Subterranean Roman villas
If you have always wanted to know what an actual Roman villa was like 2000 years ago, then head for Le Domus Romane di Palazzo Valentini. This new yet antique attraction was only discovered in 2007 and provides a unique insight into the life of the ancient Romans. Instead of musty ruins, the site offers amazing multimedia projections that bring the villas back to their former glory.
Light and sound
Descending beneath Palazzo Valentini is like entering another world. Because the villas were so well preserved, large segments of the mosaics, marble floors and stairs are still intact. A multimedia tour brings the spaces to life; projections and light shows demonstrate how people once lived here, while the audio tour explains many fascinating details such as the heating system in the bath house and old traces of a house fire. There are also projections that describe how the surroundings must have looked like at the time.
Palazzo Valentini
Palazzo Valentini itself has been home to the provincial government of the Province of Rome since 1873. The palace was built on behalf of Cardinal Michele Bonelli, a nephew of Pope Pius IV. The history of the palace is tumultuous, with many expansions, demolitions and renovations. One of the finest additions is the Imperiali library, built for Cardinal Renato Imperiali, which exhibits over 24,000 books. The palace was named after Consulate-General Vincenzo Valentini who bought it in 1827.
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