home › Cooling › Altar of Peace in Rome description. Altar of Peace - veneration of the Roman Empire

Altar of Peace in Rome description. Altar of Peace - veneration of the Roman Empire

A unique museum, presenting only one exhibit for inspection, is located on the banks of the Tiber. This is the Altar of Peace. And that very only exhibit “shared” its name with the museum.

The Altar of Peace Augustus is dedicated to the Roman goddess of peace and is considered one of the oldest examples of ancient Roman sculpture and architecture. The construction of the altar was initiated by the Senate after the triumphant victory and return of the great Emperor Augustus from the campaign against Gaul and Spain (Iberia).

Altar of Peace. A little history

Construction of the monument to the glory of Augustus began in July 13 BC. Four years later, the work was completed, and on January 30, 9 BC. the altar was consecrated by the Senate. On this day, the so-called era of the “Roman world” began. The Altar of Peace in Rome was located in its northern part on the Campus Martius near the Via Flaminia road. The fall of the Roman Empire and barbarian invasions led to significant destruction of the monument. And then it was completely washed away by the waters of the Tiber.

The year 1568 opened a new page in the book called “The Altar of Peace”. That year, during construction work on a new building, pieces of bas-reliefs from an ancient Roman monument were found. These fragments of sculptural compositions quickly “scattered” into private collections, and from there they ended up in the Louvre, and in the Villa Medici. Only three hundred years later did archaeologists find out what they had encountered. Then large-scale excavations began in the area. Search work continued until the 20s of the 20th century, and in the 30s all parts of the altar were assembled into a single whole.

The work took place under the strict guidance of Benito Mussolini, a true admirer of Augustus. The dictator, who considered himself the heir of the great emperor, ordered the monument to be restored and placed next to the tomb of the first emperor. In 1938, on the banks of the Tiber, Mussolini's favorite architect Vittorio Morpurgo erected a building, inside of which the Altar of Peace itself was located. True, in the 90s of the last century the building fell into disrepair and began to threaten the safety of the monument of ancient Roman architecture. In 2003, another architect, a native of America, began building a new museum complex.
The grand opening of the museum, built by Richard Meier, took place on the 2759th anniversary of the capital - April 21, 2006.

What is the Altar of Peace?

The altar, erected in honor of the great emperor, is extremely simple and laconic in form.
Its walls are carved from Carrara marble by Greek craftsmen and decorated with bas-reliefs and friezes. There is a procession about to lay the stone and a relief of Tellura. But the most valuable is the bas-relief of the northern part of the altar, depicting the family of Emperor Augustus (himself, his wife Livia, stepson Tiberius and daughter Julia). Some bas-reliefs still cause controversy among theologians, philosophers and historians today.

Essentially, the Altar of Peace consists of tables depicting wine and animals offered to the gods as sacrifices, and a body surrounding them. Almost the entire interior space is occupied by the throne. There is a passage between the two tables. Most likely, it was needed so that the substances used in the sacrifice could flow out freely.

In the new building, in addition to the only exhibit, there are also exhibition halls for temporary exhibitions and an auditorium for lectures. In addition, one of the walls of the pavilion built by Morpurgo has been preserved here. The glorious deeds of Emperor Augustus are inscribed on it.

The Altar of Peace Museum is located at Via Muzio Clementi, 9, 00193 Roma in Italy. It is open to visitors from 9.00 to 19.00. Day off is Monday. You can get to it using line A of the capital's metro. Exit - Flaminio stop.

The Altar of Peace is a unique structure of its kind, created in 13 BC. It was located near the Tiber River on the Campus Martius. Its original purpose was a memorial altar. With its help, on January 30 and March 30, the Vestals and priests performed solemn sacrifices. It was built in honor of the victories of Emperor Augustus, which marked the end of the civil war. But this structure was created not only to honor Augustus, but also in honor of the goddess of peace Pax.

Before Augustus, the Romans did not worship such a goddess. He himself introduced her veneration; the goddess Pax became, as it were, a symbol of his policy aimed at establishing peace in the country. She was depicted in the guise of a beautiful woman with an olive branch and a cornucopia in her hands.

