Leicester City Centre , England, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)

Forum and Basilica

Roman Leicester

Photographed by Ray Gurganus, April 14, 2024

1. Forum and Basilica Marker

Inscription. Forum and basilica
Where you are standing now would once have been the administrative and commercial heart of Roman Leicester. Beneath your feet lie what remains of the Roman forum and basilica.

What would the forum and basilica have looked like?
The forum was a large open square surrounded on three sides by colonnades containing shops. It acted as a market place as well as a focal point for religious, social and political gatherings. It is likely the forum would have taken over 50 years to build. On the fourth side was the basilica, a large building containing offices that served as Roman Leicester's administrative and judicial centre.

What remains of the forum and basilica today?
Sections of stone pillars, believed to be from the colonnade of the forum, can be seen at Jewry Wall Museum along with objects uncovered by the archaeologists who excavated the site.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Notable Places.

Location. 52° 38.103′ N, 1° 8.341′ W. Marker is in Leicester, England. It is in Leicester City Centre. It is on Saint Nicholas Place, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 19 St Nicholas Place, Leicester, England LE1 4LD, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in England’s Midlands.

Globally, it is on the Atlantic Ocean,

in the North Atlantic Region,

in Europe,

in Atlantic Europe,

on one of the British Isles,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Roman Empire.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Ratae Corieltavorum (here, next to this marker); BBC Asian Network (within

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shouting distance of this marker); BBC Radio Leicester (within shouting distance of this marker); The Dryad Collection (within shouting distance of this marker); Visit of the Queen (within shouting distance of this marker); Medieval Streets (within shouting distance of this marker); Restoration of Leicester Guildhall (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Leicester Automaton Clock (about 90 meters away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Leicester.

Also see . . . The Roman Forum and Basilica (Story of Leicester). From the URL provided on the marker

Excerpt: When the streets of Roman Leicester were laid out in the early 2nd century AD, a large open space in the centre of the town was set aside for the construction of the main public buildings. These included the forum and basilica which functioned not only as a market-place but also as a centre for social, political and religious gatherings.

The forum was a large open square with colonnades containing shops on three sides and a large aisled building known as the basilica on the fourth side, which housed offices and served as the town’s administrative
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and judicial centre. Today, what remains of the forum lies buried beneath Jubilee Square.

Building the forum would have been a major undertaking, comparable to constructing a medieval cathedral or a modern skyscraper, and it would have taken years to complete. When finished sometime in the middle of the 2nd century AD, it would have measured some 132m by 91m – an area larger than many football pitches.

(Submitted on July 31, 2024.)

Credits. This page was last revised on July 31, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 26, 2024, by Ray Gurganus of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 153 times since then and 19 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on July 26, 2024, by Ray Gurganus of Washington, District of Columbia. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.