Roman Villa of Orpheus

The underground city of Trento is a treasure chest: the Roman Villa of Orpheus, located under via Rosmini, not far from the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, has been open to the public since June 2023.  It is a magnificent example of an elegant residence, which takes its name from the large polychrome mosaic that can be admired in the reception room: it is a real mosaic carpet measuring 56 square metres, in the center of which Orpheus is depicted sitting on a rock, intent on playing the lyre to enchant the animals with his music.

Located outside the city walls of Tridentum, the villa was built during the first century AD, when the splendidum municipium (the splendid city), as it was defined by Emperor Claudius in 46 AD, experienced its most flourishing phase. The elegant residence stood in a neighborhood which, in light of numerous other discoveries, seems to have been the site of rich buildings located next to the walls, not far from one of the gates to the city.

The tour of the villa is accompanied by information panels in three languages (Italian, English and German) and enhanced by a display case with exhibits, among which a glass gem, once used as seal, stands out. The visit is completed by an immersive video that helps locate the villa’s position in the context of Tridentum and offers a virtual reconstruction of the Roman city and the building, taking visitors on an exciting journey through the centuries.

The new, evocative layout completes and enriches the itinerary of “Tridentum, the Underground City”, which already includes the SASS Underground Archaeological Space and the archaeological areas of Porta Veronensis, on Piazza Duomo, and Palazzo Lodron, on Piazza Lodron.