Palaces of Rome. The best palaces and villas in Rome. Lateran Palace in Rome

September 22, 2018

The history of the palace, where meetings of the Senate of the Italian Republic are held today, began in the distant 15th century, during a period of grandiose transformation of the appearance of the ancient city. It was at this time that luxurious palazzos and villas belonging to noble families began to be built in Rome, new churches and basilicas were built and old ones were reconstructed, elegant fountains appeared and parks were landscaped. Palazzo Madama is one of the most exquisite architectural structures.

Pope Leo X de' Medici

The territory where the palace is located today long belonged to the Benedictine monks, who in the second half of the 15th century handed it over to the French monarch. The latter, in turn, donated part of the lands to his treasurer Sinulfo Ottieri, Bishop of Chiusi. It was he who began the construction of the family palace in 1503. After the death of the clergyman, the property became the property of Sinulfo's brother Guidone, Count of Montorio. Later, the palace was looked after by Giovanni Medici, the son of Lorenzo the Magnificent and the future Pope Leo X. At first Giovanni rented the palace, but later purchased it in installments and ordered Giuliano da Sangallo to carry out a complete reconstruction of the building.

After the expulsion of the Medici family from Florence, Giovanni was elected Pope under the name Leo X, and the palace became the Roman residence of members of the famous family. After the death of the pontiff, the palazzo became the property of Giovanni's cousin, Giuliano de' Medici, who later became Pope Clement VII.

What kind of lady is this Madama or why is the palace called that

Palazzo Madama was named after Margaret of Austria, wife of Duke Alessandro de' Medici and illegitimate daughter of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Spain, Sicily, Sardinia and Naples. In Rome, Margarita was called Madama, and she lived in this palazzo for quite a long time.

However, this is not all that we want to tell you about the famous lady-madama! There are at least two famous “Madamas” in history, and if you delve a little further into history, you will find a third and even fourth representative of the fairer sex, claiming to be the same Madama. So let's find out.

Palazzo Madama, located in Rome, not the only palace with this name. The second is located in Turin, in northern Italy. The Roman palace, as we already wrote, was named in honor of Margaret of Austria, who lived in the 16th century; The palazzo in Turin perpetuates the memory of Maria Christina of France, Duchess of Savoy, involved in French foreign policy in the second quarter of the 17th century. In addition to these two fairly famous ladies, history contains references to other women called “Madama”. In Rome, this is Violante Beatrice of Bavaria, she will be discussed further, and in Turin, this is Maria Giovanna Batista of Savoy-Nemours, Duchess of Savoy, living in the second half of the 17th century.

Reconstruction of Palazzo Madama and mysterious symbols on the facade

In the 17th century, during reconstruction work, the building acquired a new Baroque façade. Its author was Paolo Maruschelli. A distinctive feature of the decorative design of the building’s exterior is the presence of a huge number of lion attributes.

Decorative design of the main entrance portal

Thus, above the main entrance to Palazzo Madama you can see a lion skin - a reminder of one of the 12 labors of Hercules (aka Hercules), and framed by the windows of the second level - the hero of ancient Greek mythology himself. His “portraits” alternate with images of a woman’s face. Have you already guessed who it could be?

Decorative design of second tier windows

This is interesting!

WHAT THE MYTHS SAY ABOUT
Hercules, sold into slavery by Hermes, fell under the control of the beautiful Omphale, a warlike and at the same time feminine queen. Enchanted by her beauty, Hercules laid down his arms, took off his lion's skin and, forgetting about his fighting character, began to please the whims of his mistress.

The history of the palace's transformation

In 1755 Palazzo Madama purchased by Pope Benedict XIV , whose family coat of arms still adorns the façade of the building. So the palace became the property of the Holy See. At the same time, during the next reconstruction, a square of the same name was built in front of the palazzo, and some premises were converted into judicial and police offices. Later, the head office of the Roman Republic was moved here, and half a century later - the Ministry of Finance. Thus, the luxurious family palace turned into an administrative building, which it remains to this day.

