Postcard from RomeCabs: TRAJAN’S FORUM
Buon giorno and welcome to Stefano’s RomeCabs Transfer and Tour travel blog.
This week’s Video Postcard from Rome features the ancient Trajan’s Forum which is one of the Seven Wonders of Ancient Rome.
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Video Postcard from RomeCabs: TRAJAN’S FORUM
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Trajan’s Forum was last and largest of the monumental public squares that was built in Ancient Rome (Imperial Fora).
Built by the famous architect Apollodorus of Damascus, Trajan’s Forum was commissioned by Emperor Trajan (Marcus Ulpius Traianus) with the spoils from his conquest of Dacia (modern day Romania) in 106 AD. The Forum was inaugurated in 112 AD, and the victory column in 113 AD.
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Emperor Trajan bust
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Paved with marble and lined with stunning architecture, statues and trees, Trajan’s Forum was a sight to behold.
All the buildings (with the exception of 2 libraries that were built of brick) were made of marble.
The 980 feet by 607 feet Forum was flanked by large colonnaded porticos and exedrae – roofed semicircular recess set into the structure facade on both sides of the forum.
The entrance to the Forum was on the south side through a triumphal arch topped with a statue of Trajan riding his triumphal chariot (the arch or the chariot no longer exists, but images of it remained stamped on ancient Roman coins).
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Trajan’s Forum at Night with RomeCabs Night Tour
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The main structure that occupied the center of Trajan’s Forum was the colossal Basilica Ulpia. This public judicial building (the Roman version of town hall) separated the temple form the main courtyard.
This was one of the most important Roman basilicas following the other significant Basilicas Aemilia and Julia located in the Roman Forum. Basilica Ulpia’s vast interior was richly decorated and topped with gilded bronze roof tiles.
After construction of Basilica Ulpia was completed, much of the political activities moved from the Roman Forum to Trajan’s Forum and it remained this way until the construction of Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine in 312 AD.
The architecture of the Roman basilicas was adopted by Emperor Constantine as the plan for Christian churches.
Many of the columns that separated the aisles inside the basilica still exist standing, although many have fallen over time.
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Trajan Forum on RomeCabs Seven Wonders of Ancient Rome Tour
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The most famous column of all is Trajan’s triumphal column that towers over the forum. Standing at almost 100 feet, the column was assembled with marble drums – each weighing about 30 tons at 12 feet in diameter.
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Trajan Column on RomeCabs Seven Wonders of Ancient Rome Tour
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A frieze telling the story of Trajan’s victorious military campaign over Dacia winds around the column shaft 23 times.
Originally surmounted with a statue of Trajan, it disappeared during the middle ages and replaced with a statue of Saint Peter in the 1500’s.
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Detail of Trajan’s Column
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A stop to admire the impressive Trajan’s Forum is included in our SEVEN WONDERS OF ANCIENT ROME tour.
Thank you very much for visiting our blog. For more information on our Airport Transfers, Civitavecchia Transfers, Day Tours, and Shore Excursions, please visit our website:
Stefano’s RomeCabs Tours
See you soon in Italy!
Stefano’s RomeCabs Team
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