Aosta · Italy
Roman Villa of the Consolata
Outside the walls, to the north, the countryside extended, and in the countryside the villas. Excavation here has brought to light a suburban villa with living quarters, bath buildings and, later, a burial ground. It is the reverse of the monumental city: not temples and gates, but pools, underfloor heating, dining rooms with a view. A well-off family lived here minutes from the forum, with better air and the space that was lacking within the walls. Then, centuries later, burial began above those rooms. Houses become graves more often than is supposed.
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What is a suburban villa?
A residence just outside town, half show house and half farm. It combined urban comfort with what the fields produced.
What are private baths?
A small domestic bath suite with rooms of rising temperature. Having one at home was an unmistakable sign of wealth.
Can you visit?
It is an urban archaeological site and access can be limited. Worth checking before walking up here.
Where it is
More stories in Aosta
- Adret and envers
- When the railway arrived
- Arch of Augustus
- Regional Archaeological Museum
- The villages the city swallowed
- The Battle of the Queens
- Aosta Cathedral
- Church of Santo Stefano