Villa Romana del Casale
Piazza Armerina, Italy
28.08.2022
Villa Romana del Casale is a magnificent Roman villa located in the town of Piazza Armerina in central Sicily, Italy. This grandiose villa, which was built in the 4th century AD, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is considered one of the best-preserved Roman villas in the world.
The villa was once owned by a wealthy Roman aristocrat, believed to be Maximianus Herculius, who was appointed co-emperor by Emperor Diocletian in 286 AD. It is said that Maximianus used this villa as his summer residence, where he could enjoy the mild climate and lush surroundings of Sicily.
The villa covers an area of over 40,000 square feet and is filled with stunning mosaics that cover almost every surface. These mosaics depict a wide range of scenes, from mythological figures and hunting scenes to everyday life in ancient Rome. The most famous mosaic in the villa is the "Bikini Girls" mosaic, which shows a group of women participating in various athletic activities while wearing revealing Roman bikinis.
One of the most impressive parts of the villa is the peristyle courtyard, which is surrounded by a colonnade and features a beautiful fountain in the center. This courtyard was used for outdoor dining and entertainment, and its intricate mosaics and grand architecture impress visitors to this day.
The villa also has a thermae (bath complex) with well-preserved mosaics depicting scenes from gladiator games and chariot races. This part of the villa gives us a glimpse into the leisure activities of the ancient Romans.
In addition to its mosaics, the villa also has hypocausts, an ancient Roman underfloor heating system, which is still operational after centuries. This is a testament to the advanced engineering and construction techniques of the Romans.
Visiting the Villa Romana del Casale is like stepping back in time and experiencing the opulence and grandeur of ancient Rome. It is a must-see for anyone interested in Roman history and architecture.
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Roman exploitation of the countryside is symbolized by the Villa Romana del Casale (in Sicily), the centre of the large estate upon which the rural economy of the Western Empire was based. The villa is one of the most luxurious of its kind. It is especially noteworthy for the richness and quality of the mosaics which decorate almost every room; they are the finest mosaics in situ anywhere in the Roman world.
The Villa Romana del Casale (Sicilian: Villa Rumana dû Casali) is a large and elaborate Roman villa or palace located about 3 km from the town of Piazza Armerina, Sicily. Excavations have revealed Roman mosaics which, according to the Grove Dictionary of Art, are the richest, largest and most varied collection that remains, for which the site was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The villa and its artwork date to the early 4th century AD.
The mosaic and opus sectile floors cover some 3,500 m2 and are almost unique in their excellent state of preservation due to the landslide and floods that covered the remains.
Although less well-known, an extraordinary collection of frescoes covered not only the interior rooms, but also the exterior walls.
