Circus Maximus
Circo Massimo
The ruins of ancient Rome's largest chariot-racing stadium. Today it is a long strip of grass where you can look up at the palace ruins on the Palatine Hill.
The Circus Maximus lies in the valley between the Palatine and Aventine Hills. It is about 600 m long, and at its height it could seat around 150,000 spectators for chariot races, making it the largest entertainment venue in ancient Rome. The grandstands are long gone. Only the oval outline of the track and a few fragments of wall at the southeastern end remain. The grass is open to the public free of charge, and it is a pleasant place to stroll and look up at the imperial palace ruins on the Palatine Hill. At the southeastern end there is a paid augmented reality guide, the “Circo Maximo Experience,” which recreates the spectacle of the games. Metro Line B to Circo Massimo lets you out right next to the site. It can be combined with the Mouth of Truth and the Aventine Keyhole for a half-day walking route.
Opening hours
Open all day (the ruin lawn is free)
Nearby sights
- Mouth of Truth
- Roman Forum / Palatine Hill
- Capitoline Museums
- Colosseum
- Aventine Keyhole & Orange Garden
- Theatre of Marcellus
- Baths of Caracalla
- Altare della Patria (Vittoriano)