Area archeologica dell'Arco del Sacramento

Behind Benevento's cathedral, a walled garden preserves traces of the Roman forum quarter, including a monumental arch of the late first or early second century, thermal structures and paving.

Why it matters

Benevento's Roman centre was organised around its forum, and this area preserves a monumental threshold. The Arco del Sacramento dates to between the end of the first and the beginning of the second century AD. It formed an access point to the forum from the southern side of the city, near the Roman theatre. The surrounding ground was part of the forum precinct and included a thermal installation.

What to notice

The arch is a single bay stripped of its ancient marble revetment. Its brick-and-stone masonry is now exposed. The garden preserves wall footings and structural remains associated with the forum and thermal building. The Roman theatre lies further down toward the Triggio and the triumphal Arch of Trajan stands nearby. The area was restored and returned to public use in 2009.

Context and history

The arch belongs to the period after Trajan, when Beneventum flourished as a hub of the Via Traiana. In the medieval city, the monument lost its marble and sculptures and the district filled with churches and houses. Its modern name derives from sacred buildings that grew nearby. Long buried in the urban fabric, the area was recovered through redevelopment completed with the 2009 restoration. The site's history reflects Benevento's Roman, medieval and modern layers.