More than 600 square meters beyond the visible area, 1,100 square meters of geotextile separating the ancient from the modern, 100 indicator elements, 160 cubic meters of masonry, 7 cubic meters of chairs, and 360,000 euros. The project also counted the efforts of fifty archaeologists and technicians, leading to a careful museumization of two entrances. This marks another crucial milestone in rescuing the Lucentum district, a vital piece of the city’s history.
Coordinated by the MARQ director and the head of the Diputación Architecture Department, work began last May. Although the physical task is complete, the project officially concludes this December, when visitors will be able to grasp the significance of these two gateways within the enclosure. About 5 percent of the 13,000 square meter route will be accessible to visitors, with an estimated annual footprint of around 30,000 people.
Funded by the Diputación through Culture and Architecture, the reconstruction aims to enhance comprehension. The east gate and the sea gate stand as the second and main entrance points to the city, echoing the ancient urban plan. This approach helps visitors understand a Roman city defined by walls, streets, a forum, shops, and baths inside. The possibility to enter through one door and exit through the other provides a tangible sense of the city’s scale, its orderly layout, and the rational core of Roman civilization, as explained by the project lead.
Lucentum’s secret gate
We have always worked with two guiding principles—rigorous research and public outreach. This intervention translates scholarly findings into a form that visitors can see, hear, and understand, turning research into accessible knowledge for everyone.
For the project director, extending the itinerary by five percent may seem modest, yet it substantially elevates what has become a museum with two gates to the city of Rome. It is rewarding to tell the full story of this enclave: the curved east wall, the back wall, and the protective ramparts that framed it. The aim while museumizing is to preserve different moments in time and to recount evolution with sensitivity. Reconstruction progresses only where the evidence supports it.
This sea gate dates to the era of Tiberius, around the first century. The wall is older, and when the street was opened, the original gate was transformed into a simple arch leading toward the forum. In a second phase, two temples stood on either side, monumentalizing the gateway with two statues of imperial family members, a notable feature in this transformation.
Lucentum sea gate sees the light
High-ranking officials and culture leaders toured the new areas, with architects and MARQ staff participating to support protection, conservation, and broader public understanding. The collaboration emphasizes making cultural discoveries more accessible to a wider audience, aligning with the city’s broader cultural goals.
For the coordinating team, the collaboration between MARQ and the architectural authorities remains essential to continue advancing this project. It stands as one of the state’s most valued cultural assets and contributes to promoting cultural tourism, an area the city has recently invested in heavily.
Culture has supported excavations in these zones with human resources and significant funding: a portion directed to architecture and related activities.
The temple as a natural site
The sanctuary beneath the forum is being prepared to function as a museum temple, concealing a 26 square meter section of marble flooring. This is among the most ambitious tasks undertaken since 2017, including a large stage area designed for performances that would be removed later.
The project budget has been allocated to sustain these efforts, with a total of half a million euros earmarked for on-site programming during the summer. The aim is to bring a missing dimension to the city’s cultural offerings.
Lucentum forum will come back to life
Next steps include the museumization of newly excavated baths and the installation of screens for virtual reconstructions using modern technologies. A longer-term plan envisions connecting the forum with the east gate by developing the road linking the two residential areas, enhancing the overall visitor flow and historical narrative.