Largo di Torre Argentina

I am a history nerd. Like, a big ol’ history nerd who loves all things history. And when I travel the world, the biggest historical sites are always at the top of my must see list. I’d be a fool to go to Rome and not seek out one of the single most important sites in human history: the spot of Julius Caesar’s assassination on the Ides of March.
Thanks to Shakespeare, we all know that Caesar was killed on the steps of the Senate; most folks, including many totally incorrect travel guides, assume this means the Senate building in the Forum (ie: the Curia Julia). In reality, for reasons unbeknownst to historians, at the time of Caesar’s death, the Senate was meeting at the Theater of Pompey.
The Theater of Pompey is mostly under the modern buildings (which, interestingly, still follow its arched shape if you look closely!), but there is a small exposed part that is now called the Largo di Torre Argentina.
My biggest beef with Italy is that when you compare it to other places of similar historical importance, like Egypt, their historical sites simply aren’t well maintained. Largo di Torre Argentina is a perfect example of this. The site is ruins, which is totally fine, but the ruins are not as well preserved or reconstructed as many similar ruin sites in the world.
The curia that is partially visible here is the scene of what is quite truly one of the most important events in human history– an event virtually everyone knows about, one that arguably changed the course of world history forever. But you would hardly know if you were just coming by. There’s a small sign in English and Italian that talks about the site.. . which dedicates a small section at the end to Caesar, briefly explaining in a sentence or two that this is the site of his assassination.
As the sign tells you, there’s a tree planted roughly in the spot where Caesar was killed, but that’s all you get.
Worse yet, you can’t go into the site at all.. . but cats can. As many other reviewers here rave about, the site is a cat sanctuary. Look, I love animals, but a cat sanctuary? What?
Anyway, this is an important site and you should definitely see it. I suspect most folks aren’t as particular as I am about this, so you’ll enjoy it. I mean, over all, I enjoyed it as well, but it sort of bummed me out to see such an important historical site not treated with the regard it ought to be. I mean, seriously: cats? CATS?

Julius Ceasar is believed to have been assassinated in the Curia of the Pompei Theater (which was located in this area).
When my mother worked and lived in Rome, passing through this square was almost a daily thing for her (and mine when visiting).
The tramway 8 departs from here and heads towards the Trastevere railway station.
Though the square is filled to capacity with crazy traffic, i find it peaceful due to the fact that it is a cat sanctuary. Not everyone knows that all those cats you can spot are being monitored by volunteers (you can drop food donations) and are sterilized. Those commenting on how easy it is to pet them, most of these cats are being abandoned, many are brought up amongst the volunteers and grow up not fearing humans.
There is a theater (Teatro Argentina) and a Feltrinelli bookstore among the few bars and restaurants.

We were walking down the street and literally stumbled upon this site by random chance. While not as beautifully restored as other Roman sites, sometimes it’s best to leave things as found and let the beauty of the ruins take centre stage.
While you’re not allowed onto the site to walk amongst the ruins, there are numerous vantage points to fully comprehend the beauty of these ruins.

This place is cute. It really is a cat sanctuary. I asked my friend who is studying in Rome about the place and apparently they really just bring all stray cats here to hang out. Fun fact: Julius Caesar was killed here! Otherwise, just more ruins and lots, and lots of cats. Good thing is you honestly won’t even have to go out of your way to see this since it’s pretty much in between the two main touristy areas so you’ll probably walk pass it.

Cats. Lots of cats. Lots, lots, lots of cats.
Caaaaaats!!!
What you expect, it’s a cat sanctuary! Yes, in the middle of the city.
They are the current residents and royals in this archeological complex…
Sleeping on the old broken columns and wandering around the ruins.
Quite a sight. Otherwise, it is an old and dusty site, with leftovers of Pompei theater.
Still pretty cool to see.

During the course of my wandering in Rome in 2011, I stumbled across this fascinating set of ruins and archaeology right in the middle of buses going by and pedestrians on sidewalks.
Not much for organized touring or signs pointing out the way, but there was a sign in English explaining the Sacred Area of Largo Argentina. Four temples have been unearthed, dating the area back to the fourth century BC. As well, it’s believed that Julius Caesar was killed here. That’s just… old.
Sadly, it seems that the cat sanctuary that lives here is under some political pressure to close.

Another set of ruins available for public viewing.

I recently saw a story on the internet about this being the location where Julius Caesar was assassinated, so in our many strolls, we happened upon it and were pleasantly surprised, especially by the many cats. My daughter-​in-​law couldn’t get enough pictures of the cats and we found they were actually easy to pet. This seems to be largely unknown because there weren’t many people at the ruins, which are in excellent condition and I think there are more excavations on going. If you enter and go down the stairs, there is a small souvenir shop underneath. Kind of a cool spot. It’s a short walk from the Pantheon in one direction and the Piazza Venezia and the monument to Vittorio Emanuele the Second in another. Check it out, very interesting.

These are the ruins of four Roman temples and Pompey’s Theatre — the location where Julius Caesar was believed to be assassinated. It’s a beautiful piece of ruins in the middle of a square in the middle of a city full of beautiful pieces of ruins.
More interestingly, this is the location of a tiny, no-​kill, cat shelter that doesn’t have an address, isn’t connected to the sewer system, and has a ceiling height of less than 5 feet in most places. But they do such amazing work! They have over 130 cats that they are trying to adopt out. The cats come and go as they please, from the ruins to the shelter and their little garden. They sterilize and vaccinate all of them, then try to adopt them out. I ended up adopting (distance) a beautiful boy with neurological problems (like Parkinson’s) named Giacinto. They gave me a picture and I can’t wait for updates!
It breaks your heart, but it’s such a good place. If you’re in Rome, and you love mews (and you can handle the smell for a few minutes), it’s totally worth it.

Die Mitarbeiter des Cat Sancutary am Torre Argentina kümmern sich ehrenamtlich und jeden Tag um die ca.250 Miezekatzen. Ihr besonderes Augenmerk gilt den kranken oder gehandicapten Tieten. Die Katzen werden geimpft, sterilisiert u regelmäßig untersucht. Wir waren dort und ws hat uns sehr beeindruckt. Wenn ihr hingeht spendet vielleicht ein bisschen Geld, das können die Menschen und Katzen gut gebrauchen.
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If you love cats — I do — you’ll love this place. Not only are the ruins in the Piazza amazing — four temples and Pompey’s theatre too — but there is also a cat sanctuary.
The sanctuary looks after lost, crippled and feral cats in Rome on a no-​kill basis (though all cats are neutered). The work is caried out by volunteers and donations are welcome (see
for details).
It’s quite a sight seeing the traffic whirl about the square, whilst cats snooze in contentment or strike attitudes of mutual antipathy in the quiet heart of the sunken square amidst the ruined temples. .. .