Gardens of Maecenas

The Gardens of Maecenas (Horti Maecenatis) are ancient terraced gardens established on the Esquiline Hill in Rome by the Roman patron Gaius Maecenas in the 1st century BC. They represent one of the earliest private landscaped estates in the city.

Remains of terraces, garden structures and building fragments survive as archaeological features and are integrated into the modern urban fabric around the Esquiline. The site is of interest for its connections to Augustan-era Rome and to Maecenas’s role as a cultural patron.

Maecenas developed the gardens as a private landscaped estate and cultural venue during the late Roman Republic and early Imperial period; over subsequent centuries the area was built over and transformed, with excavations revealing parts of the original layout.

The gardens are on Rome’s Esquiline Hill in the historic centre, close to Piazza Vittorio and Santa Maria Maggiore, and are accessible from central Rome on foot or by local transport.

• Origins: Originally created as private terraced gardens by the Roman patron and statesman Gaius Maecenas in the late 1st century BC; archaeological remains are visible on the Esquiline Hill.
• Visiting tip: Located within central Rome, combine a visit with nearby sites such as Santa Maria Maggiore and other Esquiline Hill attractions for easier access to visible remains.