A trip to Hadrian's Villa

Hadrian's Villa was by far the most amazing ruins that I've seen since i've been in Europe. I thought it was very cool how you could crawl through the ancient remains. In Rome, all of the ruins are so touristy that you can't really explore for yourself. One of the coolest parts of the Villa was the Maritime Theater. This was Emperor Hadrian's very own get away inside of the Villa. It was surrounded by a moat filled with fresh water, and a tall outer wall that gave even more privacy. Hadrians lair was comprised of bedrooms, a library, and numerous bathes. Hadrian loved poetry, art, and philosophy.It is thought that this is where he would go to relax and create art. The only way to get across the moat was by two draw bridges. Towards the end of Hadrian's rein as emperor of Rome, he spent much of his time at the Villa. Saying "It was more peaceful than any place he had visited in Europe or in Rome" Many of the remains are still present, and it is very easy to formulate in your head what use to be located on this site. When you walk through the Forum in central Rome, it is not easy to get an idea of what use to be located there. Hadrian's Villa on the other hand is not like that at all. The area is surrounded by mountains and rolling hills. It was seriously one of the most beautiful places I had ever been in my life. I could have spent hours there just looking at the scenery. I can see why Hadrian chose this particular spot to build his summer retreat. Many of the pools in the villa can still be seen. During the hay day of the site, waterfalls flowed from pool to pool in the 300 acre complex. The water was constantly circulated so that it was clean and fresh. The sound that this water would have made, must have been extremely relaxing. Towards the north end of the site was an area called the Canopus, which is still filled with water today. The far end of the structure use to house a shrine dedicated to the emperor Hadrian. From the top of the building a thin sheer of water use to flow over the ledge creating a sheet of water between the shrine and the outer pool. The sound that this water would have made would have been heard hundreds of feet away from the site. There are replicas of the statues that use to be placed along the pool. This entire area used to be covered by a roof. It is not completely understood how this was accomplished. Architects have recreated two different ways this part of the villa use to be. In the picture below you can see the recreation of columns at the end of the pool. Further down the side, statues could have held up the roof. Either way, it would have been an extraordinary site to see. In the far ground of the picture is where the water would have spilled into the pool. 

There was also a system of underground tunnels and canals that connected each building. In the heat of the day Hadrian and his people could get around the entire estate without ever walking outside. 

There was a heating system that incorporated the sun, and fires located under the pools, which heated the water. There was a system of pipes that would allow hot or cold water to be added into the plumbing depending on the temperature that day. In ancient times, it was a modern day system of heated pools. Architects and scientists from all over the world marvel at this magnificent site. There are still many aspects of the site that we don't completely understand, and are unable to recreate. All of the models of Hadrians Villa are just ideas of what it used to be like. We cannot be sure how each structure was actually used. 

On the opposite side of the site is the Piazza d'Oro, otherwise known as the golden square. This part of the villa housed an enormous garden,  with pools and fountains. The picture above is what remains. It is thought that the structure in the far end of the picture was covered completely by a roof although architects still aren't sure how that would  have been possible. The picture of the tunnel a little bit above, runs completely under the golden square, connecting the buildings on either side. There were canals in the tunnel that would have channeled water to the other side, with many drop offs. The water would have echoed through the tunnels making it sound like a babbling creek. There were numerous windows in the tunnel leading up to the gardens so the splashes from the water would have been heard throughout the square. To put this in perspective, the golden square would have been like a high class spa, with soothing sounds of trickling water. Hundreds of statues were uncovered in this part of the villa, so no doubt it would have been one of the most gorgeous sites in the entire complex. 

(Information from; Eyewitness Travel Guide, www.wikipedia.com)