The Reopening of the Arch of Janus

The Arch of Janus in Rome is welcoming visitors again after 28 years of being closed to the public. On 27 July 1993, a car bomb exploded near the church of S. Giorgio causing the arch to be sealed off and later forgotten about.

Located in the Forum Boarium, Rome’s last remaining “quadrifron” arch will be opened to all starting on 13 November. The four-fronted, four-arched structure is fittingly named after Janus, the Roman God who was often drawn with four faces. It was once the fortress of the Frangipane family in the Middle ages but the attic and roof were removed due to a misunderstanding.

The Fondazione Alda Fendi- Esperimenti and the city’s special superintendence were the driving forces that allowed the Arch of Janus to reopen. In celebration of its reopening, the Fondazione Alda Fendi- Esperimenti will host a performance curated by Raffaele Curi called, “NU-SHU – The Lost Words of Women.” Through artistic expression, the performance focuses on the theme of the autonomy of women.