Ancient Rome Gives Us Domus Aurea - Nero’s Golden House
Recently Rome opened the Golden House of Nero to public viewing and it is an attraction not to be missed. It is interesting that the ruins were discovered long ago during the Renaissance but it was in the late 20th century that they were prepared to be seen by you and I.
History tells us that after that famous burning of Rome as Nero fiddled, this magnificent structure was built. When archaeologists discovered it, they learned that in its glory, much of the interior was covered with gold, and gorgeous jewels and ivory were inlaid in the ceiling. But you won’t see those treasures because they were stripped from the house after Nero died.
Some trivia is that the palace covered over 300 acres which included a private lake and rich crops and the extravagant house. However, the palace was not really a home like we think of it because even though it had hundreds of rooms, it had no bedrooms. This is not to say that many times people didn’t just pass out and sleep there during Nero’s wild parties.
One of the most striking features of the palace at the time was the 40m (130ft) high bronze likeness Nero had done to honor himself. This amazing art work is still on display outside the Colosseum.
If your trip to Rome includes a tour of this fascinating old house, it will be a great experience even though the house was destroyed centuries ago. And since Rome is a delightful destination - especially in the fall when the temperatures are perfect, touring Nero’s house fits any vacation agenda.
One of the best tours of the Palace of Nero is audio guided, and you will go underground to see the huge vaults and rooms covered with amazing artwork. The world famous artist Fabullus did a lot of the frescoes of the house using a very popular style he learned in Pompeii, that ultimately doomed city.
While you might not have heard of Fabullus, he had a huge influence on some very well known artists including Raphael and Michelangelo, as well as Casanova and the Marquis de Sade. Pay close attention because you will see the actual signatures of those fabled artists etched right into the walls of the palace.
In some cases the ruins are hard to make out and the artwork is still shrouded in ruins. But you won’t be disappointed because you will also see some amazing artwork fully restored on the ornate walls where the artist painted them hundreds of years ago.
It’s great to admire the many grottos in the underground rooms but when you get to the Octagon Room, that will be a memory maker. The art in this room was how Nero honoured the Greeks (he was a big fan of their work), including a wonderful statue of the Dying Gaul that is now on display at the museum at Palazzo Altemps.
But don’t miss out on enjoying the great gardens and grounds during your stay. The organizers also have a replica of the Octagonal Room for you to examine which will give you a real feel for how it was to live in this amazing time in history in Nero’s house.
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July 09 2008 12:58 pm | travel-tips