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Which would be La Città dell'Acqua.
It is hidden in a side street, as stone throw away from the Trevi Fountain.
La Città dell'Acqua is the name of the archaeological site for Vicus Caprarius.
The Cremonini industrial group had bought a whole block including an old cinema, with the idea of transforming this area in a bookshop, a Harry's bar and of renovating the movie theatre.
When they decided to dig in order to add a second room to the cinema, they immediately hit a wall.
The wall of an old forgotten Roman insula to be precise.
The building had been recovered by others along the centuries (starting in the middle age period) and forgotten. It stands at nine meters, the last three meters of the three story building lost to history.
First an insula (apartment block) at the time of Nero (a rare example of the city born according to the Emperor's plans after the fire) then a domus (individual housing) in the later period of the Roman Empire (IVth century), it bears traces of fire on the ground floor that has been dated back to the sack of Rome by the Goths (in 455).
A rare remaining staircase:
After that fire, the floor had been condemned with all sorts of rubbish - and tiny coins! somebody's hidden funds - which can be seen at the site now as well as a few relics:
But what give the site its commercial name of "Città dell'Acqua" is the discovery of huge stone water reservoirs, which were part of the aqueduct line "Acqua Vergine", which is terminated at the Fountain of Trevi.
This aqueduct was originally bringing water for the baths of Agrippa (is the vicinity of now Sant' Eustachio) but was also serving several fountains in the city. The flamboyant Trevi Fountain is a fairly modern addition, and patroned by Clement XII in the 18th century.
The aqueduct has been broken by the goths (you break an aqueduct means that the besieged do not have water any more AND you can use the structure as an easy road into the city) but the water nowadays is still flowing and feeding the fountains of Piazza Navona and The Baccello Piazza de Spagna as well as the Trevi Fountain. The waters aren't virgin any more and therefore not fit for consumption.
As for the archaeological site itself, it can be visited and is used as a modern art gallery:
The cinema has been built and is hanging over the ruins:
A most intriguing complex all in all!
Città dell'Acqua
Vicolo del Puttarello 25
Roma
It is hidden in a side street, as stone throw away from the Trevi Fountain.
La Città dell'Acqua is the name of the archaeological site for Vicus Caprarius.
The Cremonini industrial group had bought a whole block including an old cinema, with the idea of transforming this area in a bookshop, a Harry's bar and of renovating the movie theatre.
When they decided to dig in order to add a second room to the cinema, they immediately hit a wall.
The wall of an old forgotten Roman insula to be precise.
The building had been recovered by others along the centuries (starting in the middle age period) and forgotten. It stands at nine meters, the last three meters of the three story building lost to history.
First an insula (apartment block) at the time of Nero (a rare example of the city born according to the Emperor's plans after the fire) then a domus (individual housing) in the later period of the Roman Empire (IVth century), it bears traces of fire on the ground floor that has been dated back to the sack of Rome by the Goths (in 455).
A rare remaining staircase:
After that fire, the floor had been condemned with all sorts of rubbish - and tiny coins! somebody's hidden funds - which can be seen at the site now as well as a few relics:
But what give the site its commercial name of "Città dell'Acqua" is the discovery of huge stone water reservoirs, which were part of the aqueduct line "Acqua Vergine", which is terminated at the Fountain of Trevi.
This aqueduct was originally bringing water for the baths of Agrippa (is the vicinity of now Sant' Eustachio) but was also serving several fountains in the city. The flamboyant Trevi Fountain is a fairly modern addition, and patroned by Clement XII in the 18th century.
The aqueduct has been broken by the goths (you break an aqueduct means that the besieged do not have water any more AND you can use the structure as an easy road into the city) but the water nowadays is still flowing and feeding the fountains of Piazza Navona and The Baccello Piazza de Spagna as well as the Trevi Fountain. The waters aren't virgin any more and therefore not fit for consumption.
As for the archaeological site itself, it can be visited and is used as a modern art gallery:
The cinema has been built and is hanging over the ruins:
A most intriguing complex all in all!
Città dell'Acqua
Vicolo del Puttarello 25
Roma
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