The altar of peace is made in a typical style for that time. Its main elements from an artistic point of view are marble walls with bas-reliefs. Their main plot is the veneration and exaltation of Roman civilization.

What does the Altar look like?

The Altar of Peace is a quadrangular building. The entrances are in the east and west. The altar itself is located inside. It is surrounded on all sides by steps and decorated with a frieze. The frieze consists of three tiers. The top one is made in a floral style, the lower one has a sea theme. The frieze on the outside is two-part and divided by geometric patterns; the lower part, like the inside, is decorated with lush plant elements.

Sides of the altar

The altar of peace on each of its sides has an amazingly beautiful bas-relief with images that are still discussed by philosophers and historians.

Sacrificial processions are depicted on the north and south sides of the Altar. It is headed by Emperor Augustus. Next behind him come the priests, his family, senators and the aristocracy of Rome. And even now, thousands of years later, you can fully experience the skill of the sculptors of those times: the bas-reliefs show a very precise resemblance.

On the western side there are two goddesses who patronized Rome. The first is the earth goddess Tellus, she was considered the patroness of fertility and abundance. She holds two babies in her arms. One is breastfed, and the other sits on her lap. The composition is complemented by numerous flowers and a bountiful harvest, symbolizing the fertility of the city. This also meant the emperor’s concern for the well-being of his people. The image of the second goddess, who was considered the goddess Roma, has hardly survived to this day. Only from the outlines can one guess that she was sitting on a throne made of spears and swords. In her hands was the image of the goddess Victoria. Apparently, this meant peace achieved through war.

The eastern side was dedicated to the history of the formation of Rome. The plot of the bas-relief shows the stories of Romulus, Remus and Aeneas making sacrifices to the Penates.

All paintings are made in the style of classicism and imitate the works of art of classical Ancient Greece.

The versatility of the monument’s images gives tourists a good opportunity to become more familiar with the structure, politics and sentiments of Ancient Rome. People who lived at that time saw Augustus as a savior and hoped that he would establish harmony and peace.

Damage and reconstruction of the Altar of Peace

In the 6th century, the Tiber River overflowed its banks and flooded the nearby space, completely hiding the Altar of Peace. The waters receded only in the 16th century, greatly damaging the monument. The remains were first discovered near Palazzo Fiano in the second half of the 16th century. Unfortunately, some elements have survived only partially. The restoration of the Altar was begun by order of Benito Mussolini.

Excavations and restoration began only in the 19th century. Later research showed that the Altar was poorly protected. The security building for the Altar of Peace in Rome was made by the architect Vittorio Morpurgo in 1938. But then, half a century later, it fell into disrepair and began to threaten the integrity of the historical monument. In this regard, a modern museum complex was built in 2006, the opening of which was timed to coincide with the founding of the city. In addition to the Altar of Peace, the complex includes auditoriums and exhibition halls.

The Altar of Peace Museum is a rectangular structure made of glass and concrete. One of the most valuable monuments from the reign of Augustus is now well protected from exhaust gases, dust, changes in temperature and humidity. When designing the complex, advanced technologies were used, which are aimed at preserving the monument from destruction. It was designed by the American studio of Richard Meier.

Working hours

The Altar of Peace is open every day from 9:00 to 19:00, except Mondays. A ticket for an adult costs 10.50 euros, reduced for Roman citizens - 8.50. An audio guide will cost you 4 euros.

How to get there?

The Altar of Peace Museum is located on Lungotevere in Augusta. You can get there by metro: you will need to take line A and get off at Lepanto or Spagna stations.

Altar of the Peace of Augustus

According to historians, the Altar of Peace was one of the parts of a whole complex of monumental architectural structures located in the area of Campo Marzio (Campus de Mars) along the ancient Via Lata (now Via del Corso) - in particular, the Mausoleum of Augustus and the colossal sundial, the so-called Horologium Augusti.

This is interesting!

In 10 B.C. Augustus brought the first two obelisks to Rome where, as the inscriptions on them indicate, they were erected as memorial evidence of the conquest of Egypt and dedicated to the sun god. One of them, originally placed in the arena of the Circus Maximus, is now located in Piazza del Popolo. Another, slightly smaller one, was used as a gnomon (signpost) for the Horologium Augusti and is now located in front of the Palazzo Montecario.

