Fritz Thyssen Foundation finances BTU pilot project in Castel Gandolfo

The extensive architectural remains of the villa of the Roman Emperor Domitian in Castel Gandolfo, over which the Papal summer residence now rises, are for the first time being explored by an academic from the BTU in their architectural and historical context. Karoline Manfrecola, who presents this research as a dissertation at the Chair of Architectural History with Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus Rheidt, has been a research associate and participant in the DFG Research Training Group ‘Cultural and Technological Significance of Historic Buildings’ at the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg since 1 April 2014. A pilot project in Castel Gandolfo was carried out in September 2014 as part of a grant of € 8,990 awarded by the Fritz Thyssen Foundation. In the context of the actual villa, the geographic location and the technical feasibility of a larger research project for holistic surveying were examined by means of a georeferenced location and documentary recording of all visible antique remains. Subsequent investigations into the origin, function and use of the extended villa complex are of particular importance in the context of recent research on Roman imperial residences.