Palatine Hill

Palatine Hill is another famous attraction site in Rome that many flock to. The day that I had taken a visit to the Palatine Hill, it was extremely hot. Palatine Hill is located between the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Circus Maximus which are all discussed in this blog. The Palatine Hill is beautiful area that is filled with ruins of what were once palaces of emperors and gardens. Palatine Hill seems to date back all the way to the 10th century BC.
Palatine Hill was once a place where the wealthy lived and it was a extravagant place to live. The reason for the extravagance was due to the views one would receive from the top of the hill. The Palatine Hill is about two hundred and thirty feet high which allow a beautiful outlook over all points of the Roman city. While standing on top of Palatine Hill I was able to see the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Circus Maximus, Il Victoriano, and as far as St. Peters Dome.
Eventually Palatine Hill had churches, convents, and homes built on it that was later all owned by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, which is where the botanical garden of Farnese is located. The botanical garden is located on top of the hill as well. The garden is beautiful and filled with luscious flowers and trees. Also, on top of the Palatine Hill was a palace that was built in 81 AD. This palace was the largest of all the palaces for three centuries and was names Domitian’s palace.
Another famous palace that was built and is best preserved to this day is Domus Flavia. This house dates back to the 1st century BC and was owned by Emperor Augustus and his wife Livia. Throughout my tour around Palatine Hill, it was so interesting to see ruins that were once some of the largest palaces and the homes of famous emperors of that era. Palatine Hill is still just as extravagant today as it probably once was. There are still marble pieces laying around that was the flooring to the homes that once stood there. The views are breathtaking and now I know why this hill was one of the most famous places to live thousands of years ago.

Publishing, DK. Rome (Eyewitness Travel Guides). New York: DK Travel, 2003