Passengers on Rome's Metro are now travelling through time as much as across the city, following the unveiling of two spectacular new 'archaeo-stations'. These stops, which opened this week on the partially completed Metro C line, function as underground museums, allowing commuters to view ancient artefacts discovered during construction.
A Journey to the Imperial Past at Colosseo Station
One of the flagship new stations is designed to serve the iconic Colosseum. From entrance to platform, Colosseo-Fori Imperiali station takes visitors on a historical journey. Preserved structures on display include the remains of a thermal bath complex dating from the very start of Rome's imperial period.
Archaeologists also uncovered and have integrated into the station the remnants of 28 ancient wells, used for irrigation long before the first aqueduct was built, and a townhouse from the Republican era. This offers an unprecedented glimpse into daily life centuries before the Colosseum itself was erected.
Barracks Beneath the Piazza at Porta Metronia
The second new station, Porta Metronia, showcases a different slice of history. Here, passengers are treated to the substantial remains of a Roman barracks discovered beneath Piazza Ipponio. The vast structure, found at depths of up to 12 metres, includes a commander's residence.
Remarkably, original features such as tiled floors have survived largely intact. While the full station museum is scheduled to open next year, trains are already stopping at Porta Metronia, giving early travellers a preview of the finds.
An Engineering Feet Balancing Past and Future
The opening follows various delays, including those related to the Catholic Jubilee year, and marks a significant milestone for a project of unprecedented complexity. Rome's extensive underground archaeology has made the Metro C line a unique engineering challenge.
Mayor Roberto Gualtieri hailed the achievement, stating the city is now connecting distant suburbs to the centre while "gifting the world and the Romans with wonderful cultural sites." He praised Italian know-how in reconciling complex engineering with the city's "extraordinary historical stratification."
The Italian construction group Webuild, leading the project, described building in such a historically dense area as a "unique engineering challenge" but also an opportunity to "enhance the archaeological heritage" by reaching previously unexplored depths.
When finished, the fully automated and driverless Line C will extend further to Venezia, where a sprawling eight-level station is under construction. For now, Romans and visitors alike have a new, breathtaking way to navigate the Eternal City, where every commute is a trip through history.
