Portico d'Ottavia

The remains of Octavia's Portico stand at the end of the road known as Portico d'Ottavia. It was called this, despite being built in 146 BC by Quintus Cecilius Metellus, because it was rebuilt by Emperor Augustus in the 1st century AD who dedicated it to his sister Octavia. Two centuries later it was renovated by Emperors Septimus Severus and Caracalla but it retained its Augustan name. Initially, the rectangular area was used for promenading and was decorated with sculptures and paintings; some sculptures were also placed at its centre where Octavia's library and several temples once stood. During the Middle Ages - up until the destruction of the Ghetto walls - the function of the portico was altered and it was used as a fish market. One of the results was that the church behind the portico was given the name Sant'Angelo in Pescheria. A Latin inscription on the arch at the end of the portico refers to the curious tradition that allowed the Conservatori - the magistrates of the city - to receive the heads of the largest fish!

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• Attraction Type: Museums and Art Galleries

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