The first meeting of the Senate in the Palazzo Madama in Rome took place on November 28, 1871, shortly after the entry into the Eternal City and its proclamation as the capital of the United Kingdom of Italy.

You can visit the Palace on the first Saturday of every month (except August)

Opening hours from 10-00 to 18-00

Address - Piazza Madama, 11 ROME

Palazzo Madama is one of the most exquisite palaces in Rome

Villas and palaces are perhaps the most attractive part of the architectural heritage of Rome during the Middle Ages. In terms of their scale, they cannot be compared with the buildings of the ancient era, but in terms of grace, the architecture of the Renaissance has no equal. Villas and palaces in Rome are also worth visiting because almost all of them house interesting museums and galleries.

Villa Borghese

The villa is extremely popular among travelers coming to Rome and there are several reasons for this: firstly, there is a gallery with a rich collection of paintings; secondly, on the vast territory of the villa there are also two interesting museums - the Museum of Modern Art and the Etruscan Museum; thirdly, there is a park around the villa - one of the largest and most beautiful in Italy. The park is huge: it will take at least half a day to walk around it. Its territory is decorated with sculptures and fountains, there are attractions, a mini zoo and boat rentals for walks on the lake.

The central place in the composition of the villa is given to the Palazzo Borghese. The 16th-century building was completed and expanded several times, acquiring an increasingly impressive appearance. The Borghese family, and specifically Scipione Borghese, spared no expense on the villa. As a cardinal, Scipione Borghese could afford to build a luxurious palace, which he took advantage of.

Several centuries later, at the beginning of the 20th century, the villa and the entire complex of buildings were transferred to the city, so that now the cardinal's residence serves as a public park and museum.

Villa Farnesina

Since its construction in the 16th century, this building has had several owners: it alternately belonged to a major banker, a cardinal, the Bourbon dynasty, for some time it housed the French embassy, ​​and at the beginning of the 20th century it was transferred to the municipality of Rome. The villa was partially rebuilt, but on the whole it retained its original appearance, which, by the way, was quite original for its era: at that time the facades of buildings were built flat, but here the wings protrude strongly forward.

The main value of the villa is its interior. The walls and ceiling of the halls are painted with frescoes by Raphael and Michelangelo.

The subjects of the paintings illustrate scenes from the myths of Ancient Greece and the works of ancient Greek writers. The surrounding area of ​​the villa is occupied by a lush garden with fruit trees. In terms of size, the garden is, of course, much smaller than the park at Villa Borghese, but it is quite pleasant and photogenic.

Villa Volkonskikh

This estate has a difficult fate: the building was built in the 30s of the 19th century, when Zinaida Volkonskaya owned this plot of land. During her lifetime, Princess Volkonskaya organized creative evenings at this villa, where prominent artists came. Famous Russian writers and painters often visited here. The princess collected an impressive collection of antique statues, but it has not survived to this day.

A hundred years after construction, the heirs of Princess Volkonskaya sold the villa and it ended up in the possession of the Nazis. They built a prison with a torture chamber in the basement of the building. During the Second World War, members of the Resistance movement were tortured and shot in the dungeons of the villa, and on the floor above, during visits to Rome, distinguished guests were accommodated - the leadership of the SS, Goebbels and Hitler. After World War II, the building became the residence of the British Ambassador.

Palaces of Rome
Palazzo Barberini

This palace once belonged to the influential Barberini family. It was built at the beginning of the 17th century, when one of the representatives of this family became Pope. Several architects, including the famous Bernini, worked on the construction of the family estate. In the spirit of the traditions of those years, the surface of the interior walls and ceiling was decorated with frescoes with biblical scenes.

