strange sight with all the white marmer flickering in the sun light.
The pyramid is 36 meters high and was finished in 330 days.

Pyramid of Gaius Cestius
The Pyramid was erected in 330 days at the end of the 1st Century BC as a sepulcher for Caius Cestius Epulone, Praetor of the Tribune of the plebs and member of the College of Septemviri Epulones, in charge of solemn banquets, who died in 12 B.C. It is one of the better conserved monuments of ancient Rome. It has a base measuring 22 metres square and a height of 27 metres with a covering in white marble from Carrara. It was completed at the corners with 4 columns of which the two remaining can be found on the sides of the cemetery.

Near by is the Protestan Cemetery and also a small church, Basilica Sta Sabina which is early Christain basilica survived 5-6th century Christians.