Largo di Torre Argentina Square

Address: Largo di Torre Argentina, 00186 Rome, Italy

Hours: Square open 24 hours; archaeological site visible daytime

Admission: Free to view from the square; archaeological area visible from street level

Largo di Torre Argentina is an archaeological square in central Rome containing exposed remains of Republican-era temples and Roman urban structures. The ensemble is notable both for its ancient temple ruins and for its location within the modern city fabric.

The site displays the foundations and partial walls of four Republican temples clustered in a rectangular excavation, all visible from the surrounding streets and a pedestrian walkway. Adjacent to the temple ruins are the remains of the Theatre of Pompey complex, the larger Roman complex associated with late Republican political events.

The square is also known for a long-established cat sanctuary where free-roaming cats live among the ruins and are cared for by local volunteers; cats are commonly seen by visitors throughout the day.

The temples and associated structures date to the Roman Republican period and were later buried beneath successive layers of Roman and medieval occupation. Excavations in the 20th century exposed the complex and have been the basis for ongoing archaeological study.

The square sits in central Rome’s rione Sant’Angelo, close to Piazza Navona and the Campo de’ Fiori, embedded within the dense historic centre.

• Archaeology: The excavated area contains the foundations and partial structures of four Republican-era temples exposed at street level and accessible from the square.
• Viewing: A raised walkway and viewing points let visitors see the excavations from the surrounding streets without descending into the trench.

What to See#

• Temple ruins: Excavated ruins of four Republican-era temples and other archaeological remains visible at street level across the square.
• Pompey’s complex: Remains of the Curia of Pompey and the Theatre of Pompey complex located at the site associated with Julius Caesar’s assassination.
• Cat sanctuary: A long-standing local cat sanctuary housed among the ruins where free-roaming cats are cared for and visible to visitors.

Within walking distance of Piazza Navona and the Pantheon; nearest metro is Line A at Barberini (approx. 15-20 minute walk) or surface buses that stop near Corso Vittorio Emanuele. The square is in central Rome’s Centro Storico.

• Observe the cats' territory rules - volunteers feed and care for them, but don't attempt to take cats into your arms without permission.
• Stand at the railing early in the morning to watch light fall across the fragmented forum; the square is quieter and the ruins read better without the tourist crush.
• Combine the visit with a stroll to nearby Campo de' Fiori and the Pantheon for a compact archaeological walk.