Iconic Landmarks of Rome's Awe-Inspiring Architecture

It’s chiefly known for its spectacular classical relics, yet the Eternal City has never stood still architecturally. From the High Renaissance glory of the Vatican through Baroque frills in Piazza Navona, from stark Fascist monuments to the sleek lines of contemporary architectural marvels, here's where to find the best Roman landmarks – most of them are accessible by Metro and within easy striking distance of Rome hotels.

How has ancient Roman architecture influenced modern architectural design?

Of course, it really began with the Ancient Greeks; their ordered style of architecture was the major influence upon Ancient Roman building principles and has since spread across the world. Equal proportions and symmetry were of paramount importance, as was the innovative use of cement as a building material, and the inclusion of arches and columns to support and strengthen structure. Domes were often added to religious buildings to give a sense of grandeur and ‘godliness’.

Quite simply the most impressive amphitheatre of the classical world, the Colosseum could seat up to 80,000 and was host of brutal games for the entertainment of Rome’s hoi polloi. Much of the four-storey structure still stands today, and once inside (go early in the day to beat the crowds) you can walk through underground tunnels to the hypogeum, where wild animals were caged, and stroll across a section of the arena in the footsteps of gladiators.

Good to know: Get off at the same Metro stop to visit the Roman Forum and Trajan’s Market.

Piazza del Colosseo. Open (roughly) winter daily 8:30am–4:30pm; summer daily 8:30am–7pm. Admission €16. Metro Line B to Colosseo.

Entered through a colonnaded portico, this awe-inspiring temple was completed in 125 CE and has an ambitiously large dome that speaks volumes about the skills of Ancient Roman engineers. Visit on a sunny day to see the ethereal shafts of light beaming down through the oculus – the only natural light source in the building.

Piazza della Rotonda. Open daily 9am–7pm. Admission €5. Metro Line A to Barberini.

Although this bijou circular fortress was commissioned by Emperor Hadrian as his mausoleum in 135 AD, it had an important role in Renaissance life too, when it was home to several popes. A visit encompasses papal apartments stuffed with art treasures, medieval weaponry in the former prison and views to the Vatican City from the rooftop deck.

Lungotevere Castello 50. Open Tue–Sun 9am–7:30pm. Admission €20.50. Metro Line A to Lepanto.

What are the most iconic buildings in Rome that showcase its architectural prowess?

After the Fall of Rome in 476 CE, the Dark Ages descended upon Europe and lasted for some thousand years. While it’s untrue to say nothing of note happened in that time, the Renaissance – a reversion to classical symmetry and proportion in the arts – was considered the rebirth of learning. Although it originated in Florence in the early 15th century, the movement also left an indelible mark on Rome's architecture. 

Several celebrated names had a hand in the evolution of the biggest church in the world, which was a couple of centuries in the making. Bramante and Raphael both had input on the project, while its peerless symmetrical facade is the work of Carlo Maderno. Michelangelo designed the dome and the sublime marble Pieta – it’s in a chapel off the right-hand nave.

Piazza San Pietro. Open daily 7am–7:10pm. Admission free. Metro Line A to Ottaviano.

Donato Bramante was the genius behind this minuscule work of perfection. Tucked into a courtyard at San Pietro in Montorio, the tiny colonnaded temple has a circular interior of austere patterned marble topped by a balustrade and dome. Rumour dictates that St Peter was crucified here in 64 CE.

Piazza San Pietro in Montorio 2. Open Tue–Thur, Sun 10am–6pm; Fri 10am–12 noon; Sat 10am–12 noon, 3pm–5pm. Admission free. Bus Line 115 to Garibaldi/Iacobucci.

Built around 1540 and a superb example of High Renaissance elegance, this gracious villa has a rackety history – once owned by the all-powerful Medici dynasty, it was bought by Napoleon in 1801. Together with its formal gardens – from where you have amazing views to the Vatican – it’s open for guided tours of its opulent interiors, chock full of priceless antiques.

Viale della Trinità dei Monti 1. Open Wed–Mon 10am–5pm. Admission varies according to event. Metro Line A to Spagna.

What unique characteristics define Roman architecture and set it apart from other architectural styles?

Fanciful Baroque architecture surrounds you in Rome, from the exquisite Piazza Navona to the massive bronze baldachin soaring over St Peter’s Altar in the Vatican. Two great names stand out from this period: Francesco Borromini and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, both masterminds of Baroque styling who reshaped much of Rome's architecture in the 17th century. 

Housing the wonderful Doria Pamphilj Gallery, this Baroque palace is a dazzling homage to visual extravagance. Gloriously OTT apartments are swathed in jewel-coloured damasks and adorned with marble busts, gilt and chinoiserie, and almost – but not quite – outclass the venerable offerings by Caravaggio, Titian, Raphael and Velázquez hanging on the walls.

Via del Corso 305. Open Mon–Thur 9am–7pm; Fri–Sun 10am–8pm. Admission €16. Metro Line A to Piazza Barberini.

Hidden behind a (relatively) modest Baroque facade, the extraordinary interior of this church is a riot of gaily patterned marble columns, gilded stucco work, statuary and frescoed domes, all softly illuminated by candlelight. It‘s also home to Bernini‘s soulful and emotive sculpture ‘The Ecstasy of Teresa’ – the very apex of Baroque style. Don’t miss it.

Via Venti Settembre 17. Open Mon–Sat 9am–12 noon, 3:30pm–6pm; Sun 3:30pm–6pm. Admission free (donations welcome). Metro Line A to Repubblica–Teatro dell'Opera.

