Roman Forum Panorama | A 49-Gigapixel Journey Through Ancient Rome | 360° Gigapixel Panorama

Standing in the Roman Forum, I was struck

In March 2019, I came to Rome on the occasion of a European visit by a national leader and a cultural exhibition featuring ‘千亿像素看中国’ (‘A Gigapixel View of China’). Rome was the cradle of European civilization. Although this was my first time setting foot in Europe, I had already become deeply familiar with the city. In preparation for this panorama, I had studied every corner of Rome in great detail through Google Earth and historical literature before setting out. Sitting in the car, I could even introduce the ancient monuments and their histories on both sides of the road to my fellow travelers like a tour guide, to the point that they began to wonder whether it really was my first visit.

Yet when I finally entered the ancient city and stood at the planned shooting location, I was still deeply overwhelmed. All around me were weathered ruins spanning more than two thousand years, lying quietly as if time itself had frozen in place. I looked up at the nearly twenty-meter-high columns of the temples, studied the intricate carvings and inscriptions on the triumphal arches, and closed my eyes to imagine how magnificent they must once have been. At that moment, I felt goosebumps all over my body. It was the feeling of being directly immersed in the river of history, struck by the wisdom and greatness of an ancient civilization.

Claiming the Best Viewpoint for the Roman Forum

I had chosen the best position for photographing the Roman Forum in advance: the viewpoint on the Palatine Hill. From here, the vertical height above the Forum was approximately 40 meters, providing an exceptional perspective. To avoid the harsh overhead light and secure the position, I headed straight to the viewpoint as one of the first visitors to enter.

Because creating an ultra-high-resolution panorama required nearly two hours of continuous shooting and the camera position could not move at all, I had to “shamelessly” occupy the best spot. Fortunately, the visitors around me saw me continuously working the shutter at high intensity and were very understanding, leaving me undisturbed. After completing the main view of the Forum and its distant surroundings, I switched to a shorter focal-length lens to capture the surrounding environment as well. After returning to Shanghai, it took another full three weeks of meticulous image selection, color correction, stitching, and interactive development before this work was finally completed.

Now, follow the camera as we zoom into the panorama from left to right and explore the marks of civilization that have remained frozen in stone.

Temple of Saturn

Move the lens to the far left of the panorama. These eight magnificent Ionic columns are the Temple of Saturn. It once served as the highest treasury of the Roman Republic, where the spoils and gold brought back by Roman armies after their conquests were stored underground. The tradition of exchanging gifts and celebrating during the Western Christmas season is said to have its earliest roots in the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia held here.

The Original Center of Rome

Move slightly to the right of the Temple of Saturn. This was once the site of the Golden Milestone established by Augustus. The famous saying “all roads lead to Rome” had a physical starting point here. The distances along the military roads that connected the Empire with Europe and North Africa were calculated from this landmark.

The House of the Vestal Virgins

Your view now reaches the remains surrounding the courtyard and its pool. This was once the home of the revered Vestal Virgins. These priestesses carried an extremely important responsibility: maintaining the sacred fire that was never allowed to go out in the temple. The ancient Romans believed that this sacred flame was a symbol of the fortune of the state — as long as the fire remained burning, the Empire would never fall.

Arch of Titus

Continue toward the higher area on the right. This single-arched monument became a prototype and model for the triumphal arches of the modern world. Its survival to the present day was far from certain. Around 200 years ago, it was at risk of collapse, and under the direction of Pope Pius VII, the architect Valadier and others carried out extensive emergency restoration work to save it.

The Colosseum

At the far right of the panorama stands the world-famous Colosseum. This was the arena where tens of thousands of people gathered to watch gladiatorial combat and contests, with a maximum capacity of up to 80,000 spectators. The countless holes visible across its outer walls are historical scars left from the medieval period, when people extracted the metal clamps connecting the stone blocks and melted them down to make weapons.

Arch of Septimius Severus: The Traces That Were Erased

Zoom into the inscription at the top of the Arch of Septimius Severus on the left. The old emperor originally had the names of both of his sons, Caracalla and Geta, carved into the inscription. However, after the emperor died, his elder son murdered his younger brother and seized sole power, ordering that every trace of his brother's existence be erased from history. Look carefully at the fourth line: the lettering is noticeably more sparse than elsewhere, leaving behind traces of where craftsmen once chiseled away his brother's name and recut the inscription.

Temple of Antoninus and Faustina: A Later Addition of Devotion

Look at the temple in the center that was incorporated into a church. A line of Latin text runs across its entablature. Emperor Antoninus built the temple to commemorate his beloved wife, who had died, and originally only the empress's name appeared on the entablature. Twenty years later, after the emperor himself died, the Senate decided to honor the respected ruler by adding his name above the existing inscription. When you zoom in, the first line is visibly tighter in both letter size and spacing than the second.

The Ever-Present “SPQR”: A Mark That Has Endured for Two Thousand Years

Zoom into the ends of the various monuments and arches, and you will repeatedly find these four letters: “S·P·Q·R”, meaning “The Senate and People of Rome”. This is not merely a state designation carved into ancient ruins. Even today, when walking through the streets of Rome, you can still find these four letters on manhole covers and street signs. One symbol has continued across two thousand years.