Regio VI occupies the north western region of Pompeii. The district is bordered in the south by Via della Fortuna Augusta, and in the east by Via Stabiana. Regio VI consists of several private, commercial and public buildings. The Surgeon’s House (Insula 1) is known for its set of surgical instruments found here and with frescoes that leave no doubt that it was the surgeon of the city who lived here. Another interesting house in this area is Van House. Although the posh mansion was pretty much destroyed during the eruption, but something remained here, the mosaic that depicts the battle of Gavgamela, where Alexander III the Great (aka Macedonian) defeated Persian king Darius III. It is particularly interesting. This mosaic has been copied and printed many times in many historical books. If you visit this house, you will immediately recognize this mosaic.
Insula 1
House of the Vestals (VI.1.7): Also
known as the Casa delle Vestali or House of Ione, this large and
luxurious elite residence features two atria, two peristyles,
impressive frescoes, mosaics, and elaborate water features including
fountains, pools, and a bath complex. It stands out as one of the
more opulent homes in the insula, with evidence of significant
investment in decorative water displays that symbolized wealth and
status, especially from the Augustan period onward. The house was
damaged during the 62 AD earthquake and later events but retains
notable architectural and decorative elements.
House of the Surgeon (VI.1.9-10, also
referred to as VI.1.10): Famous for the discovery of a set of
ancient Roman surgical instruments (hence its name, Casa del
Chirurgo), this important house has been the subject of extensive
modern excavations by the Anglo-American Project in Pompeii
(1994–2006). These digs revealed detailed stratigraphic sequences,
pre-79 AD phases, mosaics, pavements, and insights into daily life,
including faunal and botanical remains. One of the earliest
substantial houses in the area, it underwent modifications over
centuries, such as changes to the atrium for better lighting.
Triclinium House (VI.1.1): Situated close to the Herculanean Gate
(Porta Ercolano) along the Via Consolare, this structure was
partially explored between 1770 and 1787. Today, it survives largely
as a heap of ruins. It suffered further damage from an Allied bomb
in 1943 during World War II and from a structural collapse in 1982.
What remains visible includes the triclinium (dining room) with its
small votive shrine. The house is believed to have functioned partly
as a hotel or hospitium, catering to travelers entering or leaving
the city through the nearby gate.
Insula 2
House of Sallust (VI.2.4): Also called the Casa di Sallustio (or earlier, House of Actaeon), this is one of the oldest and most sumptuous elite domus in Pompeii, dating back to the 3rd–2nd century BC. Located on the east side of the Via Consolare, it features a vast atrium, First Style wall paintings, and a narrow trapezoidal garden at the rear. An electoral inscription on the façade promoted a candidate named Gaius Sallustius. By the time of the 79 AD eruption, the house had been largely converted into a major hospitium (inn or hotel) with upper rooms for guests and attached commercial spaces, possibly owned by A. Cossius Libanus. It includes shops (such as one with a counter for wine or oil) and was later damaged by Allied bombing in 1943. Excavations occurred in phases from the early 1800s through the 2000s.
Amazon House (14) - Also called the House of Isis and Osiris, it was
excavated in 1810 and slightly larger than one hundred and fifty
square meters: in the atrium there are the remains of an impluvium
and a lararium where several Egyptian gods were painted ; remains of
decorations are present in different environments, especially in the
triclinium, both pictorial, in the fourth style, such as the
depiction of Ariadne and various female figures, which are floor, or
remains of mosaics.
House of Narcissus (16) - It was explored in 1811
and 1818 and has a regular layout with atrium with impluvium in
marble, which is visible a few remnants, garden with peristyle with
four corner columns and kitchen with fireplace and maybe a latrine
are still preserved mosaic traces used as a floor and sections of
plaster on the walls.
Isis house (17) - It was explored between 1787
and 1818 and severely damaged during the bombing of 1943: it
presents an atrium with impluvium and the remains of a cistern with
puteal; traces of decorations in the third style are preserved in
the triclinium.
House of M. Pupius (22) - Also called Casa di Apollo
or Casa delle Danzatrici was excavated from 1811 to 1840 : an
irregular-shaped house, with remains of the flooring and plaster in
the entrance corridor, as well as in the atrium; in various rooms
there are traces of decorations in the third style, including a
fresco depicting a Silenus embracing a maenad, while in the
peristyle the niche lararium has also been preserved.
