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Nero's Domus Aurea - An Ancient Rome Tourist Attraction Delight

by: JillKammer
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Recently Rome opened the Golden House of Nero to public viewing and it is an attraction not to be missed. It is interesting that the ruins were discovered long ago during the Renaissance but it was in the late 20th century that they were prepared to be seen by you and I.

Nero's luxurious home was built after the famous fire that almost wiped out Rome while Nero fiddled. Nero built his palace in 64 AD and turned it into a storehouse of riches and art works. When it was at its finest, there was gold foil everywhere and the ceilings were covered with fine gems and ivory. But these lovely things were stripped from the palace after Nero's death.

Nero's opulent home actually covered a huge 350 acre grounds which boasted fine vineyards and a lake made just for him. But something unusual about this "home" of Nero's is that there were no bedrooms in any of the 300 rooms. This is not to say that during those wild orgies we know about, many didn't just fall in a stupor all around the house and grounds.

One artistic marvel that stood at the site was a magnificent statue of Nero. This huge figure stood 40m (130ft) high. But it was moved to the Coliseum, just leaving the bronze base behind.

If your trip to Rome includes a tour of this fascinating old house, it will be a great experience even though the house was destroyed centuries ago. And since Rome is a delightful destination - especially in the fall when the temperatures are perfect, touring Nero's house fits any vacation agenda.

One of the best tours of the Palace of Nero is audio guided, and you will go underground to see the huge vaults and rooms covered with amazing artwork. The world famous artist Fabullus did a lot of the frescoes of the house using a very popular style he learned in Pompeii, that ultimately doomed city.

While you might not have heard of Fabullus, he had a huge influence on some very well known artists including Raphael and Michelangelo, as well as Casanova and the Marquis de Sade. Pay close attention because you will see the actual signatures of those fabled artists etched right into the walls of the palace.

The tour will open your eyes to another world as you see ruins still not fully restored, hiding amazing ancient art works. But when you see rooms that look like they did during Nero's time, the artwork and luxurious design will take your breath away.

You will get to see a diverse assortment of grottos in the underground tour. But when you see the Octagon room, prepare to be impressed. Nero's obsession with Greek art was easy to witness in this room, which originally held a statue of the Dying Gaul, and is now at the Pallazzo Altemps museum.

But don't miss out on enjoying the great gardens and grounds during your stay. The organizers also have a replica of the Octagonal Room for you to examine which will give you a real feel for how it was to live in this amazing time in history in Nero's house.

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Nero's Domus Aurea - An Ancient Rome Tourist Attraction Delight

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