Ara Pacis
Rome, Italy
Mausoleum of Augustus, Rome
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Photo: MumblerJamie, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Ticket
- ≈ €5, online booking required
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Hours
- Usually Tue–Sun, timed slots by booking
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 45 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Days
- Usually Tuesday–Sunday, timed slots
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Format
- Small groups with museum staff
- Outside
- The ruins are visible free from the square
- Time needed
- ≈ 45 minutes
- Location
- Piazza Augusto Imperatore; opposite the Ara Pacis
Key facts
28 BCAugustus began the tomb for himself and his family
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English Wikipedia≈ 90 mdiameter — the largest circular tomb of the Roman world
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English WikipediaAD 14Augustus himself was buried here
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English WikipediaConcert hallin the 19th–20th centuries it housed an auditorium
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English Wikipedia2021reopened to visitors after restoration
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English WikipediaMausoleum of Augustus tickets and booking
Entry is by booking only on the Rome municipal museums website: pick a date and slot, and you'll join a small group. Guides put the ticket at about €5, less for Rome residents. It's usually open Tuesday to Sunday, closed Mondays. Near-term slots go quickly, especially at weekends, so book about a week ahead.
A short history
Augustus began the mausoleum in 28 BC, soon after becoming sole ruler of Rome. It was a colossal drum about 90 metres across: concentric walls holding an earth mound planted with cypresses, crowned by a bronze statue of the emperor. Two Egyptian obelisks flanked the entrance — now on the Esquiline and Quirinal — along with bronze tablets of his 'Deeds'.
His relatives and heirs were laid to rest here, and Augustus himself in AD 14. After the empire fell it was plundered; in the Middle Ages the Colonna family made it a fortress. Later it became a garden, an 18th-century arena for shows and, in the 19th and 20th centuries, a concert hall seating thousands.
What you'll see inside
Small groups follow the ring corridors between the concentric walls to the central chamber where the urns of Augustus and his family stood. You'll see original tufa and travertine masonry, traces of cladding and the marks of every later use — fortress walls, garden, theatre — with screens and multimedia filling in the story.
From the newly landscaped Piazza Augusto Imperatore above, you can see how far the monument has sunk: the ancient ground level is several metres below today's streets.
What to see
- Concentric walls — the rings of masonry that held the mound.
- Central chamber — where the urns of the imperial family rested.
- Piazza Augusto Imperatore — the redesigned square with ramps down to the monument.
- Ara Pacis — across the road, in its glass pavilion by the Tiber.
- San Rocco and San Girolamo — churches at the square's river edge.
How to get to the Mausoleum of Augustus
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
- Ara Pacis is about 1 min away on foot.
- Via del Corso is about 3 min away on foot.
- Piazza del Popolo is about 8 min away on foot.
More tips
- Metro line A to Spagna or Flaminio — 10 minutes on foot.
- Buses 70, 81 and 628 stop at Piazza Augusto Imperatore.
- From Piazza del Popolo, 7 minutes along Via di Ripetta.
- From the Spanish Steps, 10 minutes via Via dei Condotti and Via Tomacelli.
Is it worth visiting?
Yes, if Augustus interests you and you've booked a slot: the tomb was closed for decades, so getting inside is a rare chance — and inexpensive. The interior ruins are modest; the scale and the story are the point. Even without a booking, it's free to see from the square on your way to the Ara Pacis.
Before you go
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Ancient Rome: compare and choose
Ancient sites in Rome rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Pantheon | 82 | 30 min | ≈ €5 | 14 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colosseum | 73 | 2 h | ≈ €18 | 38 min walk |
| Roman Forum | 63 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €18 with Colosseum | 30 min walk |
| Circus Maximus | 63 | 30 min | Free | 41 min walk |
| Trajan's Column | 60 | 15 min | Free | 23 min walk |
| Capitoline Hill | 58 | 30 min | Free | 26 min walk |
| Castel Sant'Angelo | 57 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €15–20 | 16 min walk |
| Arch of Constantine | 57 | 15 min | Free | 37 min walk |
| Palatine Hill | 54 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €18 with Colosseum | 37 min walk |
| Mausoleum of Augustusyou are here | 53 | 45 min | ≈ €5, booking | — |
| Largo di Torre Argentina | 53 | 30 min | Free from street; walkways ≈ €5 | 21 min walk |
| Pyramid of Cestius | 52 | 20 min | Free | 3.3 km |
| Appian Way | 49 | 3 h | Free | 8.6 km |
| Domus Aurea | 49 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ €18, with VR ≈ €26 | 39 min walk |
| Mouth of Truth | 49 | 20 min | Donation ≈ €2 | 36 min walk |
| Baths of Caracalla | 48 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ €8 | 3.2 km |
| Catacombs of Rome | 48 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €10–12 with guide | 39 min walk |
| Ara Pacis | 47 | 1 h | ≈ €13–15 | 3 min walk |
| Theatre of Marcellus | 47 | 20 min | Free | 28 min walk |
| Vatican Museums | 44 | 3 h | ≈ €25 | 31 min walk |
| Capitoline Museums | 43 | 2 h 30 min | ≈ €15–19.50 | 27 min walk |
| Baths of Diocletian | 42 | 1 h | Basilica free; museum ≈ €10–12 | 32 min walk |
| Basilica of San Clemente | 39 | 1 h | Upper free; excavations ≈ €10–12 | 44 min walk |
| Imperial Fora | 38 | 1 h | Free from the street; museum ≈ €13–15 | 26 min walk |
| Testaccio | 38 | 2 h | Free | 3.3 km |
| Palazzo Massimo | 34 | 2 h | ≈ €10–12 combined ticket | 32 min walk |
| Ostia Antica | 31 | 3 h | ≈ €12–18 | 23.0 km |
| Hadrian's Villa | 29 | 3 h | ≈ €12–15 | 25.0 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 Pacis1 h · ≈ €13–15
- 3 min walk from the previous stopMausoleum of Augustusyou are here45 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
- Booking is compulsory — about a week ahead.
- The Ara Pacis is across the road.
- You can see it free from the square.
- Usually closed on Mondays.
Questions
How much is the Mausoleum of Augustus?
About €5 according to guides; online booking required.
How do you visit the Mausoleum of Augustus?
Book a timed slot on the Rome municipal museums site; visits are in small groups.
Where is the Mausoleum of Augustus?
On Piazza Augusto Imperatore opposite the Ara Pacis, 10 minutes from Spagna metro.
When was it built?
Work began in 28 BC.
Who is buried there?
Emperor Augustus and members of his family and dynasty.
How long does a visit take?
About 45 minutes.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- Rome municipal museums (Sovrintendenza Capitolina): Mausoleo di Augusto
- English Wikipedia, Mausoleum of Augustus
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