Insula 3
Casa del Forno (3) - It dates back to the 2nd century BC
and was restored following the earthquake of Pompei of 62: at the
time of the eruption the works were not finished yet. Precisely
following the seismic event, the residential area was moved to the
upper floor, while the lower one was turned into a bakery: in fact
there is an oven, grinders and kitchen. The house has a garden with
a stable, where the skeleton of a mule was found.
House of Music
(7) - So called because in it were found frescoes depicting numerous
musical instruments , it features an atrium with impluvium and
lararium, originally decorated and covered with red stucco, a
tablinum and a peristyle: among the various works found a head of a
lion in marble, used as a fountain and frescoes such as the prophecy
of Cassandra and the abandonment of Dido.
House of Svettio (10) - It
was also used as a workshop: in fact, it has a large entrance
courtyard with the remains of a lararium in the center; among the
various environments a kitchen with a latrine, the dormitory and the
laboratory can be recognized, while no trace of ornaments remains.
Insula 5
House of Neptune (3) - It was excavated in 1843 and
bombed during the Second World War, in 1943 : the entrance hall has
a marble impluvium, at the center of which a statue of a Silenus was
found, as well as several bronze putti and a pedestal always in
marble; on the walls of the different rooms traces of paintings
remain, especially in a room, where, in addition to the frescoes,
the mosaic floor has also been preserved.
House of the Grand Duke
Michael of Russia (5) - Also known as the House of Glass Vases, it was
explored between 1837 and 1844 and between 2005 and 2011 : this last
excavation session focused on what was below the building buried by
the eruption of 79; the house has an atrium with impluvium, a garden
with four columns that served as a pergola and some decorative
half-columns resting on the boundary wall.
Faventinus House (16) - It
was excavated in the nineteenth century and in 1976 : graffiti was
present on the main façade, while inside is the atrium with
impluvium and cistern, remains of a staircase leading to the upper
floor, a tablinum with viridario; remains of paintings can be found
in some rooms such as in the oecus, painted with walls in yellow and
in a cubicle, with walls in red.
House of the Etruscan Column
(17) -
It is so called because of the presence of an Etruscan column in the
atrium wall, which the owners of the house used as decoration:
however, there are no signs of decoration in the house, except in a
lararium, where some studies have confirmed the presence of three
layers of stucco.
House of Flowers (19) - Also called Casa del
Cinghiale or Casa dei Tre Cortili was excavated several times
between 1808 and 1844: of modest dimensions, the house shows only a
few traces of painting in an environment in a corner of the atrium,
with motif frescoes geometric.
Insula 6
House of Pansa (VI.6.1)
This
grand residence, also known as the House of Cn. Alleius Nigidius
Maius or the Insula Arriana Polliana, is one of the largest and
most impressive atrium-style houses in Pompeii. Dating back to
around 140–120 BC, it occupies an entire city block (insula) and
reflects the wealth and status of its owners, likely a prominent
merchant family. The house features a spacious layout typical of
affluent Roman domus, including a large atrium, multiple rooms,
and extensive living quarters designed for both private family
life and social entertaining.
Insula 7
House of Adonis (VI.7.18) — Also called the
House of M. Asellini or the House of Venus and Adonis (and sometimes
referred to as Casa di Ione or Casa con Xystus).
The house derives
its primary name from a striking fresco in the peristyle depicting the
wounded Adonis in the arms of Venus (Aphrodite), a poignant mythological
scene that highlights the refined artistic tastes of its inhabitants. It
is also associated with the name M. Asellini due to the discovery of a
bronze seal bearing that name. Excavated in the 1830s and later
restored, the house centers around a traditional atrium that still
retains remains of a elegant marble impluvium (the basin for collecting
rainwater). Behind it lies a beautiful garden surrounded by a peristyle
colonnade, which opens onto various surrounding rooms and environments.
These spaces preserve some of the house’s finest pictorial decorations,
including mythological wall paintings in the Fourth Style and other
elaborate frescoes. The overall layout combines residential comfort with
decorative sophistication, offering insight into daily life and
aesthetic preferences in ancient Pompeii.
House of Apollo
(VI.7.23)
This ancient dwelling belongs to one of the older
architectural types in Pompeii, with structural elements indicating an
early construction phase that was later enhanced with refined Fourth
Style decorations. Its name comes from the notable frescoes in one of
the cubicula (bedrooms) showing Apollo and Marsyas, alongside theatrical
architectural motifs resembling stage scenery. Additional highlights
include interesting mosaics located outside this decorated room and
those that once adorned a fountain feature. The combination of early
building techniques and later artistic embellishments makes the House of
Apollo a fine example of how Pompeian homes evolved over time.
House with Atrio Tetrastilo (3) - It presents a tetrastyle type
atrium and an impluvium , around which, in small canals, a small
garden was recreated: in the same room, under a lararium, was also
found the graffiti of an alphabet made by a child; in different
environments plaster has been preserved, especially in an
environment where there is a fresco depicting Achilles and
Patroclus.
House of Hercules (6) - It was explored in 1835 and
restored in 1976 : it has remains of the red wall decoration both in
the facade and in the entrance corridor; in the atrium you can see
the impluuvio and a lararium at the aedicule where traces of the
sacred figure are preserved, as well as remains of painting can be
found in many rooms, while tall have been lost, like one depicting
Jupiter, Bacchus, and Venus.
House of Inaco
and Io (19) - Also called Casa di Fabius Tyrannus and Iarinus, it was
excavated in 1836 and restored in 1978: it is a house with a regular
layout, with an atrium and a small colonnaded garden with remains of
columns on two sides; some traces of the plaster have been
preserved, even if numerous frescoes have been lost with time:
nevertheless the most interesting finding of the house were
sixty-four silver cutlery.
Silver House (20) - Also called Casa dei
Vasi d'Argento, it is so named because, on March 23, 1835 , several
pieces of silverware were found, such as vases and cups , completely
decorated: the house has a regular layout and the columns have been
well preserved in the garden of the peristyle; in some rooms
numerous traces of frescoes, some faded by time, others, like a
representation of Apollo.
Insula 8
House of the Tragic Poet (5) - The House of the Tragic
Poet was excavated between 1824 and 1825 and is smaller than the
other large houses in Pompeii. At the entrance there is a mosaic
with the inscription Cane Cavem; inside there were several frescoes
then detached and preserved in the National Museum of Naples, like
the scene of theatrical rehearsals, from which the house takes its
name, or episodes of the Iliad.
House of L. Veranius Hypsaeus
(21) -
Excavated between 1824 and 1829, it is a house adjacent to the
homonymous fullonica: the house has a well-preserved atrium, with
columns around the impluvium in tuff and remains of mosaic pavement,
the latter, especially in the tablinum, made with the opus signinum
technique ; there are also visible traces of plaster that were part
of decorations in third and fourth style and part of the staircase
that led to the upper floor.
House of the Large Fountain (22) - It
owes its name and its peculiarity to the presence in the garden of a
large fountain, typical of the post- Augustan period, in the shape
of a niche and entirely decorated with mosaics and pieces of
polychrome glass ; there is also a bronze depicting a putto with a
dolphin, a copy of the original one displayed at the archaeological
museum in Naples.
House of the Small Fountain (23) - It dates back to
the first half of the 2nd century BC and is structured on the
entrance, atrium and tablinum axis. Right along the atrium, with
impluvium, most of the rooms open. The peristyle is decorated with
depictions of landscapes and maritime buildings; also present a
fountain, which serves as a nymphaeum, decorated with mosaics and
sculptures (from the 1st century AD).
Insula 9
House of Meleager (VI.9.2)
Also
known as the Casa del Meleagro, this elegant Samnite-style domus
features refined wall paintings in the Fourth Style, including
mythological scenes such as Mars and Venus. Many of its most famous
frescoes were removed in the 19th century and are now preserved in
the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. The house was
excavated in phases between 1829 and 1966.
House of the Dioscuri (VI.9.6)
Also
called the House of Castor and Pollux, this large and richly
decorated residence was created by merging several adjacent
properties. It takes its name from the impressive frescoes of the
divine twins (Castor and Pollux with their horses) that once adorned
the entrance vestibule. The house boasts spacious rooms,
high-quality frescoes (many now in Naples), and was primarily
excavated between 1826 and 1837.
House of Isis and Io (VI.9.1) –
Also known as the Casa del Duca d’Aumale
This building was likely
a caupona (tavern or inn) rather than a private residence, as
suggested by the enormous quantity of dishes and pottery uncovered
here, many of which are now preserved in the Condé Museum in Paris.
In the atrium, visitors can still see the remains of the impluvium
(rainwater basin) and a large travertine block that served as the
base for a strongbox or safe. Several rooms suffered severe damage
from Allied bombing in 1943 during World War II. Although most
pictorial decorations have been lost or removed, one notable
detached fresco depicted the mythological scene of Io’s arrival in
Canopus, where the horned Io is welcomed by the Egyptian goddess
Isis.
House of the Centaur (VI.9.3–5) – Also known as the House
of A. Vettius Caprasius Felix
This dwelling is the result of
joining two separate houses, clearly visible from the presence of a
double tablinum (reception room). It features a well-preserved
peristyle with its original columns still standing, along with an
atrium and impluvium that remain almost intact. Beneath one of the
floors, archaeologists discovered a mosaic from the earlier phase of
the house. Traces of elegant wall decorations survive, particularly
geometric frescoes in the Fourth Style.
House of Cn. Caetronius
Eutychus (VI.9.7)
Excavated between 1826 and 1837, this house
follows a traditional layout with a central tuff-stone impluvium in
the atrium, a kitchen where the ancient hearth is still visible, and
a garden equipped with a summer triclinium (dining area). A lararium
(household shrine) features the remains of a fresco showing a
snake—a common protective symbol in Pompeian homes. The house
contains fourteen rooms, some of which still retain fragments of red
or white plaster on the walls (pereti).
Insula 10
House of Zephir and Flora
(VI.10.11)
Also referred to as the House of the Ship or
House of Zefira and Flora, this residence is named after
frescoes depicting the gentle west wind Zephyr and the
goddess Flora (personifying spring and flowers). It stands
along the Via della Fortuna Augusta and is known for its
mythological wall paintings celebrating themes of spring and
renewal.
House of the Five Skeletons (2) - Also called Casa del Vatinicio di
Cassandra, it has remains of plaster in red on the facade, while
inside the atrium has a marble impluvium and a cocciopesto floor
with some white tesserae; in a oecus a fresco by Elena and Paride
and by Ulysses and Penelope, preserved in the national museum, was
found; the same fate has affected the fresco of Perseus and
Andromeda.
House of Caprasia and Nymphius (4) - It was explored in
1828 and 1831 and has an irregular layout: the triclinium was placed
at the back of the house, with an entrance from the garden, which
was probably decorated with potted plants; the remains of the
staircase leading to the upper floor and traces of the floor mosaic
are visible.
Pomponius House (6) - It is so called because at the
time of the excavation, on the façade, a fresco was found with the
inscription Pomponius, the owner of the house: in the atrium,
besides the impluvium, a well and a mill were also found, perhaps
waiting to be put in the cellar, while in the garden was a portico
supported by four columns; remains of frescoes are observed in a
cubicle and in an oecus, as well as pieces of colored stone
flooring.
House of the Anchor (7) - It takes its name from a mosaic
depicting a still place in the entrance area: the colonnaded garden
with apse niches is also of interest.
Insula 11
House of the Labyrinth
(VI.11.9–10)
This elegant Roman domus, also known as the
Casa del Labirinto, is one of the most architecturally
interesting houses in Pompeii. Dating primarily to the
Samnite period (2nd century BC), it features an unusual
layout with two atriums—one Tuscan-style and the other
tetrastyle (Corinthian)—likely the result of merging two
earlier properties. Its name comes from a remarkable mosaic
floor depicting the myth of Theseus slaying the Minotaur
inside a labyrinth, one of the oldest known Roman examples
of this motif. The house includes fine wall paintings in the
Second Style (with impressive architectural illusions), a
peristyle garden, private baths added during later
renovations, and even a small bakery for grain grinding and
bread baking. It suffered damage during Sulla’s siege of
Pompeii in 89 BC and was later owned by a prominent family,
the Sextilii, who carried out significant restorations.
Eutychus House (VI.11.8)
Adjacent to the House of the
Labyrinth and linked to it structurally, the House of
Eutychus (or Casa di Eutychus) was excavated in 1835 (with
further work in 1843). It preserved part of its upper floor
for some time after discovery, along with several other
rooms. Tragically, much of this was lost during the Allied
bombing of Pompeii in 1943, which caused widespread damage
across the site. Inside the house, archaeologists found a
human skeleton accompanied by several pieces of valuable
gold jewelry and personal items, including a key and a seal
ring inscribed with “Eutychi” (suggesting the victim may
have been Eutychus himself, possibly a trusted servant or
procurator who stayed behind too long during the Vesuvius
eruption). In the kitchen area stood a charming lararium
(household shrine) shaped like a small kiosk or aedicula,
beautifully decorated with painted leaves and a vivid
depiction of a peacock.
Insula 12
House of the Faun (VI.12.2)
One of the largest and most luxurious private residences
ever uncovered in Pompeii, the Casa del Fauno occupies
almost the entire insula and spans approximately 3,000
square meters. Built around 180 BC in the Samnite period
with strong Hellenistic influences, it is famous for its
grand scale, two large peristyle gardens, elaborate mosaics
(including the iconic Alexander Mosaic, now in the Naples
Archaeological Museum), and refined decorations. A small
bronze statue of a dancing faun, found in the impluvium,
gave the house its modern name. It was likely owned by a
wealthy and influential family and represents the height of
elite Roman domestic architecture in the city.