Over time, the Barberini dynasty became impoverished and in the 20th century its representatives began to sell off the family heritage - a collection of paintings, ancient statues and rare manuscripts. The building was also partially sold. To preserve the palace, the city authorities decided to buy it and the surrounding area and carry out restoration. Now the National Gallery of Ancient Art is open here, where about 1,500 exhibits are exhibited.

Palazzo Spada

The palace that belonged to the Spada family is famous for three features: its façade is one of the most lavishly decorated in Rome; it houses the Borromini Gallery - a nine-meter corridor, which, due to an optical illusion, seems several times longer; The building houses an art gallery of the same name with a decent collection of paintings by Renaissance artists.

The building with a richly decorated facade was built in the sixteenth century, restored in the seventeenth, and bought by the state in the twentieth to house a gallery and meetings of the State Council.

Palaces of the Capitoline Square

On a relatively small plot of land, close to each other, three palaces were built on Capitol Hill: in the center is the Palace of Senators, and on the right and left sides of it are the twin palaces the Palace of Conservatives and the New Palace. The mirror symmetry of the facades of the palaces is Michelangelo's idea: the buildings had already been built by the time he was entrusted with the restoration of the square, he decided to modify their front part so that they looked like an integral part of the architectural ensemble. The same Michelangelo added a monumental staircase to the façade of the Palace of Senators, thanks to which the square looks more formal.

There are now museums in the palaces of the Capitoline Hill, where a lot of interesting things are stored, so it’s definitely worth visiting this place, but it’s better to leave plenty of time - an excursion with a good guide turns out to be quite eventful and lengthy.

Palazzo Farnese, located on the square of the same name in Rome, is considered one of the best examples of the Renaissance style. Construction of the palace began in 1514 at the behest of the Roman Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, the future Pope Paul III, who by that time had two children, and who decided to build a luxurious residence for his family, worthy of his position.

To implement this ambitious plan, the cardinal decided to use the Palazzo Ferriz, purchased in 1495, which was supplemented by a number of neighboring buildings purchased in 1512. The best architect of that time, Antonio da Sangallo Jr., was entrusted with developing the design of the new palace.

Construction work, which began in 1514, was interrupted in 1527, when certain political and military events led to the out-of-control multinational troops of Emperor Charles V plundering the “eternal city.”

Work resumed in 1541. By this time, Cardinal Alessandro Farnese had been elected pope under the name of Paul III, and one of his sons, Ranuccio, had died in battle. Due to these circumstances, Sangallo had to slightly change the original project.

After the death of the architect Antonio da Sangallo in 1546, the work on the palace was entrusted to Michelangelo, who naturally wanted to leave his mark on the implementation of this work. Under his leadership, in addition to the interior work, the main facade of the palace was decorated - a cornice and a large marble window with columns of variegated marble above the main entrance and crowned with the coat of arms of Pope Paul III.

In those years, Francesco Salviati and Taddeo Zuccari painted the Grand Salon with frescoes under the cycle “The Apotheosis of Farnese”, where they extol all the merits of Pope Paul III and the exploits of Ranuccio Farnese.

In the garden, on the back side of the palace, a garden was laid out, which was decorated with the famous sculptural composition “The Punishment of Dirka,” found in 1545 in the Baths of Caracalla and purchased by Pope Paul III. It remained in the garden for about two centuries, then, along with other antiquities, it was sent to Naples and is now in the National Archaeological Museum of that city.

Michelangelo also planned to build a bridge that would connect the palace with the gardens of the Farnese family, located on the opposite side of the Tiber River. However, due to the death of Pope Paul III, the project was never completed, although traces of it can still be seen in the form of a short bridge spanning Via Giulia at the rear of the palazzo.

The death of the pope in 1549 once again interrupted construction. Work on the improvement of the palace was resumed only in 1565; the customer was the pope’s nephew, Ruggiero. They were led by the architect Giacomo da Vignola, who for a long time mainly worked on projects for the Farnese family, and continued to work for the benefit of the family until his death in 1573.

