The vast country residence of the emperor Hadrian, an ideal city of buildings
At the foot of the Tiburtine hills, the emperor Hadrian built between 118 and 138 AD a residence so vast, over 120 hectares, that it was a city in itself: palaces, baths, theatres, libraries, temples, gardens and pools, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A great traveller and lover of architecture, Hadrian reproduced in it the places that had struck him in Greece and Egypt.
The most famous corner is the Canopus, a long pool surrounded by columns and statues, including copies of the caryatids of the Erechtheion, ending in a nymphaeum, inspired by a canal near Alexandria. The Maritime Theatre, a small villa on an island in a circular moat, was the emperor's retreat. The Pecile, the great baths and the remains of the Golden Square show the innovation of Roman architecture.
Tip: the site is huge: allow at least three hours and wear comfortable shoes; the plastic model at the entrance helps understand the layout.
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