Domus Aurea, Rome
The "Domus Aurea" of Nero is a palace complex in Rome, which was built after a large-scale 6-day fire in the city in 64 AD. Possession belonged to the ruler of the empire – Nero. Until now, only ruins have been preserved, as well as halls under the ground. Sculptural compositions of the antique period desrve special attention, as well as galleries and several samples of ancient painting. The ruins of the "Golden House of Nero" are located on the Esquilino hill, near the entrance to the park of Colle Oppio.
The History of Nero's Golden House
When the emperor Nero came to power, in the Palatine region, where all the emperors of the Roman Empire lived by tradition, there was no place for the construction of a new villa, and it was impossible to demolish existing buildings even by the order of the Great Emperor. Then the ruler decided to settle in the palace of Caligula, but this dwelling seemed too modest for the emperor.
This continued until a large six-day fire in 64 BC, as a result of which many buildings of the city were destroyed. In the course of the restoration work, the project of a new residence for the emperor was also laid. The architects Severus and Celer worked on the project.
However, the emperor did not live long in his residence. A few months after the settlement, he was slaughtered by his own servant. After the death of the emperor, the Golden House was destroyed, and the liberated lands were occupied by the Colosseum, the Forum of Trajan, the Triumphal Arch of Titus.
For many years, the ruins of the Golden House remained underground. For the first time, the lower palace premises were accidentally discovered in the 15th century. As a result of the work of archaeologists, 30 rooms were uncovered, in which antique frescoes and elements of wall paintings were well preserved.
Architecture of the Golden House
The palace was built like a huge villa, with gardens and artificial lakes around the house, the territory was inhabited by quaint animals. From the different points of the garden the most inexpressible landscapes were discovered on the adjacent territory. The area of the Golden House reached about 100 hectares of land. In the center of the garden there was a huge statue of Nero in the role of the Sun God – Helios.
The main decoration of the palace was a gilded dome, thanks to which the palace got its name – "Domus Aurea". The inner walls of the residence were covered with gold stucco, and the rooms were decorated with frescoes of mythological subjects.
How to get there
In order to get to the Golden House of Nero, you can use the public transport of Rome:
- Metro – take any station on line B and get off at the Colosseo stop.
- By buses № 53, 75, 80, 85, 87, 186, 810.
Opening hours: excursions are conducted daily. The duration of one excursion is 40 minutes (the visit time is strictly limited) and only in groups of 20 people.