To complete the construction work, the grandson of Pope Paul III, Cardinal Alessandro Farnese (1520-1589), invited the architect Giacomo della Porta. By 1589, the architect completed the design of the palace façade from the garden side. They also planned to connect the Farnese Palace with a bridge and the Villa Chigi, bought by the cardinal in 1580, now called the Villa Farnesina, but this project, like the project of Michelangelo, who wanted to connect the Farnese gardens, was never implemented.

Alessandro Farnese, a great admirer of the arts, had excellent collections of ancient sculpture and painting that decorated the halls of the palace. Part of this collection later became the basis of the Naples National Archaeological Museum.

In 1597, Alessandro's descendant, Cardinal Odoardo Farnese, commissioned Annibale Carracci to paint a cycle of frescoes on the theme "The Loves of the Gods" in order to glorify the marriage of his brother Rannuchio Farnese, Duke of Parma, to Margherita Aldobrandini, the great-niece of Pope Clement VIII. No less famous artists of that time, Agostino Caracci, as well as their students Giovanni Lanfranco and Domenichino, who decorated the halls of the palace with frescoes on mythological subjects, took part in the decoration of the interior of the palace.

In 1603, a terrace was added to the rear of the palace for Cardinal Odoardo, which was used as a grandstand and from where one could watch horse and donkey races, various festivals, carnivals and fireworks that took place on Via Giulia and along the banks of the Tiber. In the same century, this building was demolished.

In 1626, after the death of Cardinal Odoardo Farnese, the palace stood virtually uninhabited for several years.

Towards the middle of the 17th century, the interests of the Farnese family moved from Rome to Parma, and most of the works of art from the palace collection moved there. According to the will of Cardinal Alessandro, only ancient artifacts inextricably linked with the history of Rome were left in the palace, but this will was subsequently neglected by the heir to the property, Charles III de Bourbon.

And from 1635 to 1688, the palace, one might say, became an inn for high-ranking persons - the ambassadors of the French kings mainly stayed here, one of whom was the chief minister of Louis XIII, Alphonse-Louis du Plessis de Richelieu, brother of the Duke of Richelieu .

In 1660, the palace hosted a celebration in honor of the marriage of the Dauphin of France with Maria Theresa of Spain. For this purpose, a grandiose pyrotechnic structure was built on the square in front of the palace to launch fireworks.

In December 1655, Pope Alexander VII allowed Queen Christina of Sweden, who arrived in Rome, to settle in the Palazzo Farnese, who, as it turned out, was the worst guest of this palace: after her departure to Paris, papal authorities discovered that tapestries, paintings and silver had been stolen from the palace , and the magnificent wooden doors of the palace were broken and used as a firebox. The damage resulted in a decent amount, but everything was justified by the thieving servants, and the damage caused to the palace was not compensated.

After the death of Antonio Farnese, Duke of Parma and Piacenza in 1731, who left no heirs, all the lands and property of the family were inherited by Isabella Farnese, at that time the wife of King Philip V of Bourbon of Spain, adding them to the possessions of the Spanish crown. Further, everything is inherited by Charles III of Bourbon, son of Philip V and Isabella, who in 1734 moves most of the remaining valuables from Palazzo Farnese to Naples and Caserta, and during the 18th and 19th centuries almost all the ancient sculptures remaining in the palace, contrary to the will of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, were moved to Naples.

Over the next century and a half, the palace underwent several renovations and architectural innovations with the participation of the architect Antonio Cipolla, and also hosted high-ranking persons in its rooms. And in 1874, by signing a lease agreement with the House of Bourbon with the right of subsequent purchase for three million francs over the next 25 years, the palace became the building of the embassy of the French Republic.

Although the state bought the palace in 1936 during the reign of Benito Mussolini, it remains under a 99-year lease from the French Embassy, ​​under which the Italian government pays a nominal fee of 1 euro per month.

