The Terme Erculee in Milan are marked by fragments of thick, ancient masonry now tucked into the basement levels of modern buildings near the Duomo. Emperor Maximian commissioned these massive public baths in the late third century when he…
Ancient Roman Ruins Walk
This walk pieces together the remnants of Mediolanum, the ancient capital of the Western Roman Empire. From a lonely crypt in a traffic island to hidden circus walls, you'll trace the imperial history lying just beneath modern Milan's streets.
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1. Terme Erculee
2. Cripta di San Giovanni in Conca
The ruins of the Cripta di San Giovanni in Conca sit partially submerged below street level, distinguished by a jagged stretch of brick wall and a single, weathered stone archway that once belonged to the main apse. This was the family…
3. Colonne di San Lorenzo
Sixteen Corinthian columns stand in a row before the Basilica of San Lorenzo. They are the most prominent Roman relic in Milan, dating back to the third century. These marble survivors originally supported the portico of a public…
4. Ruins of the Roman Circus, Milan, Italy.
The ruins of the Milan circus lie tucked behind the modern street grid, marked by a curving section of Roman brickwork visible within a courtyard. Built at the end of the third century, this arena once hosted chariot races for twenty…
5. Civic Archaeological Museum
The Civic Archaeological Museum occupies the former Saint Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore complex, identifiable by the ancient Roman tower embedded directly into the brickwork of the facade. This building houses the remnants of Roman…
6. Palazzo Imperiale romano di Massimiano
The Palazzo Imperiale of Maximian sits beneath the modern street level of Milan, tucked under the foundations of the Piazza San Sepolcro. Emperor Maximian commissioned this sprawling complex in the late third century when he made…
7. Chamber of Commerce of Milan
The Chamber of Commerce of Milan occupies the Palazzo Turati, a building distinguished by its heavy, rusticated stone base and the elegant, arched windows of its upper floors. Constructed in the late nineteenth century for the wealthy…