Last week we finally got to do a tour of the Domus Aurea.  This was built by the Emperor Nero after he cleared all the houses that were damaged by the fire in 64AD.   Gold leaf was applied to this palace of entertainment with 300 rooms.  There is no evidence of kitchens or latrines in the Domus Aurea.  Nero committed suicide in 68 AD and within 10 years the palace had been stripped of the marble, ivory, jewels and statues and within 40 years, it was covered over to build the Baths of Trajen on top.  It wasn’t until the end of the 15th century that a boy fell thru a hole and ended up in a beautifully decorated grotto covered with colorful frescoes.  The famous painters of the day such as Rafael and Michelangelo were lowered down into the grotto to study the frescoes and their influence can be seen today in the Vatican paintings.  There are some beautiful black and white marble floors done in quilt patterns.   There are also mosaics on the ceilings.  This was a big departure from the common mosaics on floors…but this style continues in churches.  There had been a lot of damage over the centuries by water and the elements.  Tree roots from hundreds of years old trees are growing into the structure causing more damage.  We had to wear hard hats on the tour.  As recently as 2010 a large part of a ceiling collapsed.  Mold is growing on the walls and damaging the frescoes that remain.  Excavation and research by archeologists continue today.  This was a wonderful tour…and it is across the street from the Colosseum…which perhaps got its name from a huge statue of Nero that was moved from the Domus Aurea by Hadrian, an architect and 24 elephants!  We have been staying in a lot due to the heat and humidity in Rome, but this tour was very comfortable and cool as we went from room to room.   There is a large octagon shaped dining room with a large circular opening in the ceiling, much like the oculus in the Pantheon.  One can only imagine how beautiful and elegant these rooms were when built.