Pyramid of Cestius

Overview

The Pyramid of Cestius is one of the most unexpected, jaw-dropping sights in Rome. It is a massive, soaring, incredibly sharp 36-metre-tall ancient Roman pyramid built directly into the city's defensive Aurelian Walls near the Ostiense district.

Highlights

• The Architecture: Unlike the slightly crumbling pyramids in Egypt, this Roman interpretation is incredibly sharp and steep, completely clad in blindingly white Carrara marble.
• The Inscription: You can clearly read the massive Latin inscription carved directly into the marble, detailing that the construction was completed in a staggering 330 days.
• The Contrast: The sheer visual shock of a pristine Egyptian-style pyramid standing next to a busy Roman intersection and a medieval fortified gate (Porta San Paolo).

History

Built around 12 BC as the ultra-opulent tomb for Gaius Cestius, an immensely wealthy Roman magistrate. Following Augustus's conquest of Egypt in 30 BC, Rome was swept by a massive, obsessive craze for all things Egyptian (Egyptomania). The pyramid survived destruction over the millennia solely because it was physically incorporated as a triangular bastion into the massive defensive Aurelian Walls built in the 3rd century.

Visitor Tips

• Interior: The interior burial chamber is occasionally open for highly limited, specially booked guided tours, but it was heavily looted in antiquity and is mostly bare.
• The View: The absolute best, most romantic view of the pyramid is found by entering the deeply peaceful Non-Catholic Cemetery located immediately behind it.