In the southern part of the capital of Italy, on one of the seven hills of the Aventine, there is a pyramid, which is an ancient Roman mausoleum. The estimated age of this ancient architectural structure is 3000 years. Scientists still do not know the exact date of the construction of the pyramid, nor the technologies used by the ancient builders.
The Pyramid of Cestius, or as it is otherwise called, the Cestius Pyramid, is located at the crossroads of two important ancient roads: one of them connected Rome with Ostia, the other led to the Tiber River. Although several pyramids were built on the territory of Rome, it is this one that has survived to this day. And all thanks to the fact that for a long time it was believed that Rem, one of the brothers who founded Rome, was buried here. Other pyramids were plundered and destroyed.
The Cestius Pyramid was built for the Roman praetor, a member of the priestly college of Caius Cestius Epulon. Influenced by the then fashion for everything Egyptian, a rich Roman bequeathed to be buried in such a pyramid, which should completely repeat the shape of the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs. And since Cestius himself repeatedly took part in hostilities against the Nubian kingdom, the pyramid is very reminiscent of the Nubian pyramids in Meroe with their characteristic large angle of inclination.
The height of the Roman pyramid is 35.4 meters, the length of the base is 30 meters. A pyramid was built of brick and concrete, marble was used as a facing material. The foundation is made of travertine. Inside the pyramid of Cestius there is a crypt; to get into it, you need to go through a tunnel.
When the first excavations were carried out in 1656 by order of Pope Alexander VII Chigi, it turned out that the tomb had been plundered. The size of the tomb is quite small - compared to the size of the pyramid, and is almost 6 meters long, 4.1 meters wide and about five meters high. Thanks to the inscriptions engraved on the bases of the statues, it was then that they found out that it was not Remus at all that was buried here, but Gaius Cestius, the brother of Lucius Cestius, who designed and built the bridge over the Tiber. This bridge is still active and one of the oldest in Rome.
Promotional video:
In the years 271-275, the pyramid as a triangular bastion was attached to the Aurelian walls that were being built then, which have survived to this day. And although the walls were built in the same way as the pyramid - made of bricks, it is clear how different the construction technologies of these two archaeological sites were. The pyramid of Cestius is made more precisely and skillfully, the bricks are polished and fit perfectly together. Why the masonry of the older pyramid is made much better than the wall built much later is still a mystery.
You can get to the pyramid only on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. The cost of the entrance ticket is 5.5 euros, visiting the pyramid is allowed only with a guide. Tours begin at 11 am. In order to get here, you need to take the metro, move along line "B" and get off at the stop called "Pyramid". Also here is the famous wall of Aurelian.