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Hadrian's Villa, a UNESCO World Heritage
Site in Tivoli, Italy, was built by Hadrian shortly after he
became emperor of Rome. Why he chose this distant location - unlike his predecessors whose palaces still exist
in ruins on the Palatine Hill in Rome - is unknown. That his wife, Sabina, already
owned the land near Tivoli seems to be a major factor. Despite beeing
ranked among the "good emperors," Hadrian seems to have been in many ways as cruel and ruthless as many emperors whom
history has judged much more negatively. His successor, Antoninus Pius, chose to have Hadrian
remembered in a positive light - his success in doing so being apparent
yet today. Tension between Hadrian and
the Senate was likely also a factor in his choosing this remote location
for his residence. In his later years, he apparently ruled directly from
the villa.The villa is huge -
about 1 by 2 km - and, despite having been mined away by Cardinal
Ippolito II d'Este in the 16th century for its marble, still exhibits a
wealth of architectural styles and innovations. Hadrian was both
aggressive and creative in his architectural endeavors, as is evident
here and in the Pantheon.
See also: our photos of portraiture of
Hadrian,
Sabina and
Antinous.
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