Insula 13
House of the Glass Vases Group (2) - It was partially
excavated in 1830 , to then be finished in 1874 : in 1943, two bombs
dropped during the Second World War, caused the collapse of three
rooms and the south-west part of the peristyle; on the garden there
is the summer triclinium, the only one that preserves remains of
wall decorations, with the fresco depicting Medea and the daughters
of Pelia, preserved in the archaeological museum of Naples.
House
of M. Terentius Eudoxus (6) - Also known as the Iron Oven House, it was
explored several times between 1833 and 1873 and later damaged by a
bombing in World War II: the atrium has the remains of a marble
impluvium, while in the garden some remains have remained intact.
Peristyl was transformed by the owner into a textile workshop.
House of Claudius Eulogus (10) - Excavated in 1874, it is of modest size
and has an atrium with an impluvium , where it was originally placed
a masonry table lost after a bombing in 1943.
House of Gavius Proculus (16) - It was probably also used as a
caupona : in fact, the garden was the place where guests were
served; in addition to traces of electoral inscriptions on the
façade, lost, the house has no particular decorations, although it
is characteristic, on the outside, a water tower, from which six
pipes of different sizes come out that kept the water flow constant.
House of Pompeius Axiochus (19) - It is so called because inside it was
found a seal with this name: on the facade there were several
graffiti, while inside there are wall decorations with geometrical
patterns in yellow and red and remains of mosaic floor; features six
niches in a garden wall: in one of them the statue of a boy was
found.
Insula 14
House of Adelaide of England (5) - Also called
House of Mars or House of the Five Consulates it was excavated in
various stages between 1839 and 1874: of modest size, the house has
an atrium with remains of impluvium in marble, triclinium and
cubicles; very few decorations except a niche in the atrium which
originally had to be decorated in stucco.
House of L. Numisius
Rarus (12) - Also called Casa della Moglie Oppia, it has an atrium with
impluvium in tufa, surrounded by cubicles and a winter triclinium,
while the garden, with a portico supported by two columns, lacked a
tablinum.
House of Orpheus (20) - Also called House of Vesonius Primus
has electoral inscriptions on the facade, while in the entrance
corridor there were decorations in the fourth style lost after a
bombing during the Second World War: in the same environment it was
possible to reproduce the cast of an agonizing dog; inside the house
there are frescoes on the walls and mosaics used as floors.
House
of Memmius Auctus (27) - It is so called because of the finding of a
bronze seal bearing that name: of modest size it was equipped with
an atrium with five rooms, where some amphorae used for wine
collection, a kitchen and a lost upper room were found ; among the
finds found four marble busts of philosophers and various statuettes
of divinities both in marble, in bronze, and in terracotta.
House of Laocoon (30) - It was explored in 1876 : in the entrance corridor
the pavement was in opus signinum in white stones, the atrium is of
Tuscan type, a decorated tablinum and a small garden with a lararium
frescoed in the tympanum with an aquatic bird and other animals in
the rest of the niche; among the frescoes found in the house, one
depicting Polyphemus and Aeneas and another depicting the death of
Laocoon and his sons, although partially damaged.
House of C.
Poppaeus Firmus (38) - It was excavated between 1834 and 1874 and bombed
in 1943 causing the destruction of the atrium and some rooms as well
as the loss of numerous wall decorations: the garden has a portico
on the south side supported by nine columns; the main frescoes found
in the house are Pindar and Corinna and Theseus who receives the
string from Arianna.
House of Lucrum Gaudium (39) - It was explored in
1876 : the house had to have an entrance hall with doors to Persian
and flooring applicant was in irregular pieces of marble and lava ;
the atrium had an impluvium with a mosaic in the center that was
destroyed in the 1943 bombing : then followed by a tablinum and a
garden with an exedra and the remains of two staircases leading to
the upper floor.
House of the Empress of Russia (42) - It was
discovered in 1846 when the princess from whom it took its name was
visited in Pompeii : inside it were found numerous precious objects,
statues and coins as well as well-preserved frescoes, detached to
then be kept at the national archaeological museum of Naples, like a
woman while painting, found in a cubicle and two women in
conservation, near the tablinum.
House of Scientists (43) - On the
façade there was a representation of Mercury, while the internal
atrium is characterized by an impluvium with the remains of a
masonry fountain; in various environments traces of wall and floor
decorations can be found, in this case a mosaic, while in the
garden, in addition to preserving part of the colonnade, a fountain
decorated with a mosaic was found, where in the center, on a
pedestal, was placed a statue of Mars.
Insula 15
House of the Vettii (Casa dei
Vettii)
The House of the Vettii is one of the most iconic
and best-preserved Roman townhouses (domus) in the ancient
city of Pompeii. Buried and remarkably preserved by the
catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, it was
excavated in the late 19th century (1894–1896) and reopened
to the public in 2023 after extensive restoration.
This
large, luxurious residence belonged to two wealthy freedmen
(former slaves) brothers: Aulus Vettius Conviva (an
Augustalis, or member of the imperial cult priesthood) and
Aulus Vettius Restitutus. They likely amassed their fortune
through the wine trade, representing the rise of the
“nouveau riche” in Pompeii after the devastating earthquake
of 62 AD prompted many old aristocratic families to leave
the city.
Located in Regio VI, near the Vesuvian Gate and
along the Vicolo dei Vettii, the house occupies an entire
block and follows a classic Roman domus layout, though
without the traditional tablinum. It features stunning
Fourth Style frescoes with vivid mythological scenes,
elegant peristyle gardens adorned with fountains and
sculptures, and even some boldly erotic paintings that offer
a glimpse into both the refined tastes and more playful (or
crude) side of Roman domestic life. The opulent decorations
highlight the owners’ success and social ambition in the
final years of Pompeii.
House of the Prince of Naples
(Casa del Principe di Napoli)
The House of the Prince of
Naples is a more modest but elegantly decorated Roman domus
also located in Pompeii’s Regio VI (specifically VI.15.7–8),
right along the same Vicolo dei Vettii street, close to the
much larger House of the Vettii. It was discovered and
excavated shortly after the Vettii house, in 1896, and named
in honor of the then-heir to the Italian throne, Prince
Victor Emmanuel (later King Victor Emmanuel III).
This
medium-sized townhouse contains about 11 rooms on the lower
floor and includes a classic atrium with an impluvium
(rainwater basin) and a finely carved marble table. Its
walls are adorned with refined Fourth Pompeian Style
paintings, including life-size figures of the gods Bacchus
and Venus in the summer triclinium (dining room). The house
likely combined residential and some commercial functions,
offering valuable insight into the everyday life of a
prosperous but less extravagant Pompeian household in the
1st century AD.
House of Appuleia and Narcissus (2) - It is so called because on
the main facade a graffiti was found that reported these two
names: excavated in 1895 , it is of modest size, slightly
exceeding three hundred square meters; inside is the atrium,
the tablinum, a small courtyard and six rooms: the pictorial
decorations are in second, third and fourth style.
Fullonica of Mustius (3) - Excavated in 1896, it owes its name
to electoral inscriptions found outside it: terracotta tiles
decorated with reliefs , such as horse- drawn Cupid and two
male figures were found in the kitchen.
House of M.
Pupius Rufus (5) - It has an entrance characterized by an
architrave supported by large blocks of tuff, while inside
the atrium is of the Tuscan type, the tablinum was also used
as a triclinium and the garden had two rows of columns, some
of which still with plaster: in various rooms there are
traces of pictorial decorations in all four styles and
remains of mosaic floors, such as the tablinum.
House of
A. Caesius Valens (6) - Also called Casa del Focolare di Ferro
it was explored in 1895 and both the atrium and the columns
that supported the compluvium were found without any
decoration, while in other rooms there are preserved both
paintings and the cocciopesto floor, made with colored
marbles: frescoes they are visible in the triclinium, like
the cupids, Venus and Adonis and an architectural drawing
surmounted by a vase and a griffin.
House of Compluvium
(9) -
Also called Casa del Doppio Impuvlium, it has the
characteristic of having an atrium with columns that support
an upper floor which can be accessed via a staircase: in
some rooms of the house are visible remains of wall
decorations, both stucco and paintings.
Home of Seeus
Vestalis (12) - It was excavated in 1896 and is so named for the
discovery of this name on an amphora: of just over one
hundred and fifty square meters, it has an atrium, a
spacious room, probably a triclinium and six other rooms;
decorations are missing.
House of the Unknown Matron (14) - It
is named for the discovery to the inside of a cubicle, at
the center of the floor, a mosaic depicting a young matron
with hair wavy and earrings of pearls : the house has a long
entrance hall, originally painted yellow, with an atrium
impluvium and originally paved with pieces of colored
marble; there are nine rooms, some of which still have
residual traces of painting in the fourth style.
