The Cento Camerelle

The so-called Cento Camerelle, a vast complex of vaulted rooms lying directly beneath the terrace of the Pecile, functioned as the substructures that supported and serviced one of the largest porticoed spaces at Hadrian’s Villa. 

They were first described, excavated, and even named by Pirro Ligorio in the sixteenth century. Their inclusion in Contini’s plan, where the building is already fully represented, confirms that excavations had been undertaken by that time. During the seventeenth century, the wide esplanade of the Pecile above the chambers was divided among the Rampani, Altoviti, and Altissimi families. Although direct records are lacking, it is certain that excavations took place. The Altoviti, in particular, are known to have reused sculptures and decorative marbles recovered from their lands to furnish their villa at Prati di Castello and the Palazzo Altoviti near Ripetta in Rome.

In the early eighteenth century, the Pecile and surrounding lands were acquired by Count Giuseppe Fede, as documented by the Ristori-Gabrielli plan. While Fede conducted excavations on his properties, no evidence survives of investigations specifically within the Pecile. More targeted activity occurred in 1783, when Cardinal Marefoschi undertook excavations at the Cento Camerelle. Numerous statues are reported from this phase, together with further finds made by the Michilli brothers, owners of adjacent land. These discoveries became well known through the accounts of antiquarians such as Sebastianis, Bulgarini, Penna, and Nibby. Their publication contributed to a more precise understanding of the complex, reflected in Piranesi’s accurate rendering of the Pecile and Cento Camerelle in his plan of the villa.

The nineteenth and twentieth centuries saw continued clearance and documentation. In 1803 the lands passed to the Braschi Onesti, and after 1870 to the Kingdom of Italy. The state undertook systematic clearance and restoration in 1872, with final excavation of the chambers completed in 1883. Subsequent surveys were produced by Winnefeld, Gusman, and Reina with the Scuola degli Ingegneri. In 1913 Boussois carried out exploratory excavations, identifying brick stamps of 117 and 123–124 CE, published by Bloch. Further clearances were directed by Simonetti in 1936, followed by post-war restoration campaigns in 1953, 1967, and 1984. 

These interventions demonstrate the enduring interest from the Renaissance through the modern era. Yet, despite the fact that they have been known for centuries, the Cento Camerelle have attracted remarkably little scholarly attention. Their regular, almost monotonous arrangement—rows of small chambers stacked on up to four levels—stood in stark contrast to the intricate, scenographic, and richly decorated architecture elsewhere in the villa. As a result, the complex has traditionally been sidelined in archaeological literature, regarded as a utilitarian undercroft rather than as an integral element of imperial design.