Unfortunately, today the palace is not available for free inspection. But you can watch a short presentation of the Farnese Palace provided by the French Embassy in French. The interior decoration is very beautiful and if you wish, you can watch this film using this link -

The wealth of Rome is not limited to just archaeological sites, it also has many superb medieval palaces. Some of them now house museums with rich collections of works of art by great masters, including Bernini, Caravaggio, Raphael, Michelangelo, Van Gogh, Borromini, Reni, Albani and others. We have collected for you the most popular palaces and villas, striking with their architecture, interior decoration, parks and art galleries.

Separately, we would like to tell you about one unusual place, namely Monster Park. It is located near Rome and is definitely worth a visit, especially if you are looking for something special. Here are the most unusual sculptures and fabulous views that Salvador Dali himself once admired. It is best to visit this place as part of an individual excursion, book it.

Palazzo Borghese

Palazzo Borghese XVI century is located in one of the most romantic parks in Rome - Villa Borghese, its shape resembles a green heart. The palace was built for Cardinal Borghese. He fanatically collected paintings and sculptures by European masters. Coming from a wealthy and influential princely family, the cardinal could not skimp and acquire whatever he liked, sometimes even illegally. As a result, by his death the collection already included more than 800 paintings, a huge number of sculptures, including those from the ancient period. This is what the Borghese Gallery is famous for to this day. Here you can enjoy famous works by Bernini, Caravaggio, Raphael, Botticelli, Titian, Rubens, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Bellini, Canova, Carnach, Correggio and many, many others. People are allowed inside the gallery strictly on time, for 2 hours. Tickets should be purchased at least 2-3 days in advance, or better yet, even earlier. You can purchase them using this link.

Capitoline Palaces ( Campidoglio Palazzi)

Three majestic palaces (the central one is the Palace of Senators, and on the sides there are twin palaces, the Palace of the Conservatives and the New Palace) located on the famous Capitol Square, which was designed by Michelangelo himself. The great master also modified the buildings themselves in XVI century so that they are in harmony with each other. Nowadays the Capitoline Museums are located inside the palaces. Here you can see iconic cultural works of art: the famous sculpture of the she-wolf, works by Bernini, the original ancient statue of Marcus Aurelius and much more.

Barberini Palace ( Palazzo Barberini)

Palace XVI centuries were built over 6 years by order of Maffeo Barberini (Pope Urban VIII ). Three great masters took part in this - Maderna, Borromini and Bernini. The palace has been the property of the state since 1949. Today it houses an art gallery. Some of the most impressive works in the museum are a stunning fresco by Pietro da Cortona, the elaborate staircases of Borromini and Bernini, a statue of the Barberini Faun (Drunk Satyr), the Portland Vase and the ruins of the ancient Temple of Mithras.

Palace of Spada (Palazzo Spada)

This palace was built in XVI century by the architect Baronio. The building was perfectly restored and expanded after it was acquired by Cardinal Bernardino Spada. Thanks to this, we can now admire the famous Borromini Perspective Gallery. It is known for its optical illusion: instead of a real length of 8 meters, we see a space measuring 35 meters. The palace also houses a collection of paintings XVII centuries: works by Caravaggio, Titian, Albani, Domenichino, Reni, Carracci, Guercino, Solimena. Meetings of the Supreme Council are also held here.

Villa Giulia

Villa Giulia was built for Pope Julius III . Many famous architects and artists of that era worked on the project. At one time it was the summer residence of the popes. Over the years the villa has changed significantly. Today it houses the National Museum of Etruscan Art. This place will especially appeal to those interested in ancient history.

Villa Farnesina ( Villa Farnesina)

The Renaissance villa is located in the famous Trastevere area, at the foot of Gianicolo. It was built for the banker Agostino Chigi according to the design of Peruzzi in XVI century. Frescoes by Raphael and Michelangelo are valuable decorations of the interior. Around the villa there is a luxurious park with fruit trees.

