Atrium

Central Sicily


This elegant space functioned as the Roman villa's forecourt.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Central Sicily attractions

1. Main Entrance

0.01 MILES

The villa's main entrance leads through the remnants of a triumphal arch into an elegant atrium (forecourt).

2. Frigidarium

0.02 MILES

The radiating apses in the the octagonal frigidarium contained bracing plunge pools.

3. Palaestra

0.02 MILES

The palaestra wows with a splendid, sweeping mosaic depicting a chariot race at the Circus Maximus in Rome (the room is also known as the Salone del Circo…

4. Villa Romana del Casale

0.02 MILES

Villa Romana del Casale is sumptuous, even by decadent Roman standards, and is thought to have been the country retreat of Marcus Aurelius Maximianus,…

5. Tepidarium

0.02 MILES

In the tepidarium you can see the exposed brickwork and vents that allowed hot steam into the room.

6. Peristyle

0.03 MILES

The main part of the villa is centred on the peristyle, a vast covered courtyard lined with amusing animal heads. This is where guests would have been…

8. Little Hunt

0.04 MILES

Of the rooms on the northern side of the peristyle, the most interesting is a dining room featuring a hunting mosaic called the Little Hunt – 'little'…