Rome subway riders are now encountering ancient history as part of their daily commute, following the opening of two new underground stations beneath some of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Earlier this month, Rome unveiled the Colosseo-Fori Imperiali and Porta Metronia stations, integrating archaeological discoveries directly into the city’s modern transit system.
The Rome subway expansion places one station directly beneath the Colosseum, where artifacts uncovered during construction now line station walls. Displays include ceramic vases, stone wells, ancient suspended buckets, and remains of a first-century dwelling featuring a cold plunge pool and thermal bath. Nearby, the Porta Metronia station showcases nearly 260 feet of second-century AD military barracks discovered deep underground.
Simona Moretta, scientific director of the excavation, said the barracks were found between 22 and 39 feet below the surface and were likely used to protect the city or the emperor. “Surety that it was a military building is given by the fact that the entrances to the rooms are not facing each other, but are offset, so that the soldiers could leave the rooms and get in line without colliding in the corridor,” she said.
The stations are part of Rome’s Metro C line, a massive infrastructure project expected to cost approximately $8.3 billion and scheduled for full completion in 2035. Officials estimate the Rome subway line will carry up to 800,000 passengers per day across an 18-mile route, most of it underground.
Marco Cervone, construction manager for the project, told The Associated Press, “The challenge was … building it under such a large amount of groundwater and at the same time preserving all the archaeological finds that we found during the excavation.”
The openings coincide with new tourism controls, including fees for visiting the Trevi Fountain, as officials seek to manage overcrowding in the Eternal City.
