Emperor Hadrian’s vast country estate, now in ruins, is situated 5 km from Tivoli (RM). Built between 118 and 138 C.E., Villa Adriana was one of the largest residences in the ancient world covering over 120 hectares, today 40 are open to the public. The main attractions include the canopus, a water tank and canal with a nymphaeum (sanctuary dedicated to water nymphs), and the maritime theatre, Hadrian’s private retreat.
Passionate about travel and architecture, Hadrian personally designed a large part of the villa, inspired by monuments he had seen around the world. The pecile, a large area of pool near the walls was built on the model of the stoa poikile of the Athens agora. Similarly, the canopus was designed to imitate the canal that linked the city of Canopus to Alexandria in Egypt. Set in a narrow valley, 120 m long, the tank is flanked by statues. At one end is the sarapeum, a semi-circular nymphaeum used for summer banquets whose name derives from the temple dedicated to Serapis in the city of Canopus. Near the tank, the maritime theatre is a miniature villa built on an artificial island: after three years of restoration work, it was opened to the public in the summer of 2017. To the east, the piazza d’Oro is a complex with a central rectangular tank that cut through the gardens longitudinally. The estate also features various thermal baths, temples and barracks.
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