Via Sacra, the Sacred Street, runs through the Roman Forum from the Capitoline Hill toward the Colosseum. This ancient road linked temples and basilicas and carried both daily foot traffic and triumphal processions. Look for the worn stone pavement among the surrounding ruins, then take in the route’s views toward the Colosseum and Capitoline Hill. The street was lined with colonnades during Nero’s reign, giving a sense of how its setting changed over time.
A road through the Forum
Via Sacra crossed the Roman Forum, connecting the Capitoline Hill with the Colosseum. Temples and monuments stood along its route, alongside basilicas that people walked to as part of daily life. Its worn stone pavement remains visible among the ruins.
The road also carried triumphal processions. Victorious armies passed along it amid cheering crowds, and kings used the route before their coronations. These civic and religious journeys shared the same street as ordinary movement through the city.
Colonnades under Nero
During Nero’s reign, colonnades lined Via Sacra. The long sequence of columns changed the street’s appearance and framed the route through the Forum. As you walk, the surrounding remains help place the road within a wider setting of temples, monuments and basilicas.
Perguntas frequentes
Where does Via Sacra run?
It crosses the Roman Forum, running from the Capitoline Hill toward the Colosseum.
What was Via Sacra used for?
It was part of daily life in ancient Rome and the route for triumphal processions. Kings also travelled along it before their coronations.
When is a quieter time to visit?
Early morning or later in the afternoon is recommended for a quieter walk.
