Villa of the Mysteries, Roman villa in Pompeii, Italy

Villa of the Mysteries is a Roman villa on a slope northwest of Pompeii's walls, partly held up by a cryptoporticus of blind arches. Its roughly square plan has more than 60 rooms around a large central court, with a peristyle of sixteen columns, a service quarter with bakery, kitchen and wine press, and a bath suite. Walls of tan and ochre stone and brick carry tiled roofs, and a terrace with a low metal railing sits above arched openings.

The structure originated in the 2nd century BCE as a dwelling and underwent several expansions before being buried under ash during the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE. After the earthquake of 62 CE, the owners started renovation work that remained unfinished at the time of the disaster.

The triclinium displays a continuous wall cycle with life-sized figures performing ritual acts. Visitors can see the red, black and golden tones that remain visible after almost two millennia.

The villa lies about 400 m northwest of Pompeii's town walls, between Via delle Tombe and Via Superiore, near the Villa of Diomedes. The ancient entrance faces the modern one, and the visit ends at Room 5, reached through a peristyle with a single entrance. The site sits on a slope partly held by a cryptoporticus of blind arches.

The wall paintings show a rare depiction of life-sized female figures, which is uncommon in Roman frescoes. Archaeologists discovered the rooms during excavations in the 1900s almost completely preserved.