Rome: Piazza Navona Underground & Multimedia Experience at The Stadium of Domitian

About Rome: Piazza Navona Underground & Multimedia Experience

The Piazza Navona Underground & Multimedia Experience is a self-guided audio and visual tour of the Stadium of Domitian, the ancient Roman athletics venue buried beneath one of Rome's most visited piazzas. Built by Emperor Domitian around 86 AD, the stadium originally held up to 30,000 spectators and hosted athletic competitions in the Greek tradition. Over centuries, its curved form was gradually built over, giving Piazza Navona its distinctive elongated shape.

The experience combines an audio guide, informative panels, unpublished archival photographs, and a virtual reality component to trace the site's transformation from ancient circus to baroque piazza. Guides are available in six languages, including a dedicated children's audio guide in English and Italian.

What to expect

The tour begins at 25 Piazza Navona, where tickets are collected and audio guide equipment is issued. Visitors descend approximately five metres below street level to walk through the surviving structure of the stadium, examining original travertine blocks, Roman brickwork, and marble columns that once framed the main entrances. Panels and photographs document the archaeological layers of the site and explain the evolution of Roman athletic culture.

An audio video guide covers the reconstruction of Piazza Navona above ground, while modern glasses provide a visual overlay showing how the space appeared in antiquity. Entry includes the Stadium of Domitian admission, the full multimedia audio guide, and the virtual reality component in English and Italian. The full visit runs approximately two hours.

The Stadium of Domitian and getting there

The Stadium of Domitian lies directly beneath Piazza Navona in the historic centre of Rome, within walking distance of the Pantheon and Campo de' Fiori. The nearest bus stops are on Corso del Rinascimento, and the area is accessible on foot from most central accommodation. Note that the underground site does not have wheelchair access.