Five minutes from Piazza Navona, a 15th-century cardinal's palace houses one of the finest collections of ancient sculpture in the world — and on most days you'll share it with perhaps 20 other visitors. The Ludovisi Collection (assembled by Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi in the 17th century) includes the Ludovisi Galatian Suicide Group (a 2nd-century marble showing a Galatian warrior killing his wife and then himself rather than face capture — one of the most emotionally devastating sculptures in ancient art), the Ludovisi Ares (the god of war at rest, with a cupid at his feet — possibly a Lysippus original), and the Ludovisi Throne (a 5th-century BC Greek relief of Aphrodite rising from the sea, so delicate it looks like marble fabric). The palace itself — with its painted loggia, courtyard, and Renaissance ceilings — is a work of art containing works of art. Rome guide →
Plan my Rome trip →Galata Ludovisi (Galatian Suicide, 2nd century AD copy of 3rd-century BC original): A warrior plunges a sword into his own chest while supporting his dying wife. The spiral composition, the desperation, the dignity in choosing death over slavery — this sculpture was a touchstone for Baroque artists and still stops visitors in their tracks. Ares Ludovisi (possibly after Lysippus, 4th century BC): Mars seated, one leg up, relaxed, with a small Eros at his feet — the god of war at peace. Bernini restored the figure and added the Eros. Trono Ludovisi (5th century BC): A three-sided marble relief — the central panel shows Aphrodite being lifted from the sea by two attendants, her wet garment clinging to her body. The carving is impossibly delicate. Acrolith of Hera (5th century BC): A colossal marble head — the face of a goddess, serene, alien, unforgettable.
Address: Piazza di Sant'Apollinare 46 (5min from Piazza Navona). Tickets: €12 combo (same ticket as Palazzo Massimo, Terme di Diocleziano, Crypta Balbi — valid 3 days, insane value). Hours: Tue-Sun 11am-7pm. Closed Mondays. Duration: 1-1.5 hours. Combine with: Piazza Navona (3min), Pantheon (7min), Stadio di Domiziano underground (5min), Ponte Sant'Angelo (10min walk to Castel Sant'Angelo).