Roman Forum

Between 1990 and 1992, archaeological excavations conducted underneath the ancient cellars of the Ambrosiana brought to light a portion of the pavement of the ancient Roman forum, the heart of Mediolanum‘s political, economic and religious life.

The curia (meeting place of the local Senate), the basilica (where justice was administered), the Capitolium (the temple dedicated to the Capitoline triad of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva) and the tabernae (shops, craft workshops and taverns).
These are slabs of Verona stone of varying sizes, arranged oriented north-south or east-west, apparently with no regular pattern. In the part of the excavations that can be visited today, below the current Sala Fagnani and Sala Custodi of the Biblioteca Ambrosiana, there are the remains of a canal that drained the water shed from the porticoes on the long sides of the Forum, which must have measured some 55 x 166 meters.

For information: contatti@ambrosiana.it