Thermopolium (15) - On the walls there are red and white
decorations with vases and birds clashing at the center of
the panels: the counter is covered with pieces of marble and
inside there are three dolia.
Caupona (16) - The counter,
covered with marble and slate fragments, contained four
terracotta containers, of which only one remained: on the
back there are various rooms, without decoration, where only
a few graffiti have been found.
House of Stlaborius
Auctus (20) - It was excavated in 1897 and originally, near the
entrance, had to have a masonry seat: internally it consists
of a central courtyard around which the various rooms were
opened, such as the kitchen with fireplace and the
triclinium which was to have walls in red, coated, a few
years before the eruption, with lime, just like the other
rooms had walls covered with rough plaster.
House of
Cinnius Fortunatus (22) - It was explored in 1896 and owes its
name to the discovery of an amphora bearing this name: the
two-storey house had walls simply covered with plaster
without any kind of decoration; inside, two skeletons have
been found.
House without a name (23) - Explored in 1896, it
has an area of four hundred and thirty square meters and
is divided into eleven rooms : the peristyle had eleven
columns in rough plaster that were distributed on the four
sides and of which only the bases and remains of painting
remain, especially the lararium, especially the lararium,
at the time of the excavation, perfectly preserved, with two
snakes at the base and various floral and bird decorations;
a seal and numerous skeletons have been found.
Insula 16
House of the Golden Cupids
(VI.16.7)
Also known as Casa degli Amorini Dorati or the
House of Gnaeus Poppaeus Habitus. This elegant and luxurious
domus, possibly linked to the family of Poppaea (Nero’s
second wife), is famous for its refined Fourth Style
decorations. Its name comes from a cubiculum featuring glass
discs inlaid in the plaster, backed with gold leaf and
engraved with images of cupids (Amorini Dorati). The
peristyle garden was designed like a theatrical stage,
adorned with numerous marble statuettes, busts, animal
figures, theatrical masks, and medallions suspended between
the columns—creating a sophisticated, almost magical
atmosphere meant to ward off evil and showcase the owner’s
refined taste and wealth. The house covers about 830 m² and
includes beautifully frescoed rooms depicting the Four
Seasons and love scenes.
House of the Ara Maxima
(VI.16.15)
Also known as Casa dell’Ara Massima, the House
of Pinarius, or the House of Narcissus. This smaller but
elegantly decorated Roman domus dates back to the 3rd
century BC and centers around a traditional atrium. The name
derives from a prominent painted scene high on the west wall
of the atrium, featuring an elaborate architectural
structure with a large altar (Ara Maxima) as its focal
point. The house preserves fine frescoes with human figures,
animals, floral motifs, and architectural elements in the
Fourth Style, along with remains of an upper floor. It
offers a more intimate example of Pompeian domestic
architecture compared to its grander neighbors.
Thermopolium (2) - It is characterized by a counter, with
two or three urns to hold the food and originally painted
with stuccoes in red and covered with pieces of marble; the
shop also had a fireplace, the remains of which are visible
and a room at the back.
Fullonica of Manius Salarius
Crocus (3) - It preserves two large masonry basins where fulling
took place, made of bricks and remains of a basin.
House
of Erastus (10) - It was used both as a warehouse in the front
and at home in the rear: the warehouse had white walls and a
clay floor, while the house had a cocciopesto floor and
white walls, sometimes decorated with red bands and small
drawings.
House of the Altar of Jupiter (26) - Excavated in
1904 , it is over five hundred square meters wide: it has
two atriums, a peristyle colonnade on three sides, while the
fourth is characterized by semi-columns and remains of
pictorial decorations in first and fourth style in different
environments; in the center of the garden a series of dolia
have been found .
House of Coponii (28) - Also called the
House of the Hunt of the Bulls, it was excavated in 1904 :
it has an atrium with plaster-coated impluvium and pieces of
marble, a tablinum, which still preserves the wall
decorations with panels in the center of which are depicted
various figures like a naked man playing or architectural
drawings and different environments with traces of frescoes;
They were also found glasses in glass and a clay statue of
Venus.
House of C. Vettius Firmus (29) - It is so called
because near the entrance a graffiti with this name was
found: the entrance corridor was decorated with a black
plinth, while the upper part with fake white marble slabs,
the atrium does not have an impluent, while in some of the
nine rooms that make up the house, remains of painting in
the fourth style have been preserved ; among the main finds
is a skeleton, two bronze coins and a lamp.
