Casal Rotondo, Ancient Roman mausoleum on Via Appia Antica, Rome, Italy.
Casal Rotondo is a circular Roman tomb along Via Appia Antica with a diameter of about 35 meters, standing as one of the largest burial structures on this ancient road. The monument displays marble fragments with inscriptions discovered during 19th-century excavations.
The monument was built in the late 1st century BC and honors the wealthy Roman family Cotta, as evidenced by inscriptions on marble fragments. Its location on Via Appia, a major Roman road, reflects the family's prominence in ancient society.
The structure reflects how wealthy Romans commemorated family members and integrated functional features like seating for travelers along Via Appia. This blend of tomb and wayside rest area shows how monuments served both personal honor and public use in Roman life.
The site is located along Via Appia Antica and is accessible by bus lines 118, 520, 654, 664, 789, C11, and N26, which stop at Capannelle/Appia Nuova station. Comfortable shoes are recommended as the area requires walking to explore the site and the ancient road surroundings.
A medieval farmhouse was built atop the ancient monument, including a watchtower that once belonged to the Savelli family's defensive system. This layering of different historical periods makes the site a rare example of how Roman and medieval structures coexist in one place.
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