Mausoleum of Augustus
Rome, Italy
Ara Pacis (Altar of Augustan Peace), Rome
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Photo: Rabax63, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Ticket
- ≈ €13–15; free on the first Sunday of the month
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Opening hours
- ≈ 9:30–19:30 daily
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 1 h
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- VR show
- Seasonal evening sessions of 'Ara com'era'
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time needed
- 45–60 minutes
- Nearby
- The Mausoleum of Augustus, across the road
- Location
- Lungotevere in Augusta; 10 minutes from Flaminio or Spagna metro
Key facts
13 BCthe Senate commissioned the altar for Augustus's return
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English Wikipedia9 BCthe altar was consecrated
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English Wikipedia≈ 11 × 10 msize of the marble enclosure
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English WikipediaProcessionthe south side shows Augustus, Agrippa and the imperial family
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English Wikipedia2006Richard Meier's pavilion opened
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English WikipediaAra Pacis tickets and hours
The Ara Pacis Museum opens daily from about 9:30 to 19:30. Tickets cost roughly €13–15, more during exhibitions, and entry is free on the first Sunday of the month. It's rarely crowded, so booking ahead isn't usually needed. In season, evening sessions of the VR show 'Ara com'era' are ticketed separately — check the museum's site for times.
What is the Ara Pacis?
The Senate commissioned the Altar of Augustan Peace in 13 BC, when Augustus returned from Spain and Gaul, and it was consecrated in 9 BC. It honoured Pax, goddess of peace: after decades of turmoil a long peace had begun, and Augustus made it the central message of his reign.
It's a rectangular marble enclosure about 11 by 10 metres with the altar inside, its walls covered in reliefs that represent the peak of Augustan sculpture — a procession, allegories and exquisite plant ornament. Originally all of it was painted.
The reliefs
Two processions run along the long outer walls. On the south side walk Augustus in a wreath, priests, his friend and son-in-law Agrippa, his wife Livia and the family with their children — one toddler tugs at an adult's toga, another glances back. It's among the first Roman artworks to depict real people rather than gods. Senators and magistrates fill the north side.
Flanking the doorways are mythological scenes: Aeneas making a sacrifice, the she-wolf with Romulus and Remus, and Tellus, Mother Earth, with babies and animals, a symbol of peacetime plenty. Below runs a delicate acanthus frieze teeming with birds, snakes and lizards.
How it was rebuilt
Buried over the centuries, the altar's fragments surfaced from the 16th century onwards beneath palaces on Via in Lucina, and some panels ended up in Florence, the Vatican and the Louvre. Early 20th-century excavations recovered what survived, casts filled the gaps, and in 1938 it was reassembled beside the Mausoleum of Augustus.
In 2006 it was enclosed in a bright new pavilion by American architect Richard Meier — the first major modern building in Rome's historic centre — whose glass walls protect the marble and look out over the Tiber.
What to look for
- The imperial procession — south wall, with children and Agrippa.
- Tellus panel — east side, the allegory of peace and abundance.
- Aeneas sacrificing — west side, by the main entrance.
- Acanthus frieze — the lower band, full of tiny creatures.
- The altar inside — you can climb the steps into the enclosure.
- Res Gestae — Augustus's account of his deeds, carved on the outside of the pavilion.
- Exhibitions — temporary shows in the pavilion's lower level.
How to get to the Ara Pacis
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Mausoleum of Augustus is about 1 min away on foot.
- Via del Corso is about 4 min away on foot.
- Piazza del Popolo is about 8 min away on foot.
More tips
- Metro line A to Flaminio or Spagna — about 10 minutes on foot.
- Buses 70, 81 and 628 stop on the Lungotevere or Piazza Augusto Imperatore.
- From Piazza del Popolo, 7 minutes along Via di Ripetta.
- The Mausoleum of Augustus is right opposite.
Is the Ara Pacis worth it?
Yes, for anyone interested in ancient sculpture — it's one of the finest Roman works and rarely busy. The museum is small, so an hour is enough. Pair it with the Mausoleum of Augustus across the road and a stroll to Piazza del Popolo.
Before you go
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Rome's museums: compare and choose
Museums in Rome rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Sistine Chapel | 64 | 30 min | Vatican Museums ticket ≈ €25 | 31 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castel Sant'Angelo | 57 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €15–20 | 15 min walk |
| Domus Aurea | 49 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ €18, with VR ≈ €26 | 40 min walk |
| Ara Pacisyou are here | 47 | 1 h | ≈ €13–15 | — |
| San Luigi dei Francesi | 47 | 20 min | Free | 13 min walk |
| Galleria Borghese | 45 | 2 h | ≈ €18 | 28 min walk |
| Vatican Museums | 44 | 3 h | ≈ €25 | 30 min walk |
| Capitoline Museums | 43 | 2 h 30 min | ≈ €15–19.50 | 28 min walk |
| Baths of Diocletian | 42 | 1 h | Basilica free; museum ≈ €10–12 | 33 min walk |
| Galleria Doria Pamphilj | 39 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €16–18 | 19 min walk |
| Palazzo Farnese | 39 | 1 h 15 min | Paid, booking only | 24 min walk |
| Imperial Fora | 38 | 1 h | Free from the street; museum ≈ €13–15 | 27 min walk |
| Palazzo Barberini | 37 | 2 h | ≈ €15 | 21 min walk |
| Villa Farnesina | 37 | 1 h | ≈ €12 | 27 min walk |
| Palazzo Massimo | 34 | 2 h | ≈ €10–12 combined ticket | 34 min walk |
| MAXXI | 32 | 2 h | ≈ €12–15 | 44 min walk |
| Ostia Antica | 31 | 3 h | ≈ €12–18 | 23.0 km |
Augustus on the Campus Martius
The Ara Pacis in Meier's pavilion, the Mausoleum of Augustus opposite, then up Via di Ripetta to Piazza del Popolo.
- Ara Pacisyou are here1 h · ≈ €13–15
- 3 min walk from the previous stopMausoleum of Augustus45 min · ≈ €5, booking
- 9 min walk from the previous stopPiazza del Popolo30 min · Free
3 places · about 2 h 27 min with walks · 12 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- Rarely crowded — take your time with the reliefs.
- The children are in the south-side procession.
- Evening VR sessions show the original colours.
- The Mausoleum of Augustus is right opposite.
Questions
How much are Ara Pacis tickets?
About €13–15; free on the first Sunday of the month.
What are the opening hours?
Roughly 9:30–19:30 daily.
What is the Ara Pacis?
A marble altar of 9 BC celebrating Augustus's return and the peace of his reign, famous for its reliefs.
Where is the Ara Pacis?
On Lungotevere in Augusta, opposite the Mausoleum of Augustus, 10 minutes from Flaminio metro.
Who is shown on the Ara Pacis?
Augustus, Agrippa, Livia and the imperial family, plus Aeneas, Romulus and Remus and the goddess Tellus.
How long do you need?
45–60 minutes.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- Museo dell'Ara Pacis (Rome municipal museums)
- English Wikipedia, Ara Pacis
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