Piazza Armerina and Villa Romana del Casale

The monumental complex known as Villa Romana del Casale is about 5 km far from Piazza Armerina. It is a luxury dwelling dating back to the late-Roman age, that has been found out just at the end of nineteenth century, and brought to light between the 1920s and the 1950s.

It consists of a majestic and asymmetric complex of buildings with a pleasant sinuous design made of gradients, exedras and staircases. The lowest levelcomprises a thermal complex and a big exedra-shaped lavatory; the second level includes the peristyle and the living areas; the third level contains the room with the tri-apsidal triclinium and the xystus; a fourth group of buildings contain private apartments and the basilica hall that opens on a longambulacrum

The Villa features over 3.500 sq metres mosaic floors and the most extraordinary and largest example of mosaic decoration, whose complexity has no comparison even in the big group of mosaics of the Tunisian Roman Villas

Once visited Villa Romana del Casale, it is worth visiting the near, little city of Piazza Armerina. There, take a walk along the streets of its historic center and the medieval streets, you will be astonished by the impressive bulk of the Cathedral towering the city, the austere Aragonese Castle, the elegant Trigona Palace, and many other palaces and churches you can find at every turn.

history/itineraries/piazza-armerina