ally robb 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Beneath Piazza Navona lies an entire chapter of ancient Roman history. Most visitors walking through Piazza Navona in Rome admire its beautiful Baroque fountains, churches and historic buildings. But few realise that the unusual elongated shape of this famous square comes from something much older: the Stadium of Domitian. Built under Emperor Domitian and inaugurated in AD 86, this enormous stadium was designed primarily for Greek-style athletic competitions. Unlike the Colosseum, which is famous for gladiatorial combat, this venue hosted events such as running, wrestling, boxing and other athletic contests. The stadium measured approximately 275 metres in length and 106 metres in width, with an estimated capacity of around 30,000 spectators. What makes this place fascinating is how history has been preserved beneath the modern city. Over centuries, the ancient stadium fell out of use, and buildings gradually occupied its structure. Eventually, its original footprint became the foundation for the urban layout of Piazza Navona. Today, people enjoy cafés, fountains and magnificent architecture above ground, while the remains of a first-century Roman sporting venue survive below. I find this particularly fascinating because Rome didn't simply build a new city over its past. In many places, the ancient city is still physically shaping the modern one. Sometimes, the most remarkable history is literally beneath our feet.