Ancient Rome’s Largest Fresco and Mosaic Complex, Featuring Depictions of a Mysterious Maritime City, Opens to the Public After 2,000 Years

For the first time in centuries, members of the public can admire what is believed to be ancient Rome’s largest fresco and mosaic complex. This week, officials in the Italian capital unveiled the recently restored Painted City fresco and the Great Mosaic. The works were created sometime during the first century C.E. but remained hidden underground until the 1990s.

The 107-square-foot fresco depicts a walled maritime city in blue and terra cotta hues, complete with buildings, a theater, a temple, public piazzas and towers, as seen from above. The multicolored mosaic, meanwhile, depicts decorative columns, plinths and other architectural elements, as well as additional bird’s-eye views of the unknown port city. It also features several human figures, including a bearded philosopher, a centaur, and a poet receiving a crown of laurel.

The mosaic is massive, measuring 33 feet high and 52 feet wide—and counting. Archaeologists continue to reveal more of the mosaic. Right now, they’re working on a new section that depicts grape harvesting and winemaking, reports CNN’s Barbie Latza Nadeau.

The artworks were initially discovered three decades ago, during excavations of the sprawling Baths of Trajan. Designed by Apollodorus of Damascus at the request of Emperor Trajan and dedicated in 109 C.E., the Baths of Trajan spanned roughly 15 acres, forming the largest bath complex in the world at the time. Archaeologists think the complex was more than just a place to bathe; they believe it was also the setting for exercise, socializing and cultural activities.

Archaeologists have discovered all kinds of artifacts in Roman baths, including teeth, scalpels, tweezers, flasks, perfume vials, animal bones, dice, coins, jewelry, needles, and fragments of plates and bowls. The baths were built atop Oppian Hill, not far from the Colosseum, where Emperor Nero had built his lavish Domus Aurea palace between 65 and 68 C.E. The mosaic and fresco, which were discovered beneath the hill, are believed to predate the baths, so they may have once been part of the Domus Aurea, but archaeologists say their exact origins remain unclear.

The large-scale artworks will initially be open to small groups of no more than 15 people, with free guided tours available by reservation starting September 12, Ilaria Cicinelli and Tokunbo Salako report for Euronews. Authorities intend to see how the trial period goes—and how the presence of visitors affects the artworks—before they’ll consider opening the subterranean works to a wider audience. The site features rest areas, walkways, lighting and a tiered seating system for events, per Euronews.