Piazza della Bocca della Verita

Name: Piazza della Bocca della Verita
Address: Piazza della Bocca della Verita Between Via Luigi Petroselli and Via della Greca, in the Ripa Neighborhood, Rome Italy, Rome, Italy
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Piazza della Bocca della Verita Between Via Luigi Petroselli and Via della Greca, in the Ripa Neighborhood, Rome Italy

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The Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verità) is an iconic marble mask perched inside the portico of Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Rome’s Ripa district. Dating back to the 1st or 2nd century AD, the colossal sculpture is thought to have originally served as a drain cover for the nearby Temple of Hercules Victor. Legend says that liars will have their hand bitten off if they place it in the mask’s open mouth— a myth that draws crowds eager to test the ancient prank. Today visitors can wander the ancient Forum Boarium, feel the weight of the 1,300‑kg marble façade as it grips their fingers, and marvel at the masterful craftsmanship that has survived for millennia. The site is free to enter and offers a blend of historical intrigue and playful tradition right in the heart of Rome.