Villa Romana, Minori
Encyclopedia
The Villa Romana or Roman Villa is an archaeological ruin from the 1st century in the village of Minori, Italy
in the region of Campania
.
The Roman villa of Minori stood in a bay of the Amalfi
coast, at the point where the river, Regina Minor, empties into the sea. This stretch of coastline, full of coves and natural harbors, was a favorite place where the imperial Roman aristocracy built their residences, as evidenced by the findings of Vietri sul Mare
, Amalfi
, Positano
, and Li Galli.
The first information on a building dating from Roman times in Minori dates from "Documents and Proceedings of the Archaeological Commission of the Hither Province Principality" (1873–74), where L. Stabiano wrote about the discovery of "Roman Baths".
In 1932 a collapse occurred during the renovation of some local homes and led to the discovery of an underground chamber, belonging to the Roman villa. The actual excavations began in 1934, but some areas came to light only in the 1950s, particularly after 1954, when a flood disrupted the Amalfi Coast.
In 1956, while working on the construction of the Hotel St. Lucia, new areas were discovered including paintings which are preserved in the annex to the villa. The residential structure is visible only on the side closest to the sea, as many parts of the building were reused as wineries from new housing lots on the site of the villa.
In the mid-1990s restoration began on the mosaics that decorated the triclinium
.
The villa was constructed arou a "viridarium" or Roman gardens with a central swimming pool surrounded by a group of dwelling rooms and triportico divided into two symmetric groups by a large central room.
Minori, Italy
Minori is a town and comune in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy. Minori is a small picturesque town situated on the Amalfi Coast.-Etymology:...
in the region of Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
.
The Roman villa of Minori stood in a bay of the Amalfi
Amalfi
Amalfi is a town and comune in the province of Salerno, in the region of Campania, Italy, on the Gulf of Salerno, c. 35 km southeast of Naples. It lies at the mouth of a deep ravine, at the foot of Monte Cerreto , surrounded by dramatic cliffs and coastal scenery...
coast, at the point where the river, Regina Minor, empties into the sea. This stretch of coastline, full of coves and natural harbors, was a favorite place where the imperial Roman aristocracy built their residences, as evidenced by the findings of Vietri sul Mare
Vietri sul Mare
Vietri sul Mare is a town and comune in the province of Salerno, in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is a popular tourist destination because it is a convenient place to start the Amalfi Coast drive.-Geography:...
, Amalfi
Amalfi
Amalfi is a town and comune in the province of Salerno, in the region of Campania, Italy, on the Gulf of Salerno, c. 35 km southeast of Naples. It lies at the mouth of a deep ravine, at the foot of Monte Cerreto , surrounded by dramatic cliffs and coastal scenery...
, Positano
Positano
Positano is a village and comune on the Amalfi Coast , in Campania, Italy. The main part of the city sits in an enclave in the hills leading down to the coast.-History:...
, and Li Galli.
The first information on a building dating from Roman times in Minori dates from "Documents and Proceedings of the Archaeological Commission of the Hither Province Principality" (1873–74), where L. Stabiano wrote about the discovery of "Roman Baths".
In 1932 a collapse occurred during the renovation of some local homes and led to the discovery of an underground chamber, belonging to the Roman villa. The actual excavations began in 1934, but some areas came to light only in the 1950s, particularly after 1954, when a flood disrupted the Amalfi Coast.
In 1956, while working on the construction of the Hotel St. Lucia, new areas were discovered including paintings which are preserved in the annex to the villa. The residential structure is visible only on the side closest to the sea, as many parts of the building were reused as wineries from new housing lots on the site of the villa.
In the mid-1990s restoration began on the mosaics that decorated the triclinium
Triclinium
A triclinium is a formal dining room in a Roman building. The word is adopted from the Greek τρικλίνιον, triklinion, from τρι-, tri-, "three", and κλίνη, klinē, a sort of "couch" or rather chaise longue...
.
The villa was constructed arou a "viridarium" or Roman gardens with a central swimming pool surrounded by a group of dwelling rooms and triportico divided into two symmetric groups by a large central room.