Ara Pacis, Ancient Roman altar in Municipio I, Rome, Italy
The Ara Pacis is an ancient Roman altar in Municipio I in Rome in Italy and was built from white marble. The rectangular structure is surrounded by high walls on which gods, myths and ceremonies are depicted.
The Senate decided in 13 BC to build this monument after the emperor returned from Spain and Gaul. The dedication took place four years later in a large ceremony on the Field of Mars.
The name means Altar of Peace and recalls the end of a long war under Augustus. Visitors today see a white monument with finely carved reliefs standing inside a modern glass building that illustrates the importance of imperial power.
The museum opens daily except on certain holidays and offers audio guides in several languages. You can reach the building comfortably on foot from the Tiber or from Piazza del Popolo.
Workers found the fragments in the 16th century deep beneath a palace on the Corso and only collected them completely centuries later. The reconstruction in the 20th century required placing the monument in a new location and orienting it differently than originally.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