We wish you wonderful walks through the villas and palaces of Rome!

Federal Agency for Education

"Belgorod State Technological University named after V.G. Shukhov"

Department of Architecture

Abstract on the topic

"Palaces of Ancient Rome"

Completed by: st.gr. AD-31

Muravetskaya Kristina

Checked by: Tokareva T.V.

Belgorod

Introduction.

Throughout the ancient world, Roman architecture has no equal in the height of engineering art, the variety of types of structures, the richness of compositional forms and the scale of construction. And it’s quite difficult for us to believe that Roman culture arose in complete chaos.

In those days, Rome personified endless wars, bloodshed and barbarism. It's safe to say that Rome was at war with half the world. The states that were part of the colossal Roman power are scattered from the British Isles to Egypt itself. Many of the enslaved countries and peoples were at a higher level of development than Rome itself.

Rome neither had nor knew anything beautiful, there was nothing attractive, refined, pleasing to the eye in it: overflowing with barbaric weapons and bloody armor torn from killed enemies, crowned with monuments of victories and triumphs, it presented a gloomy and formidable spectacle. Tired of this cruelty, the Romans turned to the culture of the conquered peoples: Greece, Egypt, Germany, Gaul. They learn, from the examples of their cities, palaces and temples, harmony, creativity and beauty. Thus, Ancient Roman art developed on the basis of a complex interpenetration of the original art of local Italian tribes and peoples (primarily the powerful Etruscans, owners of an ancient, highly developed original artistic culture) and the culture of the conquered states. This is how the Romans became acquainted with the art of urban planning (various versions of vaults, the Tuscan order, engineering structures, temples and residential buildings, etc.), monumental wall painting, sculptural and pictorial portraits, distinguished by a keen perception of nature and character.

The palaces of Ancient Rome deserve special attention.

Golden House of Emperor Nero.

We will begin the story about the Golden House of Nero with a short description of the personality of Nero himself. It would be wrong to depict him exclusively in black colors.

Emperor Nero (official name - NERO CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVGVSTVS GERMANICVS) was born on December 15, 37 AD. He ruled the Roman Empire from October 13, 54 AD. to June 9, 68 AD Nero became a household name, glorifying himself throughout the centuries as a symbol of debauchery, inconstancy and narcissism; he embodied almost all human vices. There are many texts on the Internet dedicated to this person. Let us note the following for ourselves. Despite his extravagance, Nero was a man of culture. He drew knowledge from others, but also sought to leave his mark on it. From an early age he used his mental acuity in other directions: carving, engraving, painting, singing, taming and breaking horses. Sometimes he composed and read his poems. Nero showed a certain interest in the sciences of nature with the aim of preserving it - he undertook trips outside the empire to study the environment. He loved conversations with sages to train his mind and sharpen his reaction skills. First of all, Nero was an artist. He loves to be greeted with applause on stage as a poet or actor, harpist, musician, athlete. Nero always considered himself not an ardent amateur, but a real artist, a professional. At the height of the crisis of ’68, wasn’t he the one who exclaimed: “Our life is in art!” He considered himself the greatest artist of his time. Therefore, it is not surprising that living, real life became pitiful and everyday for Nero; human feelings that were not encountered in concentrated form or were not expressed aesthetically did not touch him. Living in a ghostly world, serving only the cult of eternal beauty, Nero did not accept reality with its harsh laws, which were so poorly reconciled with his wondrous fantasies. He was brought up on mythology and art.

It was such a person who created the largest and most luxurious palace of antiquity, embodying in it the very idea of ​​terrestrial Elysium. Of course, everyone has their own ideas about the Garden of Eden. Nero, despite his truly global utopianism, created his Golden House on a truly imperial scale, thereby showing that he, in fact, can do anything, like those Olympian gods, for whom it costs nothing to realize a dream into reality.

