Roman Villa del Casale (Piazza Armerina):Tour of Sicilian Mosaics

Overview

Guided tour of the roman Villa Romana del Casale in Piazza Armerina town in Sicily, one of the most precious jewels left by the Roman civilization in Sicily. The villa, built in the III-IV a.d. it probably belonged to Valerio Massimiano, a powerful patrician of the empire. Since 1997 it has become a UNESCO world heritage, especially for the beauty of its mosaics, famous all over the world. The domus with its 48 rooms is built around the quadrangular peristyle which is accessed from the vestibule. The peristyle floor is entirely mosaic with drawings of European and African animals while the garden is enriched by a large fountain composed of three pools, covered in marble on the outside and in mosaic inside. Tour included the visit of the room with the ten girls in bikinis portrayed in various sports: throwing the disc, playing with the ball, exercises with weights and cross country and, later, the Basilica with the polychrome marble floors