On the day of the autumnal equinox, September 23 - the date named by Augustus himself as his birthday, the shadow cast on the surface of the earth by the gnomon reached the Altar, thereby indicating that Octavian Augustus was the one who was born to restore peace in the state after a long period of internal and external shocks.

The location for the construction of Ara Pachis was not determined by chance - the Field of Mars has been dedicated to the God of War Mars since the era of the ancient Roman kings and was used for training warriors. 4 July 13 BC, after the return of Augustus from peacekeeping missions in the Roman provinces of Spain and Gaul, the Senate decreed the construction of the Altar of Peace, confirming the role of the emperor as a peacemaker and protector of the state. The solemn consecration ceremony took place on January 30, 9 BC, the birthday of Livia, the wife of Augustus. The open-air marble structure was intended for religious ceremonies and ritual sacrifices appeasing the gods.

Being built just a few hundred meters from the banks of the Tiber, the Altar of the Peace of Augustus was repeatedly flooded by the waters of the overflowing river. According to chroniclers, already in the 2nd century AD it was significantly damaged - many parts of the structure were broken and separated. Year after year, the silt and sand carried by the river raised the surface level around Ara Pachis, ultimately hiding the monumental monument for several hundred years, which eventually fell into oblivion.

The miraculous discovery of an ancient artifact

The ancient monument was not known until the middle of the 16th century - the first fragments of the Altar of Peace were discovered in 1536 when clearing the ground for the foundation of Palazzo Fiano, which is still located at the intersection of via Lucina and via del Corso. Nine large marble blocks decorated with bas-reliefs were excavated from the ground. Some of them were acquired by Cardinal Giovanni Ricci (1498-1574) from Montepulciano, who subsequently transported them to Tuscany, and some ended up in the collections of the Medici family in Florence, the Vatican and the Louvre in France.

In 1859, during work to strengthen the foundation and expand the Palazzo Fiano, new fragments of an ancient artifact were discovered, in particular, a relief of Aeneas and the head of the god Mars from the relief of Lupercal. The German art historian Friedrich von Dün from the University of Heidelberg was the first to suggest that the found objects correspond to the Altar of Peace, mentioned by Octavian Augustus in “Res Gestae Divi Augusti” (Acts of the Divine Augustus), an autobiographical document written by him in his own hand. But a similar conclusion was made only twenty years later, in 1881, after which work on extracting fragments of the Altar was resumed and continued until 1903 - by this time about 53 fragments of the ancient altar had already been extracted from the ground. However, excavations still had to be stopped due to difficult geological conditions and the possible collapse of nearby buildings.

Fragments of the Altar of Peace, recovered during excavations in the early 1900s

The proposal to collect the found parts of the Altar of Peace together was first made by the President of the Piedmontese Society of Archeology and Fine Arts, Professor Orestes Mattirolo, who carefully studied the fragments throughout 1918-21. However, the idea of restoring the imperial monument caused fierce controversy and received political overtones, since after the founding of the fascist party in Italy in 1921, Benito Mussolini, who received the post of Chairman of the Council, declared himself Duce - the successor of the ancient Roman emperors. On May 10, 1936, he proclaimed the Italian Empire.

Mussolini Peace Altar

Reviving the glory of ancient Rome was central to the powerful propaganda of the Fascist regime in Italy in the 1930s. Benito Mussolini himself identified himself with Emperor Augustus and argued that all his actions were aimed at continuing the continuity of the Roman Empire. Art, architecture and iconography played a key role in this propaganda revival.
In February 1937, by order of the Italian government of Benito Mussolini, excavations were resumed using the latest technologies of freezing the soil at that time to preserve its strength, which made it possible to remove other fragments of the Altar from the ground. This was due to the planned 1938 celebration of the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Augustus, the first Roman emperor.