The plan of this grandiose palace was drawn up by the architects Severus and Celer. Severus and Celer had the talent and courage to mock the imperial treasury and achieve with art what nature refused. According to their plan, it was an entire palace complex, which included groves, fields, meadows, vineyards, orchards, and artificial ponds. When planning a palace for Nero, Severus and Celer intended to create not just one palace, but a kind of country residence in the center of Rome. They planned to present within limited limits examples of Egyptian and oriental palace and park art, to present the whole world in miniature, to recreate in the center of the capital, as it were, natural nature - beautiful views and islands of rural solitude. Moreover, the royal residence was supposed to be connected to all parts of Rome, so it was imagined as a city that was built in the surrounding village. In their project, Severus and Celer simultaneously combined elements of a Roman country estate, a Campanian villa and a palace residence, and this greatly pleased Nero. However, the construction of the “Golden House” might not have been realized then. In addition to financial difficulties, Nero was confronted with the religious law and customs of the Roman people. The huge area that the emperor needed for development, as mentioned above, was occupied by palaces, temples, public buildings and other structures. These obstacles could have been insurmountable for Nero, but the fire that happened in Rome in 64 played into the hands of the emperor. Simultaneously with the restoration of the city, a palace for the emperor was also erected. The main entrance to the palace was located at the Forum, in the place where the ruins of the Temple of Venus and Rum (built under Hadrian) now stand, and part of the Sacred Road (Via Sacra) led to it. To give it a monumental character, Nero ordered the construction of large arches on both sides of the road.

According to historical and archaeological sources, it is known that Nero was able to implement his project by 70-80% - the entire territory was planned, landscaped, most of the buildings were erected and finished inside. The main palace, the core of the ensemble, was unfinished; in particular, not all the walls were covered with frescoes, but this did not prevent Nero from settling in it. The plans of Sever and Celer have not survived, but modern historians estimate the area of ​​the palace to be from 40 to 120 hectares.

The main entrance led to a huge vestibule, and in front of it stood an almost 35-meter statue of Nero in the pose of the Colossus of Rhodes (the work of the sculptor Zenodorus). In the sculptural Colossus one could clearly see a portrait resemblance to Nero. Pliny, who visited Zenodorus’s sculpture workshop, wrote: “In his workshop we were amazed at the extraordinary similarity of the preliminary clay sketch.” The colossus, made of bronze, gold and silver, outlived Nero: subsequently, it was one of all other portraits of the “deified” emperor that was not destroyed. Only its location and the face of the colossus have changed slightly. But this happened much later than the destruction of the main building of the palace.

Hypothetical reconstruction of the lobby of the Golden Palace. Below on the left is the Roman Forum, behind the temple in memory of Yu. Caesar begins the compositional entrance to the palace, the road leads to the vestibule, behind which you can see an artificial lake.

Another reconstruction - they are all different, because... There is no single version of what exactly the palace grounds looked like.

Through the lobby of the palace, visitors entered a spacious portico, which occupied the entire Velia hill, and further, in the valley, there was an artificial lake filled with salt water: it was like a sea that arose at the whim of the emperor, and boat trips were organized on it. Later, on the site of this lake, drained by order of Vespasian, the Colosseum was built. Porticoes-coverings, supported by rows of columns, also stretched between the individual parts of the palace. Some of them had three rows of columns and were up to one and a half kilometers long. Anyone who walked under such a portico seemed to be transported to new lands every 15-20 steps. Either the bright flowers of a carefully tended garden smiled at him, or the coolness of the groves and the greenery of the pastures beckoned him. Intricate fountains were built in parks and gardens, water gurgled in aqueducts, birds splashed in ponds and colorful fish swam, and tamed animals walked in the forests. Among the green trees there were white statues, and snow-white marble sculptures also enlivened the banks of ponds surrounded by flowering bushes.

