A Journey Through Imperial Rome

Trajan's Markets are far more than a museum: they're an entire Roman district, beautifully preserved and spread across multiple levels. Here's what you can't miss on your visit.

The Grande Aula

The monumental heart of the complex is the Grande Aula, an imposing multi-story covered hall often called the "shopping arcade" of antiquity. Its vaults and soaring spaces instantly capture the scale of Roman engineering. Today it houses the museum's main exhibition.

The Via Biberatica

One of the most evocative experiences here is walking the Via Biberatica, the ancient paved street that threads through the markets, lined with the spaces that once held shops and workshops. It's one of the rare chances in Rome to walk an ancient road that survives almost completely intact.

The Museum of the Imperial Forums

Inside the markets unfolds the Museum of the Imperial Forums, devoted to the architecture of the Forums. It displays original fragments, sculptures, decorative pieces and reconstructions that let you picture Trajan's Forum and the other Imperial Forums in all their former glory.

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The View Over the Forums and the Basilica Ulpia

From the terraces and openings of the markets you'll take in an extraordinary view over Trajan's Forum and the remains of the magnificent Basilica Ulpia, the largest civic building in the Forum, with its long rows of columns. It's one of the finest vantage points over ancient Rome.

Trajan's Column

Looking out over the Forum, you'll see Trajan's Column rising high, with its famous spiraling frieze and, at the top, the statue of San Pietro. It's the signature monument of the entire complex, and we've given it a guide of its own, Trajan's Column.

How to Plan Your Visit

If you're short on time, follow this order:

  1. Grande Aula and the museum route
  2. Via Biberatica
  3. The terraces overlooking the Forums and the Basilica Ulpia
  4. Trajan's Column (from the Forum, free)

In roughly 1–1.5 hours you can take in the whole complex at an easy pace.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is there to see at Trajan's Markets? The multi-story Grande Aula, the ancient Via Biberatica, the Museum of the Imperial Forums with its fragments and reconstructions, and stunning views over Trajan's Forum and the Basilica Ulpia.

What is the Via Biberatica? It's the ancient paved street running through Trajan's Markets, flanked by the spaces that once housed shops: one of the few Roman roads you can still walk almost fully intact.

What is the Basilica Ulpia? It was the largest civic building in Trajan's Forum, used for judicial and commercial business. Today you can admire its remains and columns from the Forum and from the markets' terraces.

Can you see Trajan's Column from Trajan's Markets? Yes, the terraces and openings of the markets offer an excellent view of Trajan's Column and the Forum; the Column is also visible for free from the street.

How much time do you need for the visit? About 1–1.5 hours to take in the Grande Aula, the Via Biberatica, the museum and the panoramic terraces at a relaxed pace.

See Also

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Article #275 · Category: Monuments · Updated: May 2026