The Colle Oppio Park is located on a hill north of the Colosseum in Rome. It is underneath this park that the ruins of Nero’s Domus Aurea can be found. Other monuments in the park are the Baths of Trajan and the Baths of Titus. From the hill you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Colosseum itself.
Colle Oppio Park Rome
History and description
The Colle Oppio hill, the Colle Cispio and the Colle Fagutale were the three hills forming what is now known as the Colle Esquilino.
The most important ruins in the Colle Oppio Park are those of the Domus Aurea (Nero’s “Golden House”). After having been closed for a long time it is possible again to visit the monument, but only in the weekend and only as part of a guided tour. Booking is mandatory.
The complex across the parking lot at the southern entrance to the park got the name Cisterna delle Sette Sale in the 18th century, when only 7 of its 9 halls had been discovered. It should really have been renamed Cisterna delle Nove Sale at that point but the original name stuck.
Other ruins are those of the Terme di Traiano and of the Terme di Tito. An impressive exedra belonging to the former can be found on the south side of the park, near the children’s playground. The baths were constructed in the year 110, by the famous architect Apollodoro.
The park houses both a, rather badly maintained, children’s playground and a small outdoor cafe/kiosk.
The park is crossed by a number of lanes and paths.
- The Viale Eulero is named after the 18th century Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler.
- The Viale Fortunato Mizzi rus straight through the park, connecting the Via delle Terme di Traiano to the Via Labicana. Mizzi was an early 20th century Maltese statesman.
- The Via Serapide connects the Viale della Domus Aurea to the Viale Fortunato Mizzi. Serapide was an Egyptian Goddess, whos cult was important in Rome. Near what is now the Piazza Colonna, there wa salso a temple in her honour.
- The Viale della Domus Aurea connects the Via della Domus Aurea to the Piazza del Colosseo.
- The Via Tommaso Grossi is named for a 19th century writer. It connects the Viale della Domus Aurea to a staircas leading down to the Via Labicana.
Curiosities
Officially the northern part of the park is callled Parco Traianeo. I have never heard anybody call it that in real life though.