Villa Romana del Casale ở Enna

At the gate of Piazza Armerina, in the picturesque valley of the River Gela on the slopes of Mount Mangone, Villa Romana del Casale is one of the most famous monuments of late antiquity in the Mediterranean. Built in the 4th century AD and decorated with enchanting mosaics that are considered the finest and best preserved of its kind.

The history of Villa Romana del Casale begins around AD 320-350: some scholars believe it belonged to a member of the Roman senate aristocracy, perhaps a governor of Rome under Emperor Constantine's time. However, according to other studies, it was built and expanded at the behest of a high-ranking official of the court, identified as Maximian Herculean, a quartet of Diocletian. During the Arab period, the villa was partially destroyed by the Normans and then almost completely covered by an avalanche from Mount Mangone. The discovery of the villa was made by archaeologist Gino Vinicio Gentili, who conducted excavations in the 1950s.

Villa Romana del Casale is one of the finest examples of an ancient Roman villa, so well preserved that it still shows us the life of the economic and social class that prevailed in the Roman era. . In 1997, it was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its splendid mosaics, still in perfect condition, covering an area of approximately 3,500 square meters, with depictions of heroes and deities. gods, hunting scenes, games and daily life. The mosaics of Villa del Casale in Piazza Armerina attract millions of visitors from all over the world each year.

The villa is divided into four parts. Visitors will begin their tour at the monumental entrance with a horseshoe-shaped courtyard. The central part of the villa has a monumental fountain and is surrounded by rooms that you can visit to admire the colorful mosaics that pave the entire grounds. The large dining room, decorated with mythological motifs, is located on the south side of the villa. From there, you can walk through the Great Hunting Corridor, famous for its mosaic depicting wildlife capture in Africa, and to the Small Hunting Room. Take some time to enjoy the theme of the collages, from myths to family scenes. The villa also has a unique mosaic: one of the few representations of women's sport in antiquity, with ten girls in bikinis participating in various disciplines such as discus throw, weight training and Vietnamese running. wild.

Villa Romana del Casale is open to the public Monday through Sunday from 09:00 to 19:00 in the summer and until 17:00 in the remaining months. Getting there from the center is just minutes away by buses that depart several times a day from Piazza Falcone Borsellino or the Villa Romana hotel in Piazza Alcide De Gasperi.