Trajan's Market

Trajan's Market is a large complex of ruins in Rome, located on the Via dei Fori Imperiali opposite the Colosseum. It is thought to be the world's oldest shopping mall, though many now believe the arcades were administrative offices for Emperor Trajan. The surviving buildings, built into the flank of the Quirinal Hill, offer a glimpse of ancient Roman architecture and daily life.

Don't miss

• Remains of a library
• The Via Biberatica, a street lined with ancient taverns and grocers' shops
• A large balcony with views of the markets, Trajan's Forum, and the Vittoriano
• Two large halls on the lower level, probably used for auditions or concerts
• The grand hall roofed by a concrete vault on piers

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Trajan's Market

Cheapest way inColosseum and Roman Forum Sightseeing Area Walking Tour4.8★ · 175 travelers~2 hoursFree cancellationFrom$5 per personSee dates →Most bookedRome: Trastevere Luxury Food tour with Free-Flowing Fine Wine5★ · 3,356 travelers~4 hoursFree cancellationFrom$124 per personSee dates →Top ratedRome Trastevere Campo de' Fiori Street Food Tour Eat Like a Local4.9★ · 383 travelers~3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$57 per personSee dates →

Getting there

Know before you go

• The Museum of the Imperial Fora, opened in 2007, houses artifacts from all of ancient Rome's forums and is accessed through Trajan's Market.
• Modern entrances are at Via Quattro Novembre, 94, and Piazza Madonna di Loreto.
• Free wheat was once distributed to the people of Rome in the shopping area you enter first.

A bit of history

Built between 100–110 AD by architect Apollodorus of Damascus, the market was inaugurated in 113 AD. During the Middle Ages, floor levels were added and the Torre delle Milizie tower was built in 1300. A 16th-century convent on the site became the Goffredo Mameli barracks in 1885 and was demolished in the early 20th century to restore the market.