Domus Aurea, Archaeological site on Oppian Hill, Rome, Italy
The Domus Aurea is a vast imperial palace complex built on the Oppian Hill, with underground chambers featuring vaulted ceilings and faded frescoes across interconnected galleries and halls. The site reveals layers of Roman construction and decoration from the first century, spanning what was once an enormous residential estate.
Emperor Nero built this grand palace after the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD destroyed much of the city. Later rulers filled in parts of it and buried sections under rubble, which is why what we see today is mostly underground and fragmented.
Renaissance artists squeezed through ceiling holes to explore the buried ruins and copy Roman painting styles they found on the walls. What they discovered here shaped how European artists painted for generations to come.
Visits are only available through organized guided tours, usually offered on weekends and requiring advance booking. Wear warm layers since underground spaces stay cool year-round, and bring comfortable shoes for walking on uneven ancient floors.
The main banquet hall had a rotating ceiling that turned continuously day and night, designed to copy the movement of stars and planets overhead. This engineering marvel shows just how far Nero went to impress his guests with astronomical spectacles.
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