Domus Aurea Rome (Nero's Palace)

Tours and tickets for visiting Nero's Golden House in Rome

Domus Aurea is the 'Golden House' of Emperor Nero in Rome. After a major fire in 64 AD. Nero built this impressive palace complex, which you can now visit with a tour.

Nero’s Golden House

After a major fire in Rome in 64 AD, Emperor Nero had the huge palace complex Domus Aurea ("Golden House") built in Rome. There are even rumors that Nero would have started this fire himself to create space for his palace. The 80-hectare complex with more than 150 rooms was the most striking and most expensive palace in Rome, with lots of marble, ivory and gold leaf walls. From the Roman Forum, the palace had an impressive entrance with a colonnade and a 35-meter-high statue of Nero himself at the time.

^{Visit Roman paintings in Nero's Golden House}

^{Domus Aurea: With VR glasses you go back in history}

Nero committed suicide in A.D. 68, so he never had the chance to experience the completion of the palace. His later successor Otho took care of the further completion. Since emperor Nero was not particularly loved by the people, later emperors Domus Aurea partly demolished again to erase the memories of Nero and built other buildings on top, such as the Baths of Trajan. The gardens were surrounded by large gardens and a landscaped lake; the Colosseum was later built in this lake.

Around the 15th century, old works of art were again searched, including the well-known Laocoön group that can now be found in the Vatican museums. Domus Aurea could not be visited for years due to security, but since 2014 part of the rooms and frescoes can be seen again.

Visit Domus Aurea?

Visiting Domus Aurea is only possible in small groups with a guide. There is sometimes even a tour where you get to see what the palace of Nero with VR glasses. Tours are only possible during the weekend, because during the week a lot of work is being done on the restoration of Domus Aurea. Online reservations of Domus Aurea tickets are required and can be done via this website.

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Video: Domus Aurea

Where is Domus Aurea in Rome?