Mausoleo di Cecilia Metella

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  • Address
    Via Appia Antica 161, Trieste
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  • Phone
    06 780 24 65
  • Transport
    bus: Via Appia Antica

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Lonely Planet review

Difficult to miss, this massive drum of a mausoleum, measuring 11m in height and 30m in diameter, encloses a burial chamber (built for the daughter of Quintus Metellus Creticus) that is now roofless. The walls are made of travertine and the rather sorry-looking interior is decorated with a sculpted frieze featuring Gaelic shields, ox skulls and festoons. In the 14th century it was converted into a fort by the Caetani family, who used to threaten passing traffic into paying a toll.

In the 14th century it was converted into a fort by the Caetani family, who used to threaten passing traffic into paying a toll. Beyond the tomb is a picturesque section of the actual ancient road, excavated in the mid-19th century.