Heritage & monuments
Servian Wall
The Servian Wall is an ancient Roman defensive barrier constructed around the city of Rome in the early 4th century BC. The wall was built of volcanic tuff and was up to 10 m (33 ft) in height in places, 3.6 m (12 ft) wide at its base, 11 km (6.8 mi) long, and is believed to have had 16 main gates, of which only one or two have survived, and enclosed a total area of 246 hectares. In the 3rd century AD it was superseded by the construction of the larger Aurelian Walls as the city of Rome grew beyond the boundary of the Servian Wall.
Servian Wall
The Servian Wall was Rome's main defensive fortification, built from blocks of volcanic tuff in the early 4th century BC. It ran for roughly 11 km around the city, stood up to 10 m high in places, and enclosed about 246 hectares through a system of gates. By the 3rd century AD it had been superseded by the larger Aurelian Walls as Rome outgrew its original boundary. Little of the wall survives as a continuous structure today; instead, travellers encounter scattered fragments built into later buildings and streets. The most visible and well-known section stands in the open outside Roma Termini station, near Piazza dei Cinquecento, where a long stretch of the tuff blocks can be seen at street level.
Getting there
The Termini fragment is easy to reach since it sits directly beside Rome's main train and metro station. From the Colosseum or Roman Forum area, it's about a 20-25 minute walk, or a short ride on metro lines A or B to Termini.
How much time to allow
The wall is viewed from outside rather than entered, so ten to fifteen minutes is enough to take it in.
When to go
As an open-air ruin passed on the street rather than a ticketed monument, it doesn't get crowded. Daylight hours make the stonework easiest to see and photograph.
Combine it with
- Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (0.5 km)
- San Pietro in Vincoli (1.1 km)
- Domus Aurea (1.3 km)
- Trajan's Forum (1.5 km)
Sources: open data from Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap · Updated August 5, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors
