The Domus Aurea was Nero’s palace complex built after the fire of 64 CE, with structures, gardens, and an artificial lake across central Rome. Later emperors buried much of it beneath new construction, and Renaissance artists rediscovered its decorated rooms.
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The rooms of the Domus Aurea were buried beneath later buildings, turning a palace into what Renaissance visitors thought were underground grottoes. Emperor Nero began the complex after the fire of 64 CE.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- Nero began the palace after the fire of 64 CE.
- The complex included an artificial lake in the Colosseum valley.
- Renaissance artists copied its ornament, inspiring grotesque decoration.
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