Domus Aurea

Immediately after the fire of 64 A.D., which destroyed large parts of the centre of Rome, the emperor Nero ordered the construction of a new residence, much grander and more luxurious than that which it replaced. Faced in high quality marble, its vaults decorated with gold and precious stones, this new residence certainly merited the name Domus Aurea (House of Gold). Taking its inspiration from the East and incorporating innovative and original design features, the enormous complex immense vineyards, wooded glades, pastures and even an artificial lake, as well as treasures plundered from Eastern cities and precious ornaments and monuments, one of the most imposing of which was a large statue of the emperor dressed in the attire of the Sun God. After his death, Nero's successors tried to negate and erase from history every trace of the palace. The luxurious rooms were stripped of their precious materials, sculptures and statues and filled with earth up to the vaults while over the building the great spas of Titus and Trojan were built. In the underlying valley the Colosseum was built and whose very name recalls a colossal statue of the emperor Nero which stood nearby. The fabulous frescoes and stuccos remained hidden until the renaissance when various artists, among them Raphael, interested in antiquity started to copy the decorative forms of the vaults after they had accidentally found them while exploring what they believed to be grottoes.

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Contact Information

Domus Aurea
Viale della Domus Aurea 1
00100 Roma

Tel. +39639967700

http://www.pierreci.it