The Domus Aurea is the surviving heart of Emperor Nero’s “Golden House,” an immense pleasure complex built after Rome’s great fire of AD 64. On the Oppian Hill above the Colosseum, its buried halls offer a striking contrast to the open-air ruins nearby: a world of vaulted rooms, long corridors and fragments of painted plaster beneath the park.
After Nero’s death, later emperors stripped and repurposed the palace. Its artificial lake was drained and the Colosseum built on the site, while Trajan’s baths rose above part of the complex. Those buried rooms were rediscovered in the Renaissance, when artists including Raphael studied their painted ceilings. The fanciful decoration found in these underground “grottoes” gave rise to the term grotesque.
A visit to the Domus Aurea reveals both Nero’s architectural ambition and the layers of history that followed. Look for the octagonal room, an inventive space crowned by an oculus, and traces of frescoes that hint at the palace’s former splendour. Some tours include virtual reality reconstructions, which help bring the now-bare interiors to life; check availability when booking.
Book ahead through official channels and check the current schedule, as access can change with conservation work. Bring a light jacket even in summer: the underground rooms are cool and damp. Wear comfortable shoes for uneven floors, and allow time to find the entrance in Colle Oppio park, a short uphill walk from Colosseo Metro station.