Event Date: 2022/10/09

A WALK IN THE VILLA ADRIANA
 by Biancamaria Fiorentino - UAN - Unione Astrofili Napoletani

A walk in the Villa of Publius Aelius Traianus Hadrianus

On 9 October, a guided tour of Hadrian's Villa (Tivoli) was organized by Raffaele D’Arco (Lello for friends, member of UAN). The walk was an original and successful conclusion of the National Congress of the SMI ((Sindacato dei Medici Italiani - Union of Italian Doctors) held in Tivoli during the previous week. Of the 250 participants in the congress, about one hundred took part in the visit. The invitation was also extended to UAN members, and some of us participated with great pleasure.

Marina De Franceschini (who also is a UAN member) is an exceptional guide: a passionate archaeologist and researcher with an engaging enthusiasm, Marina has dedicated a large part of her studies to this construction of the imperial age, «a rich complex of buildings built gradually (2nd century AD) and extended over a large area, which had to cover about 120 hectares (for comparison, the excavations of Pompeii cover an area of ​​66 hectares, of which about 50 excavated), in an area rich in water sources a few kilometers from the center inhabited of Tibur (Tivoli) and 17 Roman miles from the Urbs».

    From the Complex of the Pecile to the Canopus, from the Imperial Palace to the Piazza d'Oro, from the delightful Maritime Theater to the Great and Small Baths, the Antinoeion and the Cento Camerelle (Hundred Chambers), from the Philosopher’s Hall to the Hospitalia, Marina, the perfect host, led us by illustrating architectural structures, art objects, ingenious constructive solutions that contributed to exalt the greatness of the Emperor.

The archaeoastronomical studies on the Roccabruna Tower and in particular on the orientation of the Accademia (not yet open to visitors) are very interesting. «Our archaeo-astronomical study discovered the orientation of the Accademia building, confirmed the Roccabruna discoveries and found out that the whole Accademia esplanade - the actual acropolis of the Villa - was astronomically oriented. These discoveries open a new path of research that can make an important contribution to understanding the meaning of this part of the Villa ».

Wonderful walk and thank you Marina! Best wishes for the continuation of your research!