Site Where Julius Caesar was Assassinated to Open for Public in 2022

Cats, as well as archaeological ruins and Julius Caesar, is
what Largo Argentina is all about. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP
Cats, as well as archaeological ruins and Julius Caesar, is what Largo Argentina is all about. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP
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Site Where Julius Caesar was Assassinated to Open for Public in 2022

Cats, as well as archaeological ruins and Julius Caesar, is
what Largo Argentina is all about. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP
Cats, as well as archaeological ruins and Julius Caesar, is what Largo Argentina is all about. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP

History buffs will be able to roam the ruins of Rome's "Area Sacra," perhaps catching a glimpse of Julius Caesar's ghost, after the site becomes an open-air museum next year.

Work to adapt the Largo Argentina archaeological site containing the ruins of four Roman temples for tourists begins next month, Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi announced.

"With this work we'll begin entering into the area and... walk among the vestiges of our history. Meanwhile, people can observe the site from its surrounding without stepping in it, because it's located few meters under the ground surface," she said at a press conference, AFP reported.

Julius Caesar is believed to have been stabbed in the Curia Pompei, a Senate building, part of whose limestone foundation is still visible.

But visitors are more likely to spot an apparition of the four-legged kind – namely, a cat.

The ruins are the domain of a colony of hundreds of rescued cats, fed, sterilized and cared for by a private non-profit shelter, who scamper through the site, lounging atop truncated marble pillars or posing for tourist photos – altogether unimpressed by the historical significance of their vast litterbox.

The temples, which date to between the third and second centuries B.C., include a circular monument to the goddess of Fortune, whose colossal marble head now sits in Rome's Centrale Montemartini museum.

They were uncovered as recently as 1926 in an urban planning project when demolished medieval houses revealed ancient Roman ruins underneath.



Aroya Cruises Launches First Voyage in the Mediterranean

The ship features world-class facilities and services. SPA
The ship features world-class facilities and services. SPA
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Aroya Cruises Launches First Voyage in the Mediterranean

The ship features world-class facilities and services. SPA
The ship features world-class facilities and services. SPA

Aroya Cruises, a subsidiary of Cruise Saudi and fully owned by the Public Investment Fund, has announced the launch of its inaugural Mediterranean voyage on June 28, offering guests a fully integrated tourism experience inspired by authentic Arab hospitality, across some of the world’s most prominent cruise destinations.

The AROYA, the cruise line’s flagship vessel, set sail from its Mediterranean homeport at Galataport in Istanbul on a seven-night journey visiting key destinations including Athens, Souda Bay, and Mykonos in Greece, followed by Bodrum in Türkiye, before returning to Istanbul on July 5.

Building on the success of its inaugural Red Sea season, Aroya Cruises will continue operating Mediterranean voyages through mid-September 2025, offering diverse itineraries ranging from six to seven nights. Destinations include Marmaris, Rhodes, Alexandria, and several other prominent coastal cities in Türkiye, Greece, and Egypt.

The ship features world-class facilities and services, including a main pool area, a theater with daily entertainment, and a wellness center offering therapeutic treatments, spa services, a beauty clinic, and a fitness club.

Guests can also enjoy a wide range of activities tailored for all family members, such as an adventure zone, sports complex, water park, and one of the largest kids’ areas aboard any cruise ship. Culinary offerings include 12 restaurants and 17 cafés, serving a curated mix of Saudi and international cuisines.

President of Aroya Cruises Dr. Joerg Rudolph expressed pride in the company’s first Mediterranean voyage, noting that this milestone comes just six months after the launch of its cruise operations.

He emphasized that the cruise line’s expansion into top European destinations aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals to support tourism sector growth.