Domus of Titus Macro, one of the largest Roman-era mansions in northern Italy, opens to the public

Starting Feb. 1, the Aquileia Foundation opens to the public the Domus di Tito Macro, one of the largest Roman-era dwellings among those found in northern Italy, covering an area of 1,700 square meters and representing a unicum in Europe.

The domus was partially investigated in the 1950s and, between 2009 and 2015, was the subject of excavations conducted by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Padua, in agreement with the Aquileia Foundation and under concession from the Ministry of Culture. Thanks to the excavations, it was possible to recognize, in particular, the plan of the domus, built in the 1st century B.C. and lived continuously until the 6th century A.D., and to propose its attribution to Titus Macros, a wealthy inhabitant of Aquileia, based on the discovery of a stone weight with an iron handle bearing the inscription T.MACR.

The building was entered from the west through an atrium supported by four columns and equipped with a central basin for collecting water and a well, partially preserved and supplemented in the missing part. On an axis with the entrance was the tablinum, reception room of the master of the house, with a rich mosaic floor. The rear part of the house faced a central uncovered space, the garden, surrounded by a mosaic corridor and equipped with a fountain. Opening onto the garden was the great hall and, to the south, the triclinium, flanked by living rooms and a bedroom (cubiculum). To the north, on the other hand, was the kitchen with a masonry counter, while in the eastern part four workshops were recognized, including a baker’s store with a baking oven, the remains of which remain in view.

The innovative project for the enhancement and reconstruction of the rooms of the Domus of Titus Macro, promoted by the Aquileia Foundation and whose roofing project is the work of the Design Group directed by Eugenio Vassallo, was carried out through the use of resources provided to the Foundation by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region and through the contribution of ALES S.p.A., an in-house company of the Ministry of Culture.

The Domus di Tito Macro will be open daily, with staggered admission every 30 minutes, at the following times:

November through February, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the week; Saturdays, Sundays and holidays until 5 p.m. (except closing on Dec. 25);
in March and October, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily; April through September, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

For info: https://www.fondazioneaquileia.it/it

Domus of Titus Macro, one of the largest Roman-era mansions in northern Italy, opens to the public

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