House with
shop (31) - Explored in 1905, it is divided into five rooms with
cocciopesto flooring and frescoes in the first and fourth
style : we can see the painting of a mountain landscape, a
landscape with a sacred tree and a temple and another well
preserved but with an interpretation uncertain; a large
number of terracottas have been found .
House of L.
Aurunculeius Secundio (32) - It was explored in 1904 and has an
atrium with remnants of impluvium and two niches used as a
lararium and five rooms with wall decorations in the fourth
style: between the main frescoes two women approaching an
altar dedicated to Priapus, Polyphemus sitting on a cliff
and various depictions of fruit and birds; moreover, in a
room, numerous objects were found in glass, crystal, lead,
iron and marble.
Bar of L. Aurunculeius Secundio (33) - It has
a paving in opus signinum, while the walls, in white stucco,
divided by yellow lines, present a bird in the center: the
counter, in masonry, had to be decorated in the central
area, with the representation of an erect phallus, of which
remain few traces.
House of Q. Poppaeus Sabinus (36) - It has
a long entrance corridor, at the end of which an iron bell
was found , which leads directly to the peristyle, which
preserves traces of columns on three sides: around it there
are the five rooms of the house with remains of painting in
third and fourth style and mosaic flooring; the niche
lararium with large columns is characteristic.
Thermopolium (40) - Divided into different rooms, some were
intended for customers, while others were for the owner: a
latrine, an oven in a masonry, a lararium can be seen ,
which at the time of the excavation was still painted in red
and yellow with eggs , pine cones and flowers , and the
counter with marble cladding ; a lamp was also found on
which are depicted Isis, Arpocrates and Anubis, now
preserved in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples.
Insula 17
House of the Library (41): This
elegant residence earned its name from the discovery of a
wooden bookcase (capsa) inside, suggesting it belonged to a
cultured, possibly scholarly owner. It features a refined
atrium with a marble impluvium, beautifully preserved Fourth
Style frescoes depicting mythological scenes, and multiple
rooms that reflect a deep appreciation for literature and
philosophy.
House of the Golden Bracelet
(42): One of the largest and most opulent homes in
Herculaneum, this house is famous for the exquisite heavy
gold bracelet (shaped like a snake with jeweled eyes) found
on the arm of a victim who perished during the eruption. It
opens onto the Decumanus Inferior and boasts stunning
black-and-white mosaics, vibrant wall paintings (including
dramatic Hercules scenes), a lush garden with a nymphaeum
(fountain shrine), and even a private bath suite. These
elements paint a vivid picture of the lavish lifestyle
enjoyed by Herculaneum’s elite.
House of Popidius Rufus (5) - It is a small house of less than one
hundred square meters with just three rooms: excavated in 1804 ,
electoral inscriptions were found on the main facade, while on
the inside, of irregular shape, it presents an atrium with
remains of impluvium.
House of Dancers (10) - It was explored in
1764 : the entrance is via three steps, entering directly into
the atrium, then follows the tablinum and the garden, while the
rooms are thirteen; the house is in ruins and inside there are
some well-preserved frescoes, later exposed to the National
Archaeological Museum of Naples, such as the liberation of
Andromeda and Ercole who frees Esione.
House of C. Nivillio
(13) -
Also called Casa dei Tre Piani, it was excavated in 1763 and is
a little less than five hundred square meters wide: it has the
typical atrium with impluvium, surrounded by three rooms and
tablinum; however there are no traces of decorations.
House
of C. Ceius (16) - It has the characteristic of presenting a double
atrium: the first is surrounded by six rooms, the second by
five; the house also has a kitchen whose hearth is still visible
and access to the cellar and a tablinum, while there is no
decoration whatsoever.
House of Leone (25) - It was explored in
1771 but following the bombing in 1943 , it was almost
completely destroyed: there remains the large entrance vestibule
and the northern part of the atrium wall with the presence of
three niches; inside were found some frescoes, detached and
preserved in the archaeological museum of Naples, like the
depiction of a town and a scene of boats with fishermen.
House of the Corpses of Gypsum (27) - It was discovered in 1750 and
is today partly the site of the Pompeii excavation direction :
with an irregular layout, it had an atrium, a tablinum and a
colonnaded peristyle on two sides; the only remaining
decorations is a part of the mosaic floor in the atrium.
House of Diana II (32) - It was explored in 1760 and is in a state of
disrepair: the entrance, characterized by three steps, still
retains traces of stucco used to decorate the façade, while
inside it has an irregular plan, with an atrium, a garden, at
the center of which was probably find a fountain and fourteen
rooms; nothing remains of the decorations.