Do you need a ticket to see the Arch of Titus?

Yes, to see it up close. The arch is inside the fenced Roman Forum and Palatine area, which is covered by the standard Colosseum combined ticket or a Forum-focused ticket. From outside the fence near the Colosseum you can see the top of the arch, but not the inner reliefs that make it famous.

Why was the Arch of Titus built?

Domitian built it after his brother Titus died in AD 81 to honour him as a deified emperor and to commemorate the Jewish War, which ended with the capture of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple in AD 70. The reliefs show the triumphal procession that celebrated that victory in Rome.

Where is the menorah on the Arch of Titus?

The menorah is on the inner wall of the passage on the south side, facing toward Palatine Hill. Soldiers wearing laurel wreaths carry it on poles alongside trumpets and the Temple table. Stand inside the arch and look at the left wall when you walk in from the Colosseum side toward the Forum.

How long should you spend at the Arch of Titus?

Ten to fifteen minutes is enough to read the inscription, find the two inner reliefs and look up at the vault panel. It sits at the start of the usual Roman Forum route from the Via Sacra gate, so most visitors stop here first before continuing downhill toward the Basilica of Maxentius and the Temple of Saturn.

Arch of Titus: History, Reliefs and What to Look For

Arch of Titus on the Via Sacra in morning sun with olive trees — The arch stands at the highest point of the Via Sacra, a short walk from the Colosseum.

What is the Arch of Titus?

The Arch of Titus is a single-bay marble triumphal arch at the top of the Via Sacra, between the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. It was built shortly after Titus died in AD 81 by his brother Domitian, to honour Titus as a god and to remember his capture of Jerusalem in AD 70.

It is the oldest surviving triumphal arch in Rome and the model for many later arches, including the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It stands inside the paid Forum and Palatine area, so you need a ticket to walk under it and see the reliefs up close.

Where the arch sits between the Colosseum and the Forum. Orientation pins only, not a route. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Arch of Titus with its Latin inscription and the bell tower of Santa Francesca Romana behind — The inscription faces the Colosseum side: the Senate and People of Rome dedicate the arch to the deified Titus.

What happened to the arch after antiquity?

In the Middle Ages the arch was built into a fortress of the Frangipane family, which helped it survive but damaged the sides. In the 1820s the architect Giuseppe Valadier freed it and rebuilt the missing parts in travertine. That is why the centre is grey-white marble and the outer piers look plainer and creamier — the plain stone is the restoration.

The inscription on the Colosseum-facing attic is original. It reads, in short, that the Senate and People of Rome dedicate the arch to the deified Titus, son of the deified Vespasian. The inscription on the Forum side records Pope Pius VII’s restoration.

What do the reliefs inside the arch show?

Stand under the arch and look at the two inner walls. On the south side, soldiers carry the spoils of the Temple in Jerusalem: the seven-branched menorah, silver trumpets and the table of the showbread, with placards that once named the captured objects. It is one of the only ancient images of these Temple objects.

On the north side, Titus rides a four-horse chariot crowned by Victory, accompanied by personifications of the Roman people and Senate. Then look up: the small panel in the centre of the coffered vault shows Titus being carried to the heavens by an eagle — the apotheosis that the arch celebrates.

Relief inside the Arch of Titus showing Roman soldiers carrying the Temple menorah — The spoils relief: soldiers carry the menorah, trumpets and the table from the Temple in Jerusalem.

What should you look for in a ten-minute stop?

Where	Look for
Colosseum-facing attic	The original dedication inscription (SENATUS POPULUSQUE ROMANUS)
South inner wall	The menorah and Temple spoils carried in procession
North inner wall	Titus in his chariot crowned by Victory
Vault centre	Titus carried up by an eagle
Outer piers	Plain travertine marking the 1820s restoration
Keystones and spandrels	Winged Victories and small figures above the opening

Coffered vault inside the Arch of Titus seen from below — Look straight up: the coffered vault has a small central panel showing Titus carried up by an eagle.

Why is the arch significant for Jewish history?

The arch celebrates the destruction of the Second Temple, so for centuries it was a symbol of exile. Many Roman Jews traditionally avoided walking beneath it. In 1948 Rome’s Jewish community gathered at the arch to mark the founding of the State of Israel, and the menorah from the relief later inspired Israel’s state emblem. Visit respectfully; it remains an emotionally loaded monument for many people.

How do you visit the Arch of Titus?

Enter the Forum through the Via Sacra gate on the Colosseum side and the arch is just inside, which makes it a natural first stop of a walk downhill through the Forum. You can glimpse the top from outside the fence near the Colosseum, but the reliefs are only visible from inside. Morning light falls well on the Colosseum-facing side; the reliefs are in shade most of the day, so they photograph better without flash in soft light.

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Frequently asked questions

Do you need a ticket to see the Arch of Titus?: Yes, to see it up close. The arch is inside the fenced Roman Forum and Palatine area, which is covered by the standard Colosseum combined ticket or a Forum-focused ticket. From outside the fence near the Colosseum you can see the top of the arch, but not the inner reliefs that make it famous.
Why was the Arch of Titus built?: Domitian built it after his brother Titus died in AD 81 to honour him as a deified emperor and to commemorate the Jewish War, which ended with the capture of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple in AD 70. The reliefs show the triumphal procession that celebrated that victory in Rome.
Where is the menorah on the Arch of Titus?: The menorah is on the inner wall of the passage on the south side, facing toward Palatine Hill. Soldiers wearing laurel wreaths carry it on poles alongside trumpets and the Temple table. Stand inside the arch and look at the left wall when you walk in from the Colosseum side toward the Forum.
How long should you spend at the Arch of Titus?: Ten to fifteen minutes is enough to read the inscription, find the two inner reliefs and look up at the vault panel. It sits at the start of the usual Roman Forum route from the Via Sacra gate, so most visitors stop here first before continuing downhill toward the Basilica of Maxentius and the Temple of Saturn.