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27 January 2026
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28 January 2026Bringing history to life
A once-lavish ancient Roman house, dating to the First Century BC Republican era, has opened to the public – but only to those on live-streamed tours.
Dubbed “The House of the Griffins” thanks to the images of the mythical beasts that adorn one of its rooms, the site is located on the Palatine Hill, close to both the Colosseum and the Circus Maximus.
While the former home’s ground floor was largely destroyed by the construction of later buildings, much of its underground level has survived – albeit only accessible via a narrow, steep staircase.
As this makes the site impractical for even small numbers of visitors, organisers opted for what they term a “live-streamed video tour system”.
This involves visitors standing in a room while a guide proceeds downstairs equipped with a head-mounted video camera. The footage is then explained by an expert in ancient Roman history and architecture.
Archaeologist Federica Rinaldi said that while little is known about the house’s owners, they were clearly leading members of society who could afford lavish frescoes and floor mosaics.
“Its location at the highest point of the hill, its distribution over several levels that take advantage of the slopes of the Palatine Hill itself, and its preservation make it today an almost textbook reference,” she added. “It was certainly a domus of the highest standard.”
Tours are scheduled to take place every Tuesday, starting on 3 March. Tickets can be purchased from 3 February from the Archaeological Park of the Colosseum’s website.