Pyramid of Caius Cestius

The Pyramid of Caius Cestius is a 36-metre Roman tomb on Via Raffaele Persichetti, between the Testaccio and Ostiense districts. Built between 18 and 12 BC for magistrate Caius Cestius, it reflects the Egyptian-inspired fashion that spread through Rome after the conquest of Egypt. Its white marble exterior stands out beside the city walls and busy streets. You can admire it from outside, or look for a guided visit when the interior is open on special occasions. For a different view, head to the nearby Protestant Cemetery.

A Roman tomb with an Egyptian form

The Pyramid of Caius Cestius was built between 18 and 12 BC as the tomb of Caius Cestius, a Roman magistrate and member of one of the city’s religious corporations. Its shape reflects the interest in Egyptian art and architecture that took hold in Rome after the conquest of Egypt. The monument gives that cultural influence a striking form: a steep-sided pyramid in a city better known for temples, arches and domes.

The structure is about 36 metres high. Its core is brick-faced concrete, with white marble on the exterior. That pale surface helps the pyramid catch the eye against the surrounding streets and walls. It stands in the Ostiense area, near the boundary with Testaccio, beside Porta San Paolo and close to the Protestant Cemetery.

Part of Rome’s city walls

The pyramid was built as a funerary monument, not as a temple. It was incorporated into Rome’s Aurelian Walls in the 3rd century AD, a change that helped preserve it as part of the city’s fortifications. The tomb was later plundered, so there is little to see inside during an exterior visit.

An inscription on the façade records that construction took 330 days. The tomb was excavated in the 1660s, when a burial chamber with painted decoration was uncovered. Those paintings have since disappeared. From outside, the marble facing and the pyramid’s sharp outline remain the main details to look for.