Trajan Optimus Princeps - The Ports of the Emperor: the exhibition at the Port of Civitavecchia

To commemorate the 1900 years of the death of Emperor Trajan, founder of the port and city of Civitavecchia, the Port System Authority of the Center-North Thyrrenian Sea (AdSP) in collaboration with the Government Department Responsible for Archeology, Fine Art and Landscape of the Metropolitan Area of Rome, will inaugurate the exhibiton "Trajan Optimus Princeps - The Ports of the Emperor" the next 4th of August 2017 at the historic location of the Ancient Rock.

Exhibition at the Ancient Rock

The exhibition, open to public from the 5th August until the 29th October 2017, will be organised in 4 sections:

• TRAIAN EMPEROR
• PORTS AND THE CITY
• EVOLUTION OF THE CITY
• TRADE

An innovative and complete itinerary through the Trajan Times, completed with illustrative boards and multimedia devices that will guide visitors through the transformations of the Port of Civitavecchia until the modern layout, after the bmbings of World War II.

Inside the exposition there will also be significant calls to other Trajan works, and particularly at the archeological area of the Harbour of Trajan in Ostia/Fiumicino.

Watch the photogallery!

Guided visits

For those interested, from Saturday, 26th of August you will be able to book a guided visit to the exhibiton, that will be organised like this:

1. First stop: Exhibition "Trajan, Optimus Princeps. The Ports of the Emperor" at the Ancient Rock;
2. The guided visit will continue then to the historic monuments of the port, that is, the Darsena Romana, the Lazzaretto, Porta Livorno, the Wall of Urban VIII, the Vanvitelli Fountain and finally Fort Michelangelo, an important Renaissance militar architectonical masterpiece.

OPENING HOURS, PRICES AND USEFUL INFORMATION

Guided visits will be held every Saturday evening from the 26th of August:

• Meeting point: Ancient Rock at the Port of Civitavecchia
• Time: 6 pm
• Visit duration: 2 hours
• Minimum group: 10 people paying the fee
• Price: €12  (includes ticket to the Exhibition at the Ancient Rock)

Visit is free for children under 12 and it is guaranteed when the minimum number of participants is reached.

PLEASE NOTE: Guided visits are also available in English, Spanish and French with prior reservation 24 hours before.

The location

The exhibition will be held at the Ancient Rock of Civitavecchia, important historical building of medieval origins built over the ruins of the Roman darsena around which the current city of Civitavecchia was built. The Rock has undergone many transformations along the centuries that have however not changed its ancient charm.

In fact, some years ago, the spaces located at the ground floor of the Ancient Rock were requalified and transformed to host events of different nature, related to the activities of the port. To larn more about this fascinating location read this article about the Rock.

Opening and theatre performance by Pino Quartullo on 4th August

The 4th of August in the historical area of the port of Civitavecchia, director Pino Quartullo will play the theatre performance "1900 years ago - Trajan", made of monologues, dance and music focused on the figure of Trajan. The show will be open to public with free admission.

To end with, all the main monuments of the Port (from Fort Michelangelo following alongside the old massive wall of Urban VIII, the Vanvitelli Fountain, Porta Livorno and ending with Fort St. Peter at the Lazzaretto Dock) will be lit up with a thrilling play of colored lights to recall different storical ages, redesigning the old basin of the port of Civitavecchia.

Trajan Optimus Princeps: full programme

Here's the full programme of the activities scheduled day by day.

4th August 2017

8 pm - Theater Performance at the Vanvitelli Fountain

"1900 years ago, Trajan": drama by Mara D'Aquila and Pino Quartullo | with Francesco Montanari, Mariarosaria Omaggio, Pino Quartullo, Claudio Cocino (first dancer of Teatro dell'Opera di Roma) and Susanna Salvi (solo artist).

10 pm - Scenographic lighting of the monuments of the Historic Port

8th August 2017

8 pm - Show by Roberta Galletta

"Trajan Optimus Princeps of the port and the city of Centumcellae - Civitavecchia"

10 pm - Scenographic lighting of the monuments of the Historic Port

13th September 2017

8 pm - Catwlak by Franco Ciambella "Frammenti 18th Edition"

DOWNLOAD THE PROGRAMME IN PDF (ITALIAN)

The exhibition at the Ancient Rock will be open to public from the 5th of August until the 29th of October: for more information, read the box at the bottom of the page.

DISCOVER THE ITINERARY ABOUT THE HISTORIC PORT OF CIVITAVECCHIA