Showing the authorities a fragment with the relief “Saturnia Tellus”. Detail of the Ara Pachis returned to Rome from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence

By the beginning of 1938, excavations around Palazzo Fiano were completed, and all the found fragments of the Altar had to be put together into a single whole. However, the lack of any surviving drawings or drawings that could give a visual idea of the majestic monument became a real stumbling block.

The only information about the original form of the monument was gleaned from two ancient Roman coins from the eras of Nero and Domitian, on which the Altar of Peace was depicted from two opposite sides. To facilitate the restoration work, in February 1938, the King of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele III, issued a special decree, ordering the Ministry of Education to create a separate department at the National University for the study of the legacy of Emperor Augustus. Thus, it was planned to collect in one place all the parts and fragments of the Altar that were located in different cities of the Kingdom and abroad, offering foreign owners an exchange of artistic property. However, some original fragments, which for one reason or another could not be returned, still remain in the Vatican Museums, the Louvre Museum and the Uffizi Gallery.

The site for the erection of the monument, symbolizing the onset of a new imperial era, was chosen near the Tiber, not far from the remains of the dilapidated mausoleum of Augustus. For this, along with the search for fragments of the Altar, a large-scale demolition of the buildings adjacent to the mausoleum was carried out, which was often attended by Mussolini himself. The work of reconstructing the area, designing and creating the key fascist propaganda complex was entrusted to the architect Vittorio Ballio Morpurgo. The majestic Palazzos built at this time with propaganda symbols carved on the facades of the buildings still frame the Emperor Augustus Square (Piazza Augusto Imperatore), in the center of which the Altar of Peace was erected.

On the scheduled date, September 23, 1938 - on the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Emperor Augustus, the Altar of Peace was inaugurated. It was housed in a spacious reliquary designed by the architect Morpurgo, built of red porphyry with a white travertine base.

View of the pavilion of Vittorio Marpurgo

On the wall of the covered pavilion were carved in marble the epigraphic texts “Res Gestae Divi Augusti” (Acts of the Divine Augustus), presented in the processing of the philologist Enrica Malcovati, which were supposed to force visitors to the reliquary to associate the achievements of Mussolini with the achievements of the Roman emperor himself.

According to historians, in the era of Augustus the Altar of Peace was magnificently decorated - its bas-reliefs, like all other ancient Roman statues, were colored. To bring the all-white altar to life, on December 22, 2009, the sides of the monument were illuminated for the first time with digital projectors, superimposing color images on the friezes. This experimental technology, used for the first time in the history of archaeology, opened up the monument to the public in a new vision, and was subsequently used to present other archaeological sites of Ancient Rome.

On October 14, 2016, a new, expanded visualization project “L'Ara com'era” (“Ara as it was”) was launched, allowing museum visitors not only to see it in color, but also to immerse themselves in the ancient world using virtual glasses reality.

New technology, recreating a three-dimensional virtual image and linking it to real objects, allows you to reproduce the Altar of Peace and its surroundings as they were 2000 years ago and explore the virtual environment at your own discretion.

Altar of Peace: information for tourists

Contacts

Address: Lungotevere in Augusta, 00186 Roma, Italy

Telephone: +39 06 0608

Opening hours: Tue - Sun from 09:00 to 19:00, Mon - closed

Price: 10.50€, reduced price – 8.5€

Official site: www.arapacis.it

How to get there

Metro: Spagna station (line A)

Buses: stop Augusto Imperatore/Ara Pacis (No. 81, 628, N25)

Italy is a country that today is associated with hearty pasta, pizza, tanned young ladies and real macho men. And once upon a time, part of the huge Roman Empire was located in its vastness and all roads led to the city, which is the modern capital.

Rome is full of attractions, much of which appeared about two thousand years ago. The Roman Forum is probably known to everyone, but this is not all that can be seen in the Italian capital.

Lovers of antiquity and just tourists eager to see something unusual will love the ruins, the first Christian churches and pagan altars. In this article we will talk about the Altar of Peace, an architectural monument from the era of Octavian Augustus.

Altar of Peace in Rome - a little history

Construction decision Altar of Peace (Ara Pacis) was passed by the Roman Senate on July 4, 13 BC. At that time Ti was the consul of Rome

Beria Nero. The monument was erected in honor of the return of Emperor Augustus after victorious battles in Spain and Gaul. Its discovery took place on January 30, 9 BC. Magistrates, priests and vestals were required to perform annual sacrifices on the altar.

