Herculaneum III.19. Main entrance to atrium of Casa dell’Albergo, linked to III.1, 2 and 18.
Excavated between 1928-29.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 III.1.2.18.19 plan
Wallace-Hadrill wrote that this main entrance would have led into the atrium, a bath suite, numerous rooms (approximately 30 but neither extent nor number of the rooms can be clear because the area of the house over the sea-wall is ruinous) and 2 full four-sided peristyle gardens.
See Wallace-Hadrill, A., 1994. Houses and Society in Pompeii and Herculaneum. New Jersey: Princeton U.P. (p.197).
According to Maiuri, this was the most spacious, and may have been the richest dwelling in the whole southern area of the city. It occupied three-fifths at least of the entire area of Insula III. In the preceding excavations, the whole of the area overlooking Cardo III was brought to light, and probably because of its sheer size, it led to the false presumption that this house was a hotel. Unfortunately though, of all the excavations to date, this is in the worst condition because of the eruption which at this point would have seemed to have overthrown and uprooted the walls, by the tunnels of the Bourbon excavators, and by the fact that this dwelling was in the midst of major alterations at the time of the eruption.
See Maiuri, Amedeo, (1977). Herculaneum. 7th English ed, of Guide books to the Museums Galleries and Monuments of Italy, No.53 (p.25-27).
According to Pesando and Guidobaldi, a deep study of the history and decoration of this building would only be able to be carried out after a complete conservation intervention, when it will be entirely accessible and documentable.
See Pesando, F. and Guidobaldi, M.P. (2006). Pompei, Oplontis, Ercolano, Stabiae. Editori Laterza, (p.316)
Cardo IV Inferiore, Herculaneum, September 2015.
Looking towards south-east end of insula, from near entrance doorway of III.19, on right.
Cardo IV Inferiore, Herculaneum, September 2015. Ramp at south end of Cardo IV Inferiore.
This ramp would have led to an arched gateway, which would have led down to the seashore.
Cardo IV Inferiore, Herculaneum, September 2015.
Looking south towards unexcavated, which would have originally been the seashore, from top of ramp at end of Cardo IV Inferiore.
III, 19/18/1, Herculaneum. 4th December 1971.
Looking north-east from access roadway towards rooms on east side
near doorway at III.19, on left and centre.
On the right is part of IV.1/2, House of Mosaic Atrium.
In the lower right is the south end of the arched gateway, which
would have led to the beach from Cardo IV Inferiore.
Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer, from Dr George Fay’s slides collection.
III, 19/18/1, Herculaneum. October 2012. Looking south-west from end of Cardo IV Inferiore. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
III, 19/18/1, Herculaneum. October 2012.
Looking west from Cardo IV Inferiore, across rooms on south side of atrium. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
III.19/18/1, on left, Herculaneum, October 2014. Looking north along Cardo IV Inferiore. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
III.19/18/1 Herculaneum, October 2014.
Looking north-west from Cardo IV Inferiore, across rooms in SE corner, room 12 on lower left. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
III, 19/18/1, Herculaneum. October 2012.
Looking north-west from Cardo IV Inferiore, across rooms on south side of atrium. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
III.19/18/1 Herculaneum, October 2014.
Looking south on Cardo IV Inferiore, from near entrance doorway, on right. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
Cardo IV Inferiore, Herculaneum, September 2015. Looking north-west towards doorway at III.19, on left.
III.19/18/1, Herculaneum, September 2015. Looking north-west towards exterior wall on Cardo IV Inferiore.
III.19/18/1 Herculaneum, October 2014.
North side of room 32, with doorway to room 34, on left, room 35 and 36, taken from over wall in Cardo IV.
Rooms reached from the west side of room 32, north of the peristyle, can be found in III.1 and III.2. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
III, 19/18/1. May 2006. Room 32, looking east towards Cardo IV Inferiore, and across to the House of Mosaic Atrium.
III.19/18/1 Herculaneum, October 2014.
South side of room 32, with corridor leading to vestibule and atrium, on left. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
III, 19/18/1. May 2006.
Room 32, looking south-east in room on east side near Cardo IV Inferiore. On the left is a corridor leading to vestibule/atrium.
III, 19/18/1, Herculaneum. October 2012.
Room 32, looking south in room on north-east side near Cardo IV Inferiore. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
III, 19/18/1. May 2006. Room 32, looking south in room on east side near Cardo IV Inferiore.
III, 19/18/1, Herculaneum. October 2012. Room 32, detail of vat/basin. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
III, 19/18/1, Herculaneum, May 2006. Looking west along unnumbered corridor, on south side of room 32.
III, 19/18/1, Herculaneum. October 2012.
Unnumbered room on south of room 32, at rear of caldarium, steps in south-west corner. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
III, 19/18/1, Herculaneum. October 2012.
Unnumbered room on south of room 32, at rear of caldarium, looking south in south-west corner.
Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
III, 19/18/1. May 2006. Unnumbered room on south of room 32, at rear of caldarium, looking south to steps.
III, 19/18/1, Herculaneum. October 2012.
Unnumbered room on south of room 32, area in north-east corner. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
III, 19/18/1, Herculaneum. October 2012. Looking north-west across peristyle corner with reconstructed portico roof.
From unnumbered room on south of room 32. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 III.1.2.18.19 plan