The first thing that is striking is how skillfully and carefully thought out the lighting was: the sun penetrated and filled even the most distant rooms, not to mention the luxurious halls. Through holes made in the ceilings and walls, sunlight was cleverly directed onto streams of water and gilded frescoes. The luminary played in the golden stones and fabrics that decorated the interior of the palace. It is difficult to overestimate the greatness of the architectural design and its leading idea: the golden radiance of the Invincible Sun (Sol Invictus) in the palace of the Emperor Nero identified with it.

The cement that had already been invented by that time helped the architects Sever and Celer to realize such a grandiose plan. They were among the first to use a hitherto unknown building material. The arches and domes no longer required powerful walls for support, and therefore the entire “Golden House” turned out to be light and airy. It was a bright and romantic building, a kingdom of art and serenity.

Reconstructions of the appearance of the main building vary so much due to the absence of the upper tier of the building, as well as due to the inaccessibility of individual fragments of the building, because they were walled up in a terrace from the time of Trajan.

The Golden House took several years to build, and its most beautiful halls were erected on the Oppian Hill. Their interior decoration was more than fabulously splendid. The walls of all the rooms, lined with various types of marble, were so richly decorated with gilding that because of it the palace received the name “Golden House”.

Frescoes in the Golden House of Nero

The expanses of white soil on the walls and ceilings are generously covered with a wide network of picturesque panels, framed by straight lines or fragile, filigree lattices. Often the centers of these picturesque panels form areas covered with greenery, occupied by groups of birds or animals or tiny human figures in relaxed poses, realistic or fantastic.

The picturesque decoration of the ceilings matched the walls: for example, in one of the halls the vault was divided by thin gilded frames into round, square and oval fields (decorative caissons), in which mythological scenes were depicted. In the feast halls, light openwork ceilings could be opened, and then flowers, rose petals, or incense would be scattered from above on the feasting people. In the main hall (octagonal), the ceiling was arranged in the form of a vault of heaven, which rotated non-stop, following the movement of the heavenly bodies; salty and sulfuric waters flowed in the baths.

One of the halls of the palace - artistic reconstruction.

The latest technology of the time was used to construct the Domus Aurea. Upon entering, guests were greeted by a cascade, under which there was a special mechanical device that collected water. Almost every hall had its own technological surprises, for example, the world's first manually operated elevator was installed. In many chambers everything was covered with gold, decorated with precious stones and mother-of-pearl shells. It should be noted that its domed Octagonal Hall, into which light entered through a round opening in the center, was the oldest example of a brick building built using cement. The building was equipped with all kinds of technical innovations of that time: these were baths with sulfur and mineral water, and the world's largest hydraulic organ, and moving panels that sprinkled diners with flowers and exuded incense, and a mechanically rotating dome of the main refectory hall, which crowned the building and reproduced the movement of heavenly luminary

Reconstruction of the Octagonal (Octagonal) hall.

Modern view of the Octagonal Hall of the House of Nero.

All these excesses led to huge popular unrest. The Senate deposed Nero and declared him an outlaw. Abandoned by everyone except a few slaves and freedmen, the deposed emperor fled from Rome and, after much hesitation, committed suicide in one of the suburban villas. Before his death, he never stopped repeating: “What an artist dies!” After the death of Nero, events related to his Golden House developed as follows. Otho, who ruled for only three months, allocated 50 million sesterces for the completion of the palace, but the palace was already doomed. After Nero, the emperors did everything possible to destroy his memory. The Flavians, successors of Nero and Otho, were burdened by the palace-villa they inherited. On the lands of the Golden Palace of Flavia, a new forum, baths, and amphitheater were built; outlying areas were repurposed for private development. In 104-109 Emperor Trajan begins to build baths, and what little was left of the palace disappeared.

Ancient Ancient Rome. 2.Ancient Roman architecture. 3.Literature Ancient Rome. 4.Art Ancient Rome. Conclusion. List of used... paintings by Greek masters. Roman temples, palaces turned into art museums. Enthusiasm...