December 19, 2006
Domus Aurea: now you see it, now you can't
The palace of Nero, one of Rome's most popular tourist sites, will partly reopen to the public in January after being closed for more than a year for emergency repairs, officials said.From Reuters.The Domus Aurea, or House of Gold, had attracted an average of 1,000 visitors every day until water leaks last December stoked fears that the nearly 2,000-year-old palace might collapse.
Italy's government and the city of Rome have earmarked more than 4 million euros ($5.27 million) for the repairs, which officials described on Tuesday as part of a broader initiative to rescue the city's eroding archaeological sites. . .
Only about half of the 32 rooms that were previously open to public will be made available, officials said.
Posted by David on December 19, 2006 9:48 PM
I have to say it's never interested me - and I've read enough to know what I'm looking at - other than the main room itself. The rest of it is far too broken up by the foundations inserted to support the later bath house above it. It was already on my list to cut out of the next time I did a Rome semester. If you're looking to understand palatial luxury it's better to spend a really good chunk of time on the Palatine with a guide.
Posted by: Michael Tinkler on December 20, 2006 10:45 AM
cronaca.com