Heritage & monuments
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 By the 3rd century AD it had been superseded by the larger Aurelian Walls as Rome outgrew its original boundary.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)
Updated September 20, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors
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