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Archaeology, HistoryGood To Know
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Known as the world’s first shopping mallMercati di Traiano (Trajan’s Market) in Rome is a large complex of ruins located close to the Colosseum, which includes the Museo dei Fori Imperiali (Museum of the Imperial Forums).
The complex was built in 100-110 AD by the architect Apollodorus of Damascus during the time of Emperor Trajan. It housed more than 150 shops and offices spread over five floors. There were entrances on the ground floor, on the second floor through a street that was known in medieval times as the Via Biberatica, and on the top floor from the Quirinal through a large vaulted hall.
The Museo dei Fori Imperiali is housed in the Great Hall and Central Block of the Mercati di Traiano. It is dedicated to ancient architecture, displaying original sculptures and fragments of decorative features which were found in the Forums of Rome.