Castel Gandolfo
CASTEL GANDOLFO: FROM IMPERIAL RESIDENCE TO “VILLA PONTIFICIA”
When one visits the pontifical estates or “Villa Pontificia” for the first time, he does not expect to come across the ruins of what is perhaps the most famous villa of ancient Rome, the “Albanum Domitiani”, the magnificent summer residence of the Emperor Domitian (81-96 AD), which once covered roughly 14 kilometres along the Appian Way towards Lake Albano. However, the pontifical estates are in fact located over the main part of this ancient residence, which once included the “Arx Alban” at the furthest point of the hill of Castel Gandolfo. It is here that the Papal Palace stands today over what was once the heart of Albalonga.
Domitian’s villa was situated on the western side of the hill, dominating the Tyrennian Sea. The Romans levelled the slope into three different sections downhill towards the sea.
The first and highest level was dedicated to the houses of imperial servants, other amenities and the tanks where spring water from Palazzolo was collected after having been channelled through three aqueducts. Parts of these aqueducts have survived, and they fulfill the needs of the pontifical estates as well as of the inhabitants of Castel Gandolfo for fresh water.
On the second level, bordered uphill by a great protective wall, stood the imperial palace with its theatre. The lower level housed the “crypto-porticum”, a covered gallery three hundred metres long, where the Emperor used to go for walks. This level was sectioned further into a series of terraces, mostly occupied by gardens, one of which was turned into a racecourse.
It was in this residence with its wealth of natural beauty and superb buildings, monuments and works of art, that Domitian established a home.
When Domitian died, the villa was inherited by his successors who in turn preferred to live elsewhere. However, Hadrian (117-138) spent a little time here while his own villa near Tivoli was being completed. Similarly, Marcus Aurelius (161-180) spent a few days here during the rebellion of A.D. 175. Some years later, Septimius Severus (193-211) installed in the southern most part of the residence his “castra”, faithful legionaries from Parthia who made permanent camp here together with their families.
Following this period, the imperial villa began quickly to deteriorate. Monuments were soon deprived of their works of art and precious ornaments, buildings were demolished, marble and other materials were ransacked to be used in the new buildings of the first urban settlement at Albano. Another settlement, mostly of farmers, was established to the north of the Domitian villa, overlooking the lake towards “Cucuruttus” (today Montecucco). It was here that Castel Gandolfo would be founded much later.