An unprecedented view of the Roman Forum and the Basilica of Maxentius
This view shows the Roman Forum, with the so-called Basilica of Maxentius, which was begun by the Emperor Maxentius and finished by his rival, Constantine (306-337). Even farther in the distance, you will notice the medieval bell tower of the Church of Saint Frances of Rome.
Closer to you, you can see the church dedicated to the Saints Luca and Martina, a Baroque masterpiece by Pietro da Cortona.
In the foreground, you can see the street that climbs up and out of the forum area, called the Clivus Argentarius, the north-eastern flank of the Capitoline Hill and the side of the Senatorial Palace, rebuilt in the second half of the sixteenth century by Michelangelo Buonarroti while he was re-designing the Piazza del Campidoglio, along with its bell tower, by Martino Longhi the Elder.
Even closer, looking down to your right, you can see the so-called Imperial Forums Wing: this is a part of the Vittoriano that was built by architect Armando Brasini in the middle of the twentieth century.