The altar was on Champ de Mars, north of Agrippa's buildings. In the old days, infantry and cavalry maneuvers took place there. Today this is the place where is located Palazzo Fiano Peretti Almagia(corner of Corso and Via in Lucina), west side of Via Flaminia.

In the 16th century, Ara Pacis Augustae was located in the floodplain of the Tiber River, where it was buried under four meters of silt. The first remains of the altar were discovered near the Palazzo Fiano in 1568. Further fragments were found in 1859. From the second half of the 1800s. Excavations began to be carried out regularly. Since 1903, they began to purposefully search for the remains of the Altar of Peace.

In 1938, Benito Mussolini built a protective building for the altar near the Mausoleum of Augustus.

Research done in the 90s. The 20th century showed that the altar was poorly protected. The city administration decided to carry out a major reconstruction and replace the building, which appeared in 1938. The modern complex was built in 1996 – 2006. Since April 21, 2006, the Altar of Peace Museum has been open to visitors.

Altar of Peace in Rome - description

When we first hear about Ara Pacis, we cannot immediately understand that this is an ancient monument or an exhibition hall. Thanks to the efforts of modern architects, the incredible has been achieved. In addition to housing an altar from the era of Emperor Augustus, the complex hosts the best exhibitions in Rome.

Altar of Peace Museum— a rectangular body made of glass and concrete. The most valuable monument of the Augustan era is now reliably protected from dust, exhaust gases, vibration, changes in temperature and humidity. During the construction of the museum complex, innovative technologies were used to protect the Altar of Peace from destruction. The room was designed by the architectural studio of American Richard Meier.

To reach the central pavilion, visitors walk through a darkened area. The natural light that illuminates Ara Pacis is filtered through 500 square meters of crystal panels. This makes it possible to feel the unity of the museum space with the outside world, and also helps to create the silence necessary to enjoy the monument to its fullest.

The altarpiece is a universally recognized masterpiece, the most famous surviving example of sculpture that existed in ancient Rome. It differs from Greek samples presence of non-idealized figures, vol.

Life-size deer, and recognizable portraits of people. It was supposed to show the military superiority of the Roman Empire and visually recall the glorious Julio-Claudian dynasty.

The main part of the Altar of Peace is table on which sacrifices took place. There are steps leading up to it. There are special passages around the altar. They were probably used to drain blood and water used to wash the altar. The central part of the ancient Roman altar is surrounded by walls.

The material from which the Altar of Peace is built is honed white marble- in the old days, it made it more noticeable among other buildings in Rome. It depicts episodes of sacrifice to the gods. Among the figures on the walls you can see men, women, children, clergy, service personnel, city guests or slaves.

The images of Emperor Augustus in a laurel wreath (symbol of peace), his son-in-law Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, wife Livia, stepson Tiberius, daughter Julia, Gaius Julius Caesar Vipsanian, Lucius Domitius Agenobarba, Sextus Appuleius, Domitius, Germanicus, Gnaeus Domitius Agenobu, Anthony the Younger, Anthony the Elder and others. The middle part of the walls of the monument is occupied by images of figures that are mentioned in the myths of Ancient Rome, below - sculptures of nature (plant ornaments).

On the eastern wall of the Altar of Peace there is a poorly preserved relief with a female warrior. Art critics think it's Roma. She sits on a pile of weapons taken from the enemy. The image has been restored, which is why many scientists consider it to be incorrect. Difficulties are also connected with the fact that the Altar is on the coins of Nero and Domitian, but there is no mention of its images in documentary sources.

Other panels survived better. On them - goddess of fertility and prosperity with the twins on his lap, the moment when the shepherd Faustulus found Romulus and Remus, the sacrifice of a pig. The north wall has about 46 surviving or partially surviving figures. There are priests, members of the imperial family with their companions.

Scientists are inclined to believe that the original location of the Altar of Peace allowed that on the birthday of Augustus, a shadow from a sundial located nearby would fall on the structure.

