Nero's Hidden Retreat: Cento Camerelle, Bacoli

Situated in the commute of Bacoli, next to the Bay of Naples, lies Cento Camerelle - a Roman archaeological site. Initially, it was the property of Quinto Ortensio Ortalo, a Roman consul. However, the villa later fell into the possession of Antonia Minor, mother of Emperor Claudius, before making its way to Nero himself. The villa's modern name, Cento Camerelle, dates back to the late 17th century. This complex was constructed in the Republican era at Miseno, featuring a rectangular design with several floors.

The structure utilizes opus reticulatum and is adorned with an impervious layer. The building boasts a collection of cisterns, and the upper structure contains a large imperial-era tank of the 'chamber with a barrel vault' design. Four more vaulted rooms, also barrel-vaulted, can be found, each excavated 2 meters into tufo. The entire upper floor can be traced back to the 1st century AD. At the lower level, remnants of a Republican-era water supply infrastructure can be discerned. Cento Camerelle is part of the Parco Archeologico dei Campi Flegrei.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons