Pompeiianum, Aschaffenburg, Germany

Inspired by the excavations in Pompeii, King Ludwig I of Bavaria commissioned the architect Friedrich von Gärtner to build an idealized Roman villa, which was completed from 1840–1848. On the ground floor are the reception and guest rooms, the kitchen and the dining room, grouped around two inner court yards, the Atrium with its water basin and the Viridarium with its garden in the rear section of the house.

The splendid decoration of the interior and the mosaic floors were copied or adapted from ancient models. Since 1994, original Roman works of art from the State Antiquities Collections and the Glyptothek in Munich are now also on display here. Among the most valuable exhibits in addition to the Roman marble sculptures, small bronzes and glas ses, are two marble thrones of gods. In addition, there is a different special exhibtion every year on an archaeological topic.

The Pompeiianum is surrounded by a small garden which was also only laid out in the mid-19th century. It was to be an 'ideal Mediterranean landscape', and still has a flavour of the warmer climes of southern Europe with its fig, araucaria and almond trees, as well as vines, Lombardy poplars and pines.

References:

Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung

User Reviews

Tina S (Tara YLuna) (4 months ago)
Good look back in time, unfortunately only the inner courtyard was available to be seen. A security guard made sure nobody climbed across the rope The outside is very beautiful and you can look over the Main.

Dirk Zimmer (6 months ago)
A re-creation of a Roman house from the 19th century perspective. Nice is the colourful decoration. Although nobody knows whether these colours are representative, Roman houses were indeed colorful.

Christian Frățică (6 months ago)
Relaxing place. Love it!

Richard P (2 years ago)
One of the best and most attractive places in Bavaria. Rich in history, with a good view of the Main. Would really recommend it to any visitors of Germany.

Mark Walland (2 years ago)
Entry €7 combined with the Palace. Signage is primarily German so difficult to work out what was what. Good waste of a rainy day to be honest.

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The Palazzo Colonna is a palatial block of buildings built in part over ruins of an old Roman Serapeum, and has belonged to the prestigious Colonna family for over twenty generations.

The first part of the palace dates from the 13th century, and tradition holds that the building hosted Dante in his visit to Rome. The first documentary mention notes that the property hosted Cardinal Giovanni and Giacomo Colonna in the 13th century. It was also home to Cardinal Oddone Colonna before he ascended to the papacy as Martin V (1417–1431).

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Starting with Filippo Colonna (1578–1639) many changes have refurbished and create a unitary complex around a central garden. Architects including Girolamo Rainaldi and Paolo Marucelli labored on specific projects. Only in the 17th and 18th centuries were the main facades completed. Much of this design was completed by Antonio del Grande (including the grand gallery), and Girolamo Fontana (decoration of gallery). In the 18th century, the long low facade designed by Nicola Michetti with later additions by Paolo Posi with taller corner blocks (facing Piazza Apostoli) was constructed recalls earlier structures resembling a fortification.

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Along with the possessions of the Doria-Pamphilij and Pallavacini-Rospigliosi families, this is one of the largest private art collections in Rome.

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