Villa of the Mysteries, Pompei

Villa of the Mysteries, Pompei (must see)

The Villa of the Mysteries is one of the most well known buildings in the historic area around Mount Vesuvius. It is not situated within Pompei itself, lying around 500 metres northwest of the main city. Believed to be a suburban villa, which were commonplace in Roman times, it can easily be reached on foot from the centre of Pompei. Admission into the city centre will usually allow access to the villa, as well as the nearby settlement of Herculaneum.

The villa is one of the best preserved buildings in the Pompei area, as it suffered little damage during either the 62 AD earthquake or the tremors prior to the eruption of Vesuvius seventeen years later. The walls of the building are lined with some of the best kept and most detailed frescoes surviving from the Roman era. The Villa of the Mysteries earned its name from the unusual paintings on the walls of the triclinium, a formal dining hall found in most Roman villas.

The frescoes in the dining hall appear to show some form of ritual, although nobody is certain of its purpose. One theory suggests the woman pictured in the frescoes is being inducted into the cult of Dionysus. An alternative idea put forward is that the paintings show an ancient marriage ritual. The dining hall also features well preserved serving areas, which may have been used to make wine and olive oil.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Pompei. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Villa of the Mysteries on Map

Sight Name: Villa of the Mysteries
Sight Location: Pompei, Italy (See walking tours in Pompei)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Pompei, Italy

Create Your Own Walk in Pompei

Create Your Own Walk in Pompei

Creating your own self-guided walk in Pompei is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Pompeii Introduction Walk II

Pompeii Introduction Walk II

Frozen at the moment it was buried under the thick blanket of ash and pumice, the city of Pompeii (now excavated) remains a unique window into the past, offering a snapshot of everyday life back in the 1st century AD Roman Empire. Aside from causing quick and unexpected death to the city, the huge eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD did have one positive outcome – it preserved everything (properties,...  view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles
Pompeii Introduction Walk I

Pompeii Introduction Walk I

Modern-day Pompei is best known for its ancient predecessor, the Roman city of Pompeii, that fell victim to the massive eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The ruins of Pompeii, first uncovered in the late 18th century, were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997. Presently, this is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Italy, drawing annually up to 2.5 million visitors.

The...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles