The entrance to Villa Adriana or Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli, Italy, is called the Poecile. The villa, now a large Roman archaeological complex, was once the retreat of Emperor Hadrian from Rome in 117 AD. June 2, 2017

Once you cross the Poecile, there is this huge garden surrounded by a rectangular swimming pool at Hadrian’s Villa, a large Roman archaeological complex at Tivoli, Italy. June 2, 2017

Beyond the entrance and rectangular swimming pool are the ruins of the Large and Small Baths of Hadrian’s Villa at Tivoli, Italy. The Roman Baths were public and an important part of their everyday lives. Baths were built using fireproof terracotta bricks and the finished buildings were usually sumptuous affairs with fine mosaic floors, marble-covered walls, and decorative statues. June 2, 2017

June 3, 2017

June 3, 2017

June 3, 2017

June 3, 2017

This isn’t called the Great Hall Gallery in the Palazzo Colonna in Rome, Italy, for nothing. It is a Baroque-fest in grand style and quite the interior entrance with its stunning art, sculptures and ceiling frescoes. The commemorative 17th century ceiling frescoes of Marcantonio II Colonna and the Battle of Lepanto are by Giovanni Coli and Flippo Gherardi. The Palazzo’s Great Hall Gallery even made a cameo appearance in the 1953 movie “Roman Holiday” starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. June 3, 2017

Part of the commemorative 17th century ceiling frescoes of Marcantonio II Colonna and the Battle of Lepanto are by Giovanni Coli and Flippo Gherardi on the ceiling of the Palazzo Colonna in Rome, Italy. June 3, 2017

Part of the commemorative 17th century ceiling frescoes of Marcantonio II Colonna and the Battle of Lepanto are by Giovanni Coli and Flippo Gherardi on the ceiling of the Palazzo Colonna in Rome, Italy. June 3, 2017

Looking through the Great Hall Gallery to the Hall of the Battle Column at the Palazzo Colonna in Rome, Italy. June 3, 2017

A portion of the ceiling Frisco’s by the Hall of the Battle Column at the Palazzo Colonna in Rome, Italy. June 3, 2017

This 17th century ebony and ivory jewelry chest is in the Hall of Landscapes Gallery which is on one end of the Great Hall Gallery at the Palazzo Colonna in Rome, Italy. This gorgeously carved piece basically shows the back-breaking work of slaves or servants who were required to carry this jewelry chest and other back-breaking work at the time. June 3, 2017

A close-up of the top portion of the 17th century ebony and ivory jewelry chest is in the Hall of Landscapes Gallery which is on one end of the Great Hall Gallery at the Palazzo Colonna in Rome, Italy. June 3, 2017

This is a ceiling fresco in the Hall of Landscapes, attached to the Great Hall at the Palazzo Colonna in Rome, Italy. This 17th century fresco is an allegory of the victory of Marcantonio II Colonna at Lepanto. The Battle of Lepanto was a naval engagement involving a coalition of European Catholic states arranged by Pope Pius V against the Ottoman Empire sailing from their naval station in Lepanto. This rowing vessel battle took place in 1571 and the Catholics defeated the Ottomans. The frescoes on the ceilings of the Palazzo Colonna are as impressive as the paintings on the walls. June 3, 2017