Where is the Altar of Peace Museum and how to get there

The Altar of Peace is located on the shore, at the corner of Lungotevere in Augusta and via Tomacelli. This is the Campo Marzio area.

How to get to Altar:

To get to the architectural monument you can drive on to Flaminio station and walk about 500 meters.
If you want to shorten the time, sit at Piazza Flaminio for buses No. 628-926 and get off at the stop “Augusto Imperatore/Ara Pacis”. From Spagna metro station you can walk along via Condotti and via Tomacelli. You need to move towards the main river of Rome. You can also get to the attraction by buses No. 224, 590.

There is a car park on the Tiber embankment.

Museum opening hours:

Tuesday-Sunday from 9.00 to 19.00.
On December 24 and 31 you can visit the Altar of Peace from 9.00 to 14.00.

Ticket prices:

adult - 10,50 € ,
preferential - 8,50 € .
For Roman citizens - 8.50 € and 6.50 € respectively.
Depending on the temporary exhibitions that take place in the museum, the price varies. So, from March 12, 2015, entrance to the museum and exhibitions “Espositione Universale Rome. Una citta nuova dal Fascismo agli anni ’60” and “Beverly Pepper all’Ara Pachis” will cost €14.00 (€12.00) and €12.00 (€10.00) for Romans.
An audio guide will cost 4,00 € .
Free entry provided to all children under 6 years old, residents of Rome under 18 years old, over 65 years old, with an income of less than 15,000 €, guides, translators, etc.

It is possible to purchase tickets online. In this case, it is enough to print out the electronic receipt and present it at the turnstile. Ara Pacis is also included in the tourist map.

Altar of Peace on the map of Rome:

The Altar of Peace (Italian Museo dell "Ara Pacis) was built during the time of the ancient Roman emperor Augustus. Thus, the great ruler captured in the altar his triumphant return from Spain and Gaul (modern France) in 13 AD. The altar was erected by order of the Senate in honor of the goddess of victory, it symbolized the beginning of a peaceful period in the development of the empire and perpetuated the military exploits of Augustus.

"When I returned to Rome from Gaul and Spain, to the consulate of Tiberius Nero and Publius Quintilius, in honor of the successful completion of the case in these provinces, the Senate decided that the altar of Augustus of Peace should be consecrated and ordered it to be built on the Campus Martius. In it judges, priests and vestal virgins must celebrate and sacrifice every year,” with these words Augustus greeted the opening of a grandiose architectural panel in his honor.

The Altar of the Peace of Augustus took four whole years to build; a huge plateau on the Campus Martius, next to the Via Flaminia road, near the bed of the Tiber River, was allocated for the construction. January 30, in 9 BC Augustus was inaugurated there.

Today, the Altar of Peace is considered one of the best representatives of ancient Roman architecture and sculpture. The geometric shape of the marble altar looks quite simple - such a huge, at first glance, very ascetic white cube... But the decorations of the four white marble walls are magnificent: carved friezes, sculptures of the emperor and his family, symbols of piety, peace and prosperity of the empire, which has finally found peace .

The altar was originally located some distance from where it can be seen today. But it must be said that archaeologists made a Herculean effort, collecting the remains of the ancient Roman architectural miracle and carefully restoring it at the beginning of the 20th century from scattered fragments. The history of the restoration of the Macaw Pacis began in the sixteenth century, but was not completed. Random excavations dragged on for four centuries. Only four centuries later, the monument was finally restored - in 1903 grandiose excavations were continued, and in 1938 the restoration was completed and the first news about this event appeared in newspapers around the world. On September 23, the birthday of Octavian Augustus, the Italian dictator Mussolini unveiled the monument.

A new restoration and construction of a protective capsule were carried out at the beginning of 2000. In modern conditions, the Altar of Peace was placed in a hyper-modern (but hated by many) capsule made of glass and concrete, designed by architect Richard Meier (USA). The renovated museum welcomed visitors again in 2006...

So, after two thousand years, you again have the opportunity to see the real throne of Emperor Octavian Augustus (it occupies almost the entire internal space of the altar), in whose veins the blood of the great Caesar seethed...