VILLA ROMANA DEL CASALE
Six kilometres from Piazza
Armerian, in the Southern part of Sicily, between Enna and
Caltagirone, is where one will find the Villa del Casale,
declared by UNESCO as a World Patrimony of Humanity in 1996.
The Villa, constructed between 285 and 300 BC, postioned on
the existing track between Catania and Arigento, enjoyed its
major splendour around the 4th and 5th Centuries BC.
Its ownership by the Emperor Massimiano was long discussed,
but today, its thought that it probably belonged more to a
wealthy member of the Roman aristocracy.
The Villa experienced its decline with the Goths and the Vandali,
who probably only partially destroyed it, as is testified
by the fact that it remained active during successive eras:
Byzantine, Arabic and Norman.
Buried by a flood, it had to await the first digs (19th Century)
to be partially returned to the light, but more profound studies
of the buildings and frescoes, are the merit of Gino Vinicio
Gentili (1950).
It is famous worldwide for the extraordinary beauty of its
frescoes. Villa Romana del Casale is composed of many areas
in which the lucky inhabitants carried out their daily lives:
the Thermals, composed of 10 rooms, some with mosaics with
depicting scenes of Nereidi, Tritoni (Frigidarium); the quadrangular
peristyle on a higher level than the Corinthian columns and
rooms with mosaic decorations, which were situated close by
to the left; the ambulatory of the great hunts, variously
decorated and which leads to the Great Hall, containing decorated
flooring. And once again the elliptic peristyle, with fountains
mosaic portals where there was space for other mosaic rooms
and finally, the Triclinium, with scenes showing the labours
of Hercules.
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