Portico d'Ottavia (Jewish Ghetto)

A majestic colonnaded portico built by Emperor Augustus in 23 BC and dedicated to his sister Octavia — one of the most atmospheric ancient ruins in Rome, standing at the heart of the Jewish Ghetto. Originally a massive complex enclosing temples of Jupiter and Juno, libraries, and a bronze gateway, it was later converted into a fish market in the medieval period (you can still see medieval price lists for fish carved into the stone). The church of Sant'Angelo in Pescheria was built directly into the ruins in the 8th century. At the rear of the portico, an October 1943 plaque commemorates the Nazi roundup of over 1,000 Roman Jews from this spot. A deeply layered site — ancient Roman, medieval, Renaissance, and World War II history all stacked in one place.