Rome Opens 2nd-Century Villa Under High School After €210,000 Restoration
Updated
Updated · Gizmodo · Jun 8
Rome Opens 2nd-Century Villa Under High School After €210,000 Restoration
3 articles · Updated · Gizmodo · Jun 8
Summary
A mid-2nd-century Roman domus beneath Rome’s C. Cavour high school gym has been opened to the public after €210,000 in restoration work by the city heritage project Cantieri Narranti.
The mansion surfaced after years of student reports and a teacher’s alert to authorities about six years ago, though engraved Roman water pipes found nearby in 1895 had already pointed to owners including senator Fabius Gallus.
Excavators say the residence is unusually well preserved, with mosaics, frescoes, stuccoed ceilings and even 1940s-1950s graffiti that suggests the site was repeatedly rediscovered before formal archaeology resumed.
Much of the house remains buried near the Esquiline Hill, and officials say the next phase is to empty more rooms, protect the monument and expand access with the school’s faculty and students.
A priceless Roman mansion was found under a school gym. How many other ancient treasures lie hidden just beneath the surface of modern Rome?
While we admire a senator's restored mansion, what does it reveal about the forgotten laborers whose lives supported such opulence?
Ignored by authorities but championed by students, how does this discovery redefine who gets to be a historian in the 21st century?
From School Basement to Roman Splendor: How Students Unearthed a Senator’s Villa under Liceo Cavour, Rome
Overview
In late May 2026, the public learned of the rediscovery of a well-preserved Roman villa beneath the Liceo Scientifico Statale C. Cavour high school in Rome. The announcement, made by teacher Claudia Marino and archaeologist Filippo Coarelli, revealed that the villa dates back to the mid-second century C.E. and likely belonged to the prominent Umbrius family, as suggested by an inscription found during earlier work in the late nineteenth century. The villa, featuring ornate mosaics, frescoes, and stucco decorations, was uncovered thanks to the curiosity of students who stumbled upon it, sparking renewed archaeological interest and formal excavation.