domus dei tappeti di pietra

We visited this attraction in early October 2013. We loved this display because it was so different from the wall mosaics to be seen in every church in town. We found these to be the best and most interesting as they were only discovered in 1990. The display is excellent. No photos are allowed.

Not many original Roman/Byzantine floors remain extant, and even fewer are open for viewing, which makes both the size and the sheer pictorial complexity of the Domus die Tappeti di Pietra something to behold. Raised walkways lead the visitor on a tour of this ground floor villa, reached through the nave of the church superimposed on the dwelling in later centuries. Designs range from the playfully pastoral Dance of the Four Seasons to intricate geometric patterns the equal of some of Ravenna's famed church mosaics. The site is still very much a work in progress, with excavation and restoration ongoing. Explanatory placards are mostly in Italian, and an audio guide is available, but we chose to make our way unassisted, and found it to be a rewarding stop.

This one of the hidden treasures that Italy uses the tourist to discover. If you go, visit the domus first, then go to the Museum MAR (inside Loggetta Lombardesca) in order to know more about the history and findings of this ancient roman villa. Found by chance in a recent past, this archaeological site is full of ancient mosaics you have to see if you want to realize how rich was Ravenna, capital of the Roman Empire in Bizantine time.

We got the reduced price pass (Tamo museum, this domus and a private chapel). The excavated site shows the different mosaics of a domus from Roman times. My favourite one was the Dance of the Seasons, with a musician playing the syrinx. If you are interested in Roman art, it's a must.

This below-ground museum entered from a church is an unusual attraction which has not been open very long. It is the ground floor of a Roman house - only discovered a few years ago - which is full of mosaic "carpets". Nicely laid out, with walkways, it will not take you long to visit and is worth the modest entrance fee.

Interesting to see how life might have been centuries ago. The audio guide goes into great speculative detail but may not be all that compelling for many.

We found this small, nondescript Church (Santa Eufemia) while on our way to a more well-known site. The mosaic "carpet" is in a very large underground room. There is a wakway from which you can view these magnificent Byzantine mosaics of the V-VI century AD. Of special interest and beauty are those mosaics decorated with geometric shapes, floral patterns, and figurative scenes. One particular part of the floor not to be missed is The "Dance of the Four Seasons" which depicts spirits dancing in a circle. Well worth the admission price.

Had a ticket for free entry with our cruise ship shuttle service. We had already visited the Cripta Rasponi Giardini and the TAMO museum so we were not really expecting anything different to what we had seen! How wrong we were!! Entry was through a church and then little souvenir shop. We walked down the stairs (they did have a stair lift for disabled access). At the bottom were several rooms covered in mosaics with a glass walkway over them. You could really get a sense of the different rooms and buildings. At the end was an explanation as to the layout of the original building. The building could benefit from a couple of benches at various points. Also the upstairs toilet in the shop was not great. It looked like it was about to overflow!! Otherwise a superb building. Definitely the highlight of our short visit to Ravenna!!

In the basement of the church, archaelogical excavations reveal different levels of mosaics and foundations of the Early Middle Age. A splendid work of restoration.

This place contains some mosaic floors, in some parts very well preserved, and two mosaics on the wall.Not first place to visit in Ravenna, but worth of a visit

This is a simple museum. At first, you'll wonder if you should have bothered. One room? Don't miss it! The examples of mosaic floors are excellent, and the two on the wall provide a unique opportunity to view these close-up. Also, notice the places where you can look through the walkway below to see the floor below. It's a special place, and they have done a wonderful job with this museum.

Original mosaics on the floor, well restored and carefully displayed. There are many rooms, though no walls between them. It is not a big place. I recommend to walk slowly and observe the details of every pattern, and then look straight and see all of them together. The view is wonderful!

These mosaics are very different from the brilliantly-colored, sparkling ones elsewhere in Ravenna. The colors here are muted and the tiles are stone. Although most of the interior walls are gone, there are about a dozen "rooms" each with a different mosaic floor. Some are intricate geometric patterns, others more naturalistic. The center room has a beautiful mosaic of the Four Seasons, three of which survive. You can't walk on the floors, but there are walkways and bridges so that you can see the floors beneath. There also are some interesting stone mosaics set into the walls. These mosaics are well worth a look and it's not expensive. The entrance is through the Church of Sant' Eufemia.

What you see is the footprint of the entire ground floor of a home that belonged to a high ranking court official. Each floor is a beautiful mosaic, and every room is different. Geometric and floral patterns, as well as symbolic figures. Fourteen rooms in all. Very impressive.

We were in Ravenna primarily to see the famous Byzantine mosaics at the Basilica of San Vitale. On the walk there, we discovered the archaeological complex of the House of Stone Carpets, accessed through the Church of Sant’Eufemia. This site was apparently uncovered just 20 years ago during the construction of an underground garage. What a treasure has been brought to light! Sadly, it's a 'no foto' zone. The museum walkways take you back through history over the floors of buildings dating all the way back to the Roman Republican age. Illustrative panels, a modestly-priced brochure, and an audio guide are available to help interpret the intricate mosaic designs and the purposes of the rooms they decorate. Two figurative ‘emblems’ from the 6th century A.D. enhance the geometric floor designs: the “Good Shepherd”, and the “Dance of the Seasons’ Geniuses”. If you like mosaics, don’t miss this!