"Domus Aurea" is a Latin term meaning "Golden House". This was once a large palace built by the Roman emperor Nero after a huge fire had devastated Rome in the year 64. It has long been said that the Domus Aurea was built by Nero after his own intentional ordering of the great fire. It is believed that he used the fire as an excuse to commence with the construction of the Domus Aurea. In fact, the rumor says that Nero was seen playing a cithara and reciting poetry while the city burned to the ground.

The Domus Aurea is built of brick instead of marble and it has an extensive gold-leaf decor. There are also wonderful stuccoed ceilings that are applied with semi-precious stones and veneers of ivory. These make for a magnificent interior that was first witnessed by Pliny the Elder when it was being constructed. The Domus Aurea is made up of a series of villas and pavilions covering one third of what was then Rome. There are grandly placed open porticos to enjoy the artificial views created where the heart of Rome had recently been. Nero also commissioned a colossal 37-meter bronze statue of himself and placed it just outside the main entrance. The Domus Aurea is a wonderful sight to behold.