Arch of Trajan (Benevento)

About this place

The Arch of Trajan is an ancient Roman triumphal arch in Benevento, southern Italy. It was erected in honour of the Emperor Trajan across the Via Appia, at the point where it enters the city. The arch was built between 114 and 117. In Lombard times, it was incorporated into the southern sector of the city walls and became known as Porta Aurea. The church of Sant'Ilario, now housing the Videomuseum of the Arch, was built nearby. The arch was studied by Sebastiano Serlio in Renaissance times and drawn by Giovanni Battista Piranesi in the 18th century. It was restored several times due to aging and earthquakes: under Pope Urban VIII, then in 1661, 1713 and 1792. Read the surviving remains as parts of a larger setting rather than isolated objects. Their positions, scale and materials can help you picture the activities that once took place here and distinguish ancient fabric from later reconstruction.