©MarinaDeFranceschini - Progetto Accademia
13 – UPPER TERRACE OF THE LIBRARIES Description
On its north side it is bordered by a long rectilinear retaining wall, visible from the Lower Terrace of the Libraries [n. 13]. It was a scenographic wall, decorated by alternating semicircular and rectangular niches, in which statues were placed.
In the centre of the wall, instead of two niches there are two staircases which came from the Lower Terrace of the Libraries. They were a concealed access point, easily supervised, which went up to the private part of the Villa.
Octagonal Fountain in the Upper Terrace of the Libraries
The Upper Terrace was arranged as a garden and decorated by a long fountain which ended in two octagonal basins.The entrances to the Greek Library and the Latin Library opened onto it [n. 14-15].
Between the two Libraries there is an ancient Republican Nymphaeum, which opened on the Courtyard of the Libraries [n. 18].
On the side towards the Upper Terrace, the Libraries and the Nymphaeum were joined by a portico built by Hadrian, which had an opus sectile pavement.
Two narrow corridors led to the Courtyard of the Libraries [n. 18] and from there to the other private quarters of the Imperial Palace: as usual, a disguised and indirect access.
Open to the public.
Function and meaning
The Upper Terrace with its buildings was a scenographic and monumental garden that preceded the higher and most private part of the Villa, with the quarters of the Imperial Palace.
The Greek and Latin Libraries were a scenic and monumental access, a sort of Propyleum that preceded the innermost quarters of the Villa.
As usual, the access was neither obvious nor direct: it consisted of two narrow corridors that flanked the Nymphaeum in the Courtyard of the Libraries, located between the two Libraries.
SEE: Marina De Franceschini, Villa Adriana. Mosaici, pavimenti, edifici, 1991, pp. 377-379.