Itinerary

1. 3-Hour Walking Tour Discovering the Egyptian Legacy in Ancient Rome

   Piazza Venezia

   • Begin the tour at Piazza Venezia, the vibrant heart of modern Rome.

   • Observe the grandeur of the Vittoriano monument and the historic Palazzo Venezia.

   • View the statue of Madama Lucrezia beside the staircase of Palazzo Venezia and learn about its connection to the ancient goddess Isis.

   Iseum Campense Area

   • Walk to the Campo Marzio district and explore the area where the Iseum Campense once stood, the largest Roman sanctuary dedicated to Egyptian cults.

   • Discover how the sanctuary was built during the late Republic and later expanded under Caligula and Domitian.

   • Visit the Iseum Museum and observe fragments and artifacts connected to the sanctuary.

   Piazza della Pigna

   • Continue to Piazza della Pigna and learn about the large bronze pine cone that once decorated a sacred area linked to the Iseum.

   • Understand the symbolism of the pine cone, which represented rebirth and immortality in Egyptian spirituality.

   Piazza della Minerva

   • Walk to Piazza della Minerva and observe the Egyptian obelisk supported by an elephant sculpted by Bernini.

   • Learn that the obelisk once belonged to the nearby Iseum and carried strong symbolic connections with the cult of Isis.

   Pantheon

   • Proceed to the Pantheon and see the Egyptian obelisk that now stands in the square.

   • Understand how the monument was originally placed in the Temple of the Sun at Heliopolis.

   Piazza San Luigi dei Francesi and Piazza Sant’Eustachio

   • Walk toward Piazza San Luigi dei Francesi and discover the fragments of a still-buried Egyptian obelisk uncovered through archaeological excavations.

   • Continue to Piazza Sant’Eustachio and observe the Baroque fountain with a basin made from Egyptian granite taken from the Neronian Alexandrian baths.

   Piazza Navona

   • Conclude the tour at Piazza Navona and admire Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers.

   • Observe the Egyptian pink granite obelisk from Aswan rising above the fountain.

   • Learn how the obelisk was brought to Rome during the reign of Domitian and originally stood between the temples of Isis and Serapis.