The Via dei Fori Imperiali is one of the most remarkable roads in the historic centre of Rome, running straight from the impressive Colosseum the Piazza Venezia. Built under Fascism in the period between 1924 and 1932, the road was a celebration of the glories of ancient Rome as it covered parts of the Forum of Trajan, Augustus and Nerva, formerly hidden under demolished buildings. It was opened on 9 April 1932 by Mussolini, who rode a horse and led a military parade with veterans of World War I. Nowadays, although still subject to heavy motor vehicle traffic, the southern part of the road has been closed off to private cars, providing a unique opportunity to take in the ancient monuments dotted along it.