Visiting Monte Palatino: Palatine Hill

For three hundred years, emperors lived in a grand palace on Palatine Hill. Today, little is left standing, meaning this sight gets short thrift compared to the Roman Forum.

While there aren't as many towering columns or grand arches as the Forum, Palatine Hill is worth visiting because it allows some reflection on the history you see. Noise cancelling earphones are the closest you'll get to quiet contemplation in the Forum (which is usually packed with sweaty tourists), but on Palatine Hill you can sit in the shade of a tree and imagine the luxury of ancient Rome at your leisure.

Water is, has to be, central to any human society, but the ancient Romans really went big on acqua. Water flowed into their cities to fill huge bathing complexes, supply impressive public fountains, clean their toilets, and even to supply private homes.

To keep their swimming pools filled and their marble gods spouting water, the Romans needed to get freshwater from its source (like a spring in the hills) into the city. To do that, they built aqueducts: complex networks of channels and pipes.

Sometimes, they needed to get the water over a valley. It was no good the water flowing down a ground-level pipe into the valley because it'd never get itself back up the other side. Instead, the Romans built the most iconic and impressive part of the aqueduct system: bridges.

Aqueduct bridges were often huge, because they had to get across the valley without dropping the water level lower than the far side of the hill. They built them using arches for strength which, like much the Romans did for practical purposes, makes them look architecturally impressive and ornate.

On Palatine Hill stand the remains of an aqueduct bridge. You can see the stacked arches that offered strength to the narrow channel for water that would have run along the top.

The lower courtyard, Palatine Hill

In the lower courtyard are the remains of a huge fountain. If it was anything like the style of the Trevi Fountain it would've been an impressive sight in this Emperor's palace. There are other traces of fountains within the Palatine Hill complex, too, suggesting the palace was flush with flowing water.

What did the gardens outside the palace look like? We don't really know. There's a great view of an oblong stadium behind the lower courtyard.

The stadium

Historians can't agree what the stadium was used for. Because it's ancient Rome, thoughts go to stadiums or racetracks, but it might've just been a nice garden with shade for sitting in.

The remains of the columns have been placed where they are now, but if the historians are right you can imagine a shady oasis in the emperor's palace.

A particularly poor tour guide near us brought his group to the viewing platform for the stadium said "this was a stadium...shall we go and see the Colosseum?" but there is some detail to be seen.

Apparently, there might've been a raised box for the emperor in the bit that looks like a running track at the south end, and changing rooms at the north end. Imagine ancient Romans strolling down the walkways behind the marble columns on each side.

The Circus Maximus

One of the most impressive sights from Palatine Hill, despite there being little left to see, is the Circus Maximus (c. 300 BC). If there's something the Romans loved more than conquering and enslaving people, it was putting on a show.

Chariots used to race around the long dip that can be seen on the far side of Palatine Hill (the other side faces the Roman Forum). You can still see the steep bank that held the spectators.

In the middle of the long track, there was a grassy strip that the charioteers raced around. The races were less bloody than the shows at the Colosseum, but there was still violence in crashes and in the half-time entertainment. Charioteers were usually poor people putting themselves in danger in the hopes of being able to afford a better life.

A quarter of a million people could watch shows at the same time at Circus Maximus, and there were 12 races a day most days of the year. I guess they had no TV back then.

Palatine Hill is an enjoyable break from the bustle of central Rome, even if not everything you see (like this giant foot) is covered in the guidebook.

An unidentified foot on Palatine Hill

Practicalities

There aren't many information boards and they're often in the sun, so bring a good guidebook. I enjoyed Rick Steves' book and his free audio tours (this isn't an ad).

Access is via a combined ticket with the Forum and the Colosseum. You'll get a timed entry to the Colosseum. Book weeks in advance in peak season. You can't leave the Palatine Hill - Forum complex and re-enter so make sure you see both before you go. Try to avoid the heat of the day.

Like most other sights in Rome, there's little shade (although more here than in the Forum), few bathrooms, and even fewer benches. Rest when you can and wear a hat.

There's nowhere to get food or drink in the Forum and Palatine Hill except for vending machines. The card machine rarely works, so take coins.

Don't miss the fantastic views of the Forum as you make your way between the Forum and Palatine Hill. If you want to avoid a steep uphill climb, enter Palatine Hill first and walk through to the Forum after.

If you're visiting Rome, read about the Colosseum, the Forum, and the Vatican Museums.