Fed by a centuries-old Roman aqueduct, this frothy fantasia is Rome’s most famous fountain. With ornamental Palazzo Poli as a backdrop, sea horses and tritons frolic at the feet of majestic deities and angels. Completed in 1762, it has featured in many a film and today you cannot visit without throwing coins into the water and making a wish; the millions of euros collected annually from the fountain are donated to local charities.

Good to know: Staying at the luxurious Sofitel Roma Villa Borghese puts you a 10-minute walk from this stalwart of Rome architecture.

Piazza di Trevi. Accessible 24/7. Admission free. Metro Line A to Piazza Barberini.

How did the Romans incorporate symbolism and storytelling in their architectural designs?

Inspired by monuments celebrating the triumphs of ancient Rome – the Arch of Constantine near the Colosseum for one – the fashion for vast behemoths marking national events was reborn in the late 19th century. Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini was keen to get in on the act too, and added several modernist icons to Rome‘s roster of historic architecture.

Where Fascist doctrine meets classical town planning, EUR was one of Mussolini‘s pet projects. Largely built in the 1950s after his demise, the district utilises imposing rationalist architecture and is now a smart business and residential quarter, with sweeping public piazzas, sparkling-white congress halls edging lakes and a brace of history museums to explore. 

Good to know: Central to EUR is the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, dubbed the ‘Square Colosseum’ for its box-like dimensions and the rows of symmetrical arches on its stark facade. Currently it’s the HQ of fashion house Fendi and has a free-entry exhibition space.

00144 Rome (south of the city centre). Accessible 24/7. Admission free. Metro Line B to EUR Fermi.

A sprawling paean to the Fascist principles of health and fitness, the Foro Italico sports complex was inaugurated in 1932 with a design that does more than nod to classicism. This 20th-century take on ancient Roman stadiums is awash with obelisks, sculptures depicting naked sportsmen, marble reliefs and fountain-filled piazzas. Still in use today, it is host to track events, tennis matches and swimming galas.

Viale del Foro Italico. Accessible 24/7 with free admission unless an event is taking place. Metro Line A to Ottaviano.

An enormous hulk of a building with a colonnaded facade liberally adorned with equestrian bronzes, statues of winged goddesses and triumphal columns, Rome’s tribute to the first king of Italy was completed in 1935. It houses the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Central Museum of the Risorgimento, relating the tale of reunification in 1861.

Good to know: Take the external lift up to the rooftop restaurant for bird’s-eye views of the Colosseum and the Forum.

Piazza Venezia. Open Mon–Thur, Sun 9:30am–7:30 pm; Fri–Sat 9:30am–10:30pm. Admission free (panoramic terrace and museums €15). Metro Line B to Colosseo.

How did the Romans use innovative construction techniques and materials in their architectural masterpieces?

Often overlooked in the headlong rush to tour Rome’s antiquities, contemporary masterpieces have popped up all over the city. Some were designed by the greatest architects of present time, and some – like the Museum of Contemporary Art of Rome in a former brewery – have followed the city’s long tradition of repurposing older buildings.

This futuristic church by US architect Richard Meier resembles a white-concrete galleon in full sail – an architectural analogy of Christianity guiding its faithful smoothly across unsettled seas. The simple, soaring interior features a boat-shaped stone altar overlooked by a 17th-century crucifix, which is illuminated by the sun at certain times in the afternoon.

Largo Terzo Millennio 8. Open daily 7:30am–7pm. Admission free. Metro Line C to Torre Spaccata (then a 20-minute walk).

Another Meier addition to Rome’s skyline, this museum edging the River Tiber was designed to display and protect the 2,000-year-old ‘Altar of Peace’. A light-flooded, marble-clad loggia with space for temporary exhibitions, the complex has a rooftop bar with views over the spectacular neighbouring Mausoleum of Augustus.

Lungotevere in Augusta. Open daily 9:30am–7:30pm. Admission €10.50. Metro Line A to Spagna.

Opened in 2010, MAXXI is a showstopper edifice of curvaceous moulded concrete and glass – recognisably the work of the late Dame Zaha Hadid. Its sparse, sinuous galleries flow seamlessly between floors and were designed to hold stellar collections of abstract art, installations and images by the likes of Gerhard Richter, Anish Kapoor and Giuseppe Penone.

Good to know: The museum is a 10-minute stroll from concerts at Renzo Piano’s ultra-contemporary Auditorium Parco della Musica.

Via Guido Reni 4A. Open Tue–Sun 11am–7pm. Admission €15. Metro Line A to Flaminio.

A rare example of fortified medieval architecture in Rome, you’ll find the Basilica of Santi Quattro Coronati 10 minutes’ walk from the Colosseum. Beyond its peaceful arcaded cloister lie two little-known treasures: the remnants of exquisite 13th-century frescoes in the vaulted Gothic Hall, and swirling Baroque-era ceiling paintings in the chapel.

Tucked away in the northern district of Trieste and the eccentric legacy of architect Gino Coppedè, the Quartiere Coppedè (Trams 3 or 19 to Piazza Buenos Aires) is a beguiling enclave of classical, Baroque and Art Nouveau mansions centred on Piazza Mincio and its oh-so-cute Fountain of the Frogs.

You can trace ancient graffiti inscribed on the walls of the Colosseum by gladiators awaiting death. See the 21st-century version of street art in Tor Marancia (bus Line 160 to Sartorio/Lotto) – a suburban backwater propelled to fame in 2015 when it was given a facelift of giant murals by hip street artists including Philippe Baudelocque and Alberonero.

We’ve shared our Rome architecture favourites with you – but there’s still plenty for you to go out and discover for yourselves!