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Desenzano Roman Villa

The most important example in Northern Italy of the great late Roman villas

Where
Lake Garda

Today, the Villa of Desenzano is the most important evidence of the large and sumptuous Late Antique villas in northern Italy.

The building, located just north of Via Gallica, enjoyed beautiful surroundings along the southern shore of Lake Garda.

The owner of the Roman Villa is believed to be the Roman citizen Decentius, which would explain the origin of the place name "Desenzano."

The remains of the villa (which date back to different periods between the end of the Republican era (first century BC) and the end of the imperial age (fifth cent. AD), span out for about a hectare.

This undeniably complex, sprawling building, with a unitary orientation, has residential quarters that alternate with rustic structures. The key focus of the villa's design was the lake: the various rooms were distributed in a way that would offer the most views of the water. The designed also aimed to allow the building as a whole to be seen from the lake.

The main routes of the Villa were organised in a sequence from the lake into the interior and oriented at right angles to the shore. The Villa undoubtedly had structures that connected it to the lake, including piers, moors and docks, and perhaps even fish ponds (piscinae) for fish farming, which completed the various ways to enjoy and take advantage of the lake environment.

Looking at the mosaic floors depicting various pagan scenes, visitors will be enchanted by their beauty for the variety of colours in the mosaic stones: cupids gathering grapes, cupids of chariot racing; maenads and satyrs; beasts attacking wild animals, allegories of the four seasons; a character (Orpheus or the Good Shepherd ) with a dog and a sheep in a bucolic landscape.

At the entrance of the villa you can visit a small museum with relics unearthed during excavations.


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Informazioni per turisti con disabilità
Take me here: Desenzano Roman Villa

Places

CATHEDRAL

Churches at Desenzano del Garda
  • Religious Tourism
CATHEDRAL
59 mt

Desenzano del Garda

Desenzano del Garda, a destination cherished by visitors alike in the Lake Garda. The old pier and the Castle with a panoramic view
  • Lakes
Desenzano del Garda
190 mt

Desenzano Castle

The imposing Castle overlooks the nearby town of Desenzano and today is used for exhibitions, conventions and musical events.
  • Art & Culture
Desenzano Castle
275 mt

RAMBOTTI ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

Museums at Desenzano del Garda
  • Art & Culture
RAMBOTTI ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
431 mt

Palazzo Todeschini

Solemn building with fifteen arches, overlooking a characteristic port of Garda, is now an important venue for conferences
  • Lakes
Palazzo Todeschini and Porto Vecchio in Desenzano
431 mt

Rambotti Museum

Located in an area rich in Bronze Age testimonies, it offers a wide panorama of the prehistoric cultures of Garda
  • Lakes
Rambotti Museum
548 mt

Palazzo Salvadego

  • Art & Culture
Palazzo Salvadego
837 mt

ABBAZIA DI MAGUZZANO

Churches at Lonato del Garda
  • Art & Culture
Abbazia di Maguzzano ph. Renato Roberti
3.31 km

Ugo da Como Foundation

Set on the green morainic hills of Garda, in the heart of the village of Lonato, stands the monumental complex of the Foundation
  • Art & Culture
Ugo da Como Foundation
4.17 km

PIEVE ROMANICA DI SAN ZENO

Churches at Lonato del Garda
  • Art & Culture
PIEVE ROMANICA DI SAN ZENO
4.27 km

VILLA BARBIERI

Dwellings at Padenghe sul Garda
  • Art & Culture
VILLA BARBIERI
4.37 km

PADENGHE CASTLE

Castles at Padenghe sul Garda
  • Art & Culture
PADENGHE CASTLE
4.37 km

CASA DEL PODESTÀ UGO DA COMO

Museums at Lonato del Garda
  • Art & Culture
CASA DEL PODESTÀ UGO DA COMO
4.4 km

ROCCA VISCONTEO VENETA E MUSEO ORNITOLOGICO

  • Art & Culture
ROCCA VISCONTEO VENETA E MUSEO ORNITOLOGICO
4.4 km

Basilica minore of Lonato

Churches at Lonato del Garda
  • Art & Culture
facciata della Basilica
4.43 km

Torre Civica of Lonato

Sites of interest at Lonato del Garda
  • Art & Culture
Torre Civica Lonato
4.49 km

The Black Poplar of Sirmione

On the enchanting Sirmione peninsula, an imposing black poplar tree dwells on the shores of the lake.
  • Lakes
The Black Poplar of Sirmione
5.55 km

Terme di Sirmione

  • Wellness
Terme di Sirmione
5.8 km

Palazzo Callas Exhibitions

It is located in the central Piazza Carducci in the historic center of Sirmione. It offers an exhibition area of over 400 square meters
  • Lakes
Palazzo Callas Exhibitions
5.8 km

PIAZZA CARDUCCI

Sites of interest at Sirmione
  • Lifestyle
PIAZZA CARDUCCI
5.8 km

Activities

E-Mtb Front - 1 Day rent

  • Active & Green
E-Mtb Front - 1 Day rent
756 mt

E-Mtb Front rent - Half day

  • Active & Green
E-Mtb Front rent - Half day
756 mt

Where to sleep

MONIGA (MEUBLE')

Desenzano del Garda
MONIGA (MEUBLE')
24 mt

ITALIAN HOMING - CROCEFISSO 10

DESENZANO DEL GARDA
ITALIAN HOMING - CROCEFISSO 10
32 mt

DUOMO26

DESENZANO DEL GARDA
DUOMO26
37 mt

GARONZI

Desenzano del Garda
GARONZI
40 mt

APA DUOMO

DESENZANO DEL GARDA
APA DUOMO
45 mt

DESENZANO LOFT 2

Desenzano del Garda
DESENZANO LOFT 2
49 mt

LA MIA FAVORITA

Desenzano del Garda
LA MIA FAVORITA
51 mt

VIA ROMA 21 DESENZANO

Desenzano del Garda
VIA ROMA 21 DESENZANO
55 mt

PALAZZO DUOMO

Desenzano del Garda
PALAZZO DUOMO
57 mt

CASA ARCOBALENO

Desenzano del Garda
CASA ARCOBALENO
58 mt

CAVALLINO HOLIDAY

Desenzano del Garda
CAVALLINO HOLIDAY
60 mt

SERAGLIO STEFANO

Desenzano del Garda
SERAGLIO STEFANO
68 mt

ITALIAN HOMING - ORATORIO 12

DESENZANO DEL GARDA
ITALIAN HOMING - ORATORIO 12
69 mt

MALVEZZI24 BOUTIQUE ROOMS

DESENZANO DEL GARDA
MALVEZZI24 BOUTIQUE ROOMS
75 mt

DREAMICH - SCAVI ROMANI

DESENZANO DEL GARDA
DREAMICH - SCAVI ROMANI
84 mt

C'ERA UNA VOLTA

Desenzano del Garda
C'ERA UNA VOLTA
85 mt

BORGO REGIO

DESENZANO DEL GARDA
BORGO REGIO
96 mt

GUERINI MARTINA

Desenzano del Garda
GUERINI MARTINA
97 mt

MARVER

DESENZANO DEL GARDA
MARVER
99 mt

PARK HOTEL

Desenzano del Garda
PARK HOTEL
108 mt