Villa Adriana Entrance

The Villa Adriana entrance is your starting point for Emperor Hadrian's second-century retreat at Tivoli, just outside Rome. Tivoli itself is known for its villas and rich history. Hadrian adored architecture and art, and from around 128 AD he made the villa his official residence. Beyond the gate, you step into grounds that once bustled with life and activity.

Hadrian wanted to bring the whole world to Rome, and the remains blend Egyptian, Greek and Roman architecture. The mixture reflects his journeys across the empire, gathered here as his idea of an ideal city. Pools, steam baths, fountains and gardens serve that vision. The Teatro Marittimo takes it furthest: a circular building set on an artificial island, ringed by its own moat. It gave the emperor a retreat within a retreat, a place of solitude.

Excavation continues across the grounds, so new finds keep coming to light. The Canopo holds the most personal story: Hadrian built the huge rectangular pool for his lover Antinous, who drowned in Egypt. Its design follows the Egyptian city of Canopus, and columns and statues run along its length.