Hadrian’s Villa
By Nidhir
When Emperor Hadrian needed a retreat from ancient Rome, he built a private city. Sprawling across roughly 300 acres in the hills of Tivoli, Hadrian’s Villa is so massive that his private estate would encompass nearly half of the University of Washington’s entire Seattle campus.
1:500 scale model of the villa
Wandering the ruins in the sunlight today, the sheer size is awe inspiring. The estate features over 30 monumental buildings, including the Maritime Theater. Despite the magnitude of the villa, this was Hadrian's ultimate private sanctuary. The theater is a circular island surrounded by a moat where he could pull up the wooden drawbridges and completely isolate himself from the demands of the empire.
Nearby lies the iconic Canopus, an elegant reflecting pool lined with statues and Corinthian columns. Hadrian used the villa as a scrapbook, recreating his favorite places from his extensive travels across Greece and Egypt. This also functioned as his grand party hall.
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