It is a mythical road built by the Romans 2,000 years ago.
Head for the Via Appia and its 500 kilometers which run from the center of Rome to the sea, in Brindisi.
Italy is applying for UNESCO World Heritage status.
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It’s a legendary road. Head for the Via Appia, the longest and most important road in ancient Rome. If all roads lead to Rome, this one starts from the Italian capital and reaches the sea in Brindisi. 500 kilometers long, Italy is today requesting inclusion as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
When Rome was the capital of an empire that ruled the entire Mediterranean, the Romans traced hundreds of thousands of miles to reach their remote provinces. It must be admitted that this popular path, taken today by many walkers on the way out of the Italian capital, is simply magical.
A road teeming with people
The Via Appia, whose construction began in 312 BC, crosses the ancient city of Capua, then heads towards Taranto before reaching Brindisi from where the Romans could set off to conquer the Mediterranean. Under the Empire, the road was teeming with people. Soldiers, traders, pilgrims and travelers meet there.
“2,000 years ago, the traffic was monstrous. There were also people who used it on foot, you can still see the sidewalks on the sides”soulful Angela Maria Ferroni, archaeologist in charge of the candidacy of Via Apia to UNESCO.
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About ten kilometers from Rome, the Via Appia disappears under modern roads or industrial zones. To find the ancient pavement, you sometimes have to enter modern establishments or venture into nature to discover magnificent landscapes. Did you know that the fate of Spartacus was linked to that of the Via Appia?
A magical journey full of surprises, from Rome to Brindisi, which you can find in the report at the top of this article.
