![]() In the summer of the year 64 A.D., the Great Fire of Rome broke out near Circus Maximus and took seven days to extinguish. Did you know that ‘Laocoön and His Sons’was discovered when digging for a vineyard on Oppian Hill was underway in the 16th century? The sculpture is currently on display at the Vatican Museums. You can still see scaffolding – that’s being used for the ongoing excavation work. How did Nero manage to find his way around here? And how long did it take him to get from one room to the next? Without a tour guide, it would probably be very easy to get lost in the many, many passages. It originally had a dome over it to let sunlight flood into the room, but you can just see a hole in the ceiling now. You can actually still see one of his banquet halls – the Octagonal Hall. You can easily lose track of where you are and what time it is.Įmperor Nero may have been around thousands of years ago, but he still had flowing water, bathrooms and dining rooms in his palace. Wow! Look at all the bright colours, the gold and the size of the complex. A bit later on, virtual reality glasses will allow you to see through the walls and explore the palace grounds. This provides a general introduction to Emperor Nero, the Great Fire of Rome and the history and architecture of the building itself. The tour starts with a video projected onto a wall. Sure, it’s all a bit dark, but you can still make out the patterns and colours on the walls. High ceilings, long corridors and painted walls. ![]() But just take two or three steps down and you’ll be hit with the grandeur of Ancient Rome. The walls don’t look like anything special at all. When you arrive at the entrance to the Domus Aurea, you might think you’ve come to the wrong place. You have to join a guided tour, and you have to wear a helmet. In actual fact, it’s Oppian Hill to the east of the Colosseum you need. People seem to think that you have to head for Palatine Hill if you want to visit the Golden House. The emperor could never have imagined his legacy in his wildest dreams when he was still alive… It only became known as the Colosseum thanks to the gigantic bronze Colossus of Nero at the entrance to the Domus Aurea. Something else not many people realise is that Rome’s famous landmark was originally called the Flavian Amphitheatre. But it was built on the site of the lake in the grounds of the Domus Aurea after it was filled in. Nero died long before the Colosseum was built. Even though, it played an important part in the history of Rome’s top tourist attraction – the incredible Colosseum. Not many people have heard of the Domus Aurea. Luckily, what does remain of the painted walls, mouldings and mosaics is enough to give you an idea of how elegant and palatial the Domus Aurea once was. The remnants of windowless corridors and rooms that have been plunged almost fully into darkness and don’t have any of their original marble opulence left. All that’s left of it now, though, is an underground excavation site. In fact, it once covered the whole area between Palatine Hill and Esquiline Hill (Oppian Hill). Calling it an imperial palace just doesn’t do justice to the sheer size of the complex. Well, it’s actually just the name given to the huge palace of Emperor Nero. I’m guessing you imagine a house adorned with glittering gold? Of the original complex, what is visible today is the pavilion below the Termal Baths, the building walls of the “Nero’s Ninfeo” and a part of the “Arcus Neroniani”.What comes to mind when you hear “Domus Aurea” or “Golden House”? Discover the controversial history of Domus AureaĪfter Nero’s death, his successors successfully concealed the existence of this entire Palace and its treasures until it resurfaced during the Renaissance period.Īt that time, they tried to bury all trace of the palace, so hated by the population as built thanks to the plunder of the citizens of Rome.ĭemolished to make space to the Baths of Trajan and deprived of its decorations, the Domus and its rich frescoes and lavish reliefs, remained hidden until the Renaissance. This huge villa is extravagantly crafted, boasting many spacious rooms, an amphitheatre, a bath-gymnasium complex, artificial lake and even a market.ĭuring its golden time, there were hundreds of statues, fountains, paintings and looted treasures from the cities of the Orient within this obnoxiously built residence. The name Domus Aurea means ‘Golden House’, which is literal because the hallways were decorated almost entirely in gold and precious stones. Situated in the heart of ancient Rome, Domus Aurea is an enormous landscaped villa built after the Great Fire that destroyed two-thirds of Rome in AD 64. In this private tour, you will be visiting one of the most unbelievable complexes of Ancient Rome – The Domus Aurea, which is one of Emperor Nero’s most extravagant projects.
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