Villa Romana del Casale: An Archiectural Gem

One of the most precious jewels in Italy, Villa Romana del Casale is an ancient Roman estate located outside Piazza Armerina in the Sicilian countryside. An architectural gem, the villa has survived earthquakes, floods, fires and the fall of the empire with its impressive collection of mosaics intact, and remains one of the most valuable historical and artistic sites connected to the late Imperial age. One of the richest and largest collections of Roman mosaics in the world, Villa Romana del Casale has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. Likely built in the 4th-century, the building has an intricate layout with more than 50 rooms and a sumptuous bath complex, signifying the wealth and power of its owner. The Villa was built in four main sections: the main entrance with its thermal baths, a peristyle with guest rooms and living area, the private rooms of the owner, complete with basilica - public hall - and a dining area with round courtyard. Once buried under centuries of mud and lava, the sprawling 11,482-acre villa survived in nearly pristine condition until it was unearthed by archeologists in the early 19th-century, carefully restored and finally opened to the public in 2012.

The mosaics depict a range of scenes of life both on and off the estate. Images of the family life of the estate’s owners, likely a wealthy high-level senatorial aristocrat who traded in exotic animals, which was a big business back when Rome entertained its masses with arenas filled with wild beasts and gladiators, decorate one room; another is covered in images of bikini-clad women competing in sporting activities, famously called the 'Chamber of the Ten Maidens'; and in one long corridor - 'The Great Hunt Corridor' - the entire floor is decorated with illustrations of exotic animals in an ornate African hunting scene; while others pay homage to mythology and the epics of Homer. The house and mosaics show a North African influence, leading scholars to believe that African artisans did the tile work, as they were the most accomplished in the empire. One of the richest and largest collections of Roman mosaics in the world, Villa Romana del Casale was acclaimed as a “supreme example of a luxury Roman villa” by UNESCO. A masterpiece of human creative genius, Villa Casale is an architectural gem, and one of the most spectacular sites we visited in Sicily.

Valerina was our guide for the day and brought Villa Romana del Casale to life for us,

with her depth of knowledge and passion for the UNESCO site

Wood fired furnaces heated the floors and water of the Villas thermal baths

The raised floors in the baths allowed hot water to flower underneath and heat the spa

Original layout of Villa Romana del Casale, one of the largest villas surviving from Roman times

The original covered entrance to the Villa with beautiful mosaics

Original untouched fresco from the 4th-century

Small coloured tiles were used to detail the main subject, which was a highly prized task and given to senior artisans to complete

Larger tiles were used for geometric designs, a task usually given to a novice

Mosaics were used to detail the floors while frescoes decorated the walls, 

always in the same colour palette

The mosaic pavement of the colonnade which runs around the peristyle is decorated with the heads of 162 European and African animals framed by laurel wreathes

Lions head detail

Surrounded with a magnificent mosaic pavement, the open colonnade of the peristyle, which is the central part of the Villa, allowed light into the facing main floor rooms

From the peristyle there is access to the thermal baths and latrine 

Mosaic of an aristocrat dressed in robes ready for the thermal baths

decorates the floor of the entrance to the caldarium, tepidarium and frigidarium

Funded by UNESCO, Villa Casale is protected by a raised path for visitors to tour the complex,

and a covered roof which emulates the kind of roof the villa would have had

Room of the Four Seasons was used as an antechamber by important guests

Decorative duck motif

Image of a Roman aristocrat in the guest room

Whimsical fish mosaic

Room of the Little Hunt

Hunters spearing a wild boar

Atrium of the Fishing Cupids

Detail of cupids fishing

Geometric mosaic design used for servants quarters which was a less expensive motif

The famous "bikini girls" mosaic

The bikini-style bottom was actually a wrapped loincloth made of cloth or leather used by athletes

The spectacular 200-foot long Hall of the Great Hunt is the greatest wonder of the villa, and depicts the detailed capturing and shipping of exotic animals which was a big business back when Rome so creatively entertained its masses with arenas filled with wild beasts and gladiators

The other end of the Great Hunting Corridor

Exotic beasts were caught and transported by ship from distant lands

Hunters on the Great Hunt mosaic

Tiger and cub

Mosaic of child on chariot in the children's nursery at Villa Romana

Mosaics of fishing boats in the atrium at the end of the Hunting Corridor

with original frescoes on the wall

Child's Bedroom with scenes of them hunting but also playing with animals

Detail of child playing with birds in a garden with flowers

www.villaromanadelcasale.it