Rome has decided to return a precious space to books – and to its citizens. After years of waiting, between late June and July 8th, 2025, the installation of sixteen new book kiosks was completed along the ancient walls of the Baths of Diocletian.
A Tradition Returns
That stretch of Via delle Terme di Diocleziano once hosted the historic Roman Book Fair. Now, with these sixteen renovated stands, the city aims to revive that unique identity: an open-air cultural salon, meant for stopping, meeting, and reading – nestled between ancient ruins and modern life.
The Inauguration
The official opening took place on July 8th, 2025, in the presence of Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, District I President Lorenza Bonaccorsi, local commerce official Jacopo Scatà, and public works assessor Ornella Segnalini. It was a solemn moment that marked the return of booksellers to this symbolic Roman street.
Clear Goals
- Urban and cultural enhancement: Bringing beauty back to a central part of Rome and restoring dignity to books through the revival of the Book Fair tradition.
- Promoting reading: The kiosks will offer used books, antique volumes, and new titles – and are expected to host literary events and book presentations in the near future.
- Urban renewal: Pedestrianizing the area cuts down on traffic and pollution, making it more livable for both locals and tourists.
The keys were officially handed over to the booksellers on June 17th, 2025, when the local district council finalized the kiosk assignments.
Now the real challenge begins: keeping the project alive. There are already plans to involve cultural associations, independent publishers, and local operators to organize events that will keep the area vibrant year-round.
The reopening of the book kiosks on Via delle Terme di Diocleziano, after years of abandonment, marks a clear and deliberate choice by the city: to reconnect culture with the urban fabric, and to give new life to spaces with historical, social, and aesthetic value. It’s a return to the Roman way – rooted in words, paper, and public squares – without unnecessary frills, but with the concrete strength of a project that speaks plainly and directly to its people.
