The complex of the Portico d’Ottavia at the Circo Flaminio (the area corresponding to the antique ghetto) was reconstructed by Augusto in honor of his sister Ottavia in the place of the ancient Portico di Metello (27-23 BC).
It was damaged by fire in 80 and 191was then rebuilt by Settimus Severius in 203.
The majority of the remains still to be seen today belong to this period. The structure was a four-sided portico of 119 x 132 m, with a frontal nave and two on the sides including the temples of Giunone Regina and Giove Statore, the Curia and two Greek and Latin libraries.
The principal side of the portico (which faces the Circo Flaminio) and its southeastern corner are still visible and in relatively good condition.
The front was separated by impressive propylaea at its center.
A monumental entrance was a space with brick walls covered by a marble facing with openings at the same level as the wings of the portico.
The facades (of which the back section is incorporated in the Church of S. Angelo in Peschiera) had a line of four columns between the pilasters, in the Corinthian style and decorated with an eagle.
The architrave had an epigraph as a dedication dated 203. The pediment is not decorated and the double-sloped roof is missing. The wings of the portico were composed of a row of columns in the front and a brick wall at the back. This brick wall, discovered under the plaster of the house, during a recent restoration, at a height of 10.5 m from the ancient ground level of the portico, probably indicates the maximum height of the wall which once corresponded to the sides of the portico’s rooftop.
The sides of the portico, accessible from the ends of other monumental entrances decorated with columns, were found to be closed towards the inside and only opened in corrispondence with the second intercolumn from the corners.
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 | | | I Municipio
Rione XI - Sant'Angelo
Regio IX - Circus Flaminius
Antico Ghetto |  |
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