The spot in Rome where Julius Caesar was assassinated sits in a large sunken square a short distance south of the Pantheon.
Known as Largo di Torre Argentina, the site contains the ruins of four ancient temples and the Curia of Pompey. Also here: one cat sanctuary whose inhabitants appear wholly indifferent to the location’s historical significance.
On March 15, 44 B.C., a group of senators stabbed Julius Caesar to death in the Curia of Pompey, a large rectangular hall where the Roman Senate sometimes met. One of the assassins was Caesar’s friend Brutus. Surely you read the Shakespeare play in 9th grade English class.
Today, all that remains of the Curia are parts of the foundation and a low wall behind two of the temples, according to the government agency that manages the site.
Archaeologists believe they located the right place where the assassination occurred, per the Associated Press, because latrines were found on the sides of Pompey’s Curia, matching up with ancient texts that mentioned the 2,000-year-old potty. (We gotta say, Indiana Jones makes archaeology look a lot more glamorous.)
For a long time, the square could only be viewed from above by visitors at street level. But then the Italian jewelry company Bulgari funded a project to make the temple complex an open-air museum, installing walkways and lights so that the ruins are visible at night. The square opened to the public in 2023.
In addition to seeing where Caesar met his end, visitors can get a close look at the four temples’ imposing columns and other surviving features dating as far back as the 3rd century B.C.
The square, which was later built over, was rediscovered in the 1920s as workers were tearing down medieval houses on the orders of Fascist leader Benito Mussolini.
At some point, a colony of stray cats moved in and they have remained for generations. The animals are now cared for by a pet sanctuary situated in a corner of the square behind the ticket office.
With all due respect to Caesar et al., the cats easily steal the show, simply by lounging amid the ruins with an air of feline disregard for the workings of human history (Et tu, Fluffy?).
(Cats at Largo di Torre Argentina in Rome | Credit: Sophie Lenoir / Shutterstock)
The square also has an indoor exhibition space displaying finds from the excavation, such as sculptures and statue fragments.
From the sidewalk, you can reach the sunken complex via stairs or elevator platform. The pathways throughout the site are wheelchair-accessible.
Admission costs €7 ($8.19) or less if you reserve tickets in advance online. Show up on the first Sunday of the month and you’ll get in for free. For more information, visit the official website.
Frommer’s Rome, Florence & Venice 2026
There is no better introduction to Italy than the classic itinerary of Rome, Florence and Venice. But it is not dummy-proof, which is why we enlisted three of Italy’s most knowledgeable experts—Elizabeth Heath, Donald Strachan and Stephen Keeling—to pen this guide. Their helpful advice, and honest, …
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Frommer’s Rome, Florence & Venice 2026
There is no better introduction to Italy than the classic itinerary of Rome, Florence and Venice. But it is not dummy-proof, which is why we enlisted three of Italy’s most knowledgeable experts—Elizabeth Heath, Donald Strachan and Stephen Keeling—to pen this guide. Their helpful advice, and honest, …
