Villa Adriana
Via di Villa Adriana 204
00019 Tivoli, Italy
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Synopsis:
The Villa Adriana was a massive villa built by the Emperor Hadrian. Hadrian oversaw a period of relative peace in the Roman Empire and spent a great deal of time and energy on massive public works and other construction projects. The Villa Adriana was conceived as both an opulent villa and nerve center for the emperor and Empire, but also as a showcase of the power and reach of the Empire. Influences and references to the farthest parts of the Empire abound throughout the villa.
Although the Villa Adriana would fall into disrepair, its influence continued even after it was little more than a ruin. The villa was the inspiration for many of the architectural and villa design theory that emerged during the Italian Renaissance.