What is the Villa of the Papyri?
The Villa of the Papyri, situated in Herculaneum, was an ancient Roman estate. It was named after its unique library of papyrus scrolls, discovered in 1750. Its location away from the main Herculaneum ruins — along the shore — ensured the villa remained remarkably well-preserved. This villa was considered one of the most luxurious houses in Herculaneum and the Roman world, showcasing exquisite architecture and a vast collection of art, including frescoes, bronzes, and sculptures.
The villa was possibly owned by Julius Caesar's father-in-law, Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus. Buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, the villa's library contained over 1,800 papyrus scrolls, known as the "Herculaneum papyri," making it the only surviving library from the Graeco-Roman world in its entirety. Today, many of the villa's artifacts are displayed in the Naples National Archaeological Museum, with a reproduction of the villa at the Getty Villa museum in Malibu, California.
While planning your visit, do keep an eye out for when it will be accessible to visitors as the Villa of the Papyri is currently closed to the public.