EUR District, Rome

Things to do in EUR

Walk the Square Colosseum, cross Piazza Marconi with its tall obelisk, admire the colonnade of the Palazzo dei Congressi, stroll the lake lined with cherry trees and peer into Fuksas's 'Cloud', a white form floating in a glass box. The Museum of Civilisations covers ethnography, prehistoric Latium and Asian art. It's a photographer's district — and almost tourist-free.

What is EUR?

EUR stands for *Esposizione Universale Roma*. Construction began in the late 1930s for a World's Fair in 1942 that never took place, and the district was completed in the 1950s–60s. The result is a whole town in the Rationalist style: straight boulevards, vast squares, white travertine and marble, unadorned colonnades.

Today it's a business and residential quarter with ministries, corporate offices, parks and museums. It looks like a film set — and dozens of films, from Fellini onwards, have been shot here.

The Square Colosseum

The district's icon is the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, nicknamed the 'Square Colosseum': a white cube on a rise, each façade pierced by six rows of nine arches, a reimagining of the Colosseum's arcades. Twenty-eight marble statues of crafts and arts stand around its base.

Since 2015 it has been the headquarters of the fashion house Fendi; the interior is usually closed, though exhibitions occasionally open on the ground floor. Walk round it for free — it's most striking at sunset, when the travertine turns pink.

What to see

• Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana — the Square Colosseum.
• Piazza Marconi — with its obelisk about 45 m tall.
• Palazzo dei Congressi — a giant colonnade and dome.
• Santi Pietro e Paolo — the white-domed church on a hill.
• EUR lake — cherry-tree avenue and boats.
• La Nuvola — Fuksas's 'Cloud' inside a glass box.
• Museum of Civilisations — ethnography, prehistory and Asian art.

Cherry blossom by the lake

Hundreds of Japanese cherry trees, a gift from Tokyo, line the artificial lake. They usually bloom in late March and early April, when Romans flock to the banks with cameras. A park with jogging paths surrounds the water, and in summer you can rent boats and pedalos.

Is EUR worth it?

Yes, if you've seen the classics and like 20th-century architecture or photography: EUR is Rome's most unusual district, nothing like the historic centre. It's best in spring blossom season and at sunset. With only two or three days, stay central.

Rome's squares and streets: compare and choose

Squares and walking spots in Rome rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.

How to do it right

• Metro B gets you there in 15–20 minutes.
• The Square Colosseum glows at sunset.
• Cherry blossom by the lake in spring.
• Hardly any tourists.

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