In Augustus Emperor Square in Rome’s historic center, Augusto Caffè opens. It is a new café but also, and more importantly, a functional piece within a larger project of urban, cultural and symbolic reconnection.
A museum service at the center of the square
The space was created as an additional museum service to support the Ara Pacis Museum and the archaeological complex of the Mausoleum of Augustus, fitting into the new configuration of the recently redeveloped square.
The opening is daily, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with evening extensions during events. A choice that responds to the need to adapt services to real flows, tourist and citizen, without scenographic forcing. In the same environment, infopoint, bookshop and ticket office of the Civic Museums have been active since June: integrated functions, designed as a continuous system of reception and orientation.
The transformation of Piazza Augusto Imperatore concerns the role this space takes on in the fabric of the historic Trident. Between Via del Corso, Via di Ripetta and the Ara Pacis, the square is proposed as an area for crossing and stopping, capable of holding ancient, modern and contemporary Rome together without forced overlap.
Redevelopment and urban continuity
The architectural and urban redesign aims to reconnect the Mausoleum with its surroundings, overcoming the isolated condition that has limited its perception and use for years.
The project also translates into precise spatial choices. Two wide curbs connect the current street level to the original Mausoleum elevation, enhanced by sections of the 1st-century travertine pavement left exposed. The cafeteria-infopoint is conceived as a pass-through space, accessible from the landings that close the curbs, slightly raised above the square: a place of service, but also of observation and contemplation of the monument.
Commenting on the inauguration, Culture Councillor Massimiliano Smeriglio spoke of a “reconquest” of a long-forgotten urban space, stressing that “this is proof that a city can be transformed,” thanking the Capitoline Superintendency for managing the Pnrr construction sites and architect Cellini for the project.
Management of the service is entrusted to Le Caffetterie di Palombini Srl, a concessionaire selected through a public tender called by Zètema Progetto Cultura in June 2025. The stated goal is to complete the final arrangement of the area, with all activities fully operational, by spring 2027.
A quiet, measured transformation, even from a small table overlooking history.
