It was Hadrian who started the work on the Villa Adriana - a grand country retreat in the mountains near the Tibur (ancient Tiber) in AD 118. It was completed in 134 and later used by several Emperors. What was left following the fall of the Roman Empire was restored and opened to visitors; it lies between olive groves and cypress trees and is still impressive to look at. You get an idea of its original majesty by viewing the scale model of the villa on site.
