Trajan’s Forum (Foro di Traiano) is one of the Fori Imperiali in Rome. It was designed and built in the beginning of the 2nd century by the Greek architect Apollodorus of Damascus.
Trajan’s Forum Rome
Address, opening hours and admission
Address: Via dei Fori Imperiali – Rome. Opening Hours and Admission: The Trajan Forum can be visited free of charge from Via dei Fori Imperiali.
History and description
Trajan’s Forum has its entrance on Via Quattro Novembre close to the steps of Via Magnanapoli. You first have to go through a tunnel to reach the most beautiful and most recent of the Fori Imperiali.
Before descending you can also climb the Torre delle Milizie. This is a 12th century structure that belonged to the medieval headquarters of the Knights of Rhodes. You will be rewarded with a beautiful panoramic view.
The Forum of Trajan was built between 107 and 113. Like the Markets of Trajan it was designed by the Greek architect Apollodorus of Damascus.
The reason for the construction of this Forum was the emperor’s conquest conquest of Dacia (nowadays Romania). Trajan was successfully invaded here in 101 and in 105.
It was a very large project. An enormous equestrian statue of the emperor himself stood in the middle of an open space surrounded by a colonnade. A large basilica and two libraries also belonged to the complex.
There are still fragments of statues everywhere and pedestals with legible inscriptions. Most impressive, however, are the gigantic grey marble columns of the Basilica Ulpia.
Behind the Basilica Ulpia stands Trajan’s Column, with intricate bass reliefs depicting Trajan‘s victory. The monument originally stood between the two libraries. These were equipped with vantage points from which one could study the reliefs.