Rome, the Domus Tiberiana reopens to the public after 50 years of closure
It was the first true imperial palace of ancient Rome ,it should have reopened to the public in 2021, but the forced stop of the pandemic and the need for caution regarding excavations postponed this moment, which has now finally arrived.
The Domus Tiberiana, after fifty years of closure, has just reopened its doors and is ready to welcome visitors, thus further enriching the Archaeological Park of the Colosseum.
The majestic residence overlooks the Roman Forum with its two large arches. This is the imperial palace built by Nero and expanded by Domitian and Hadrian. With its reopening the connection that originally existed between the Roman Forum and the Palatine is restored, through Domitian’s ramp and the Horti Farnesiani. This will allow visitors to retrace the footsteps of Emperor Tiberius, on the same path he took through the covered road, the Clivus of Victory, to reach his private residence.
The Domus Tiberiana is the first real imperial palace, built on the north-western side of the Palatine hill in the 1st century. AD. In addition to the residential part, the Domus Tiberiana included gardens, places of worship, rooms intended for the praetorian guard to protect the Emperor, and a service area facing the Forum.
Wanted by Nero, the palace then underwent various modifications and expansions over the following centuries, in particular under the emperors Domitian (81-96 AD) and Hadrian (117-138 AD), until it reached an area of approximately 4 hectares. In the 7th century it became a papal seat at the behest of John VII. Another important stage in its thousand-year history was the mid-16th century when, after centuries of abandonment, the Farnese family decided to create on its terraces the garden of delights enclosed in the so-called Horti Farnesiani.
From now on, those who visit the Domus Tiberiana, in addition to admiring the structure, will be able to pass through a series of exhibition rooms, where finds such as coins, oil lamps, amphorae, terracotta creations and frescoes are on display. Fragments of everyday life that give a clear image of the life of the emperors in the palace. There are also two multimedia rooms and a tactile path available.
The title chosen for the new museum exhibition is “Imago Imperii ” and is made even more evocative by the new lighting of the Domus Tiberiana.
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