Rome's new book kiosks transform Via delle Terme di Diocleziano into cultural salon

On December 22, 2024, the redevelopment of Piazza della Repubblica and the Gardens of Dogali near Termini station was completed, funded by the Jubilee. The project pedestrianized Via delle Terme di Diocleziano, installing sixteen new kiosks selling new, used, and rare books. The old, dilapidated kiosks that flanked the Gardens of Dogali—a monument to the fallen of the 19th-century Battle of Dogali (near Massawa, now Eritrea)—were demolished and replaced with modern structures reminiscent of those in Piazza Fontanella Borghese, near Galleria del Cembalo and Mucciaccia Gallery. Work began in July 2023 as part of the redevelopment of Piazza dei Cinquecento, aiming to make the Termini station area more livable. The interventions enhanced areas adjacent to the Planetarium and the Baths of Diocletian, expanded the pedestrian zone from Piazza della Repubblica towards Via Luigi Einaudi and Via Enrico De Nicola, created a boulevard overlooking the Baths of Diocletian gardens, restored the Gardens of Dogali, and added a new pedestrian area with flowerbeds in front of Palazzo Massimo. Additionally, Piazza Giovanni Agnelli was transformed from a chaotic parking lot into a welcoming pedestrian area, and the Museo dell'Arte Salvata reopened on June 26, 2025, after years of closure.