The Campo Marzio district is the 4th rione of Rome and also one of the city’s most central neighborhoods, with major tourist attractions such as the Spanish Steps and the Piazza del Popolo within its borders. It also includes Rome’s biggest shopping area, commonly known as the “Tridente”.
Campo Marzio District Rome
The Campo Marzio neighbourhood (rione IV) is one of the oldest official districts of Rome. It already existed when the city was first divided into districts, although it was a lot bigger than it is now. It comprises the entire shopping area known as Tridente, plus the Pincio Hill.
Campo Marzio was originally dedicated to Mars, the God of war, and military exercises were often held in the area. Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, the last of the seven kings of Rome, later cultivated grain there, but in the Republican era Mars was again came to be venerated in the rione.
At the time, the Campo Marzio was located outside what used to be the city limits of Rome and therefore some temples dedicated eastern gods were found in the area. Rome’s first amphitheater (of Statilius Taurus) was built in what used to be Campo Marzio and so were the Pantheon and the Ara Pacis.
Other monuments still standing are Augustus’ Mausoleum and a stadium built by Domitian which was later turned into Piazza Navona and is nowadays part of the rione Parione.
During the Middle Ages it was the most densely populated quarter of the city. At present it is a lot smaller than after the division by the Emperor August and is bordered by the Tiber, the Quirinal hill in the north and the Capitoline Hill.
Tridente
The main street of the district is the Via del Corso, the main shopping street of Rome. The other two streets making up the Tridente are the Via del Babuino and the Via di Ripetta. The three streets start together at the Piazza del Popolo, where there is also a metro stop. The other metro stop in the district is called Spagna.
What to see
There are several important tourist attractions in the Campo Marzio neighbourhood. The Spanish Steps and the Piazza del Popolo are popular hang-outs for young people. In 2021, after a long restoration, the Mausoleum of Augustus was reopened to the public. From the Pincio Hill there is a beautiful view over a big part of the historical centre.
Eating and sleeping
There are lots of restaurants in the area, but many of these cater especially to tourists, so the quality is not always equally good, and prices tend to be somewhat higher than they should be. Accommodation is not cheap either. Booking.com sometimes has bargain tariffs on a wide range of hotel, B&B and other accommodation options.