The Imperial Villa of Vicarello was an ancient Roman villa-estate that belonged to the emperors starting from Domitian (r.81-96). It is situated near the north shore of Lake Bracciano and near the village of Vicarello, near the modern town of Trevignano Romano. The current private Vicarello estate is a park of about 2000 hectares in which the Roman remains of the villa and associated monumental baths were discovered in the 19th century, some of which are still preserved.[1] The two main ancient centres are:
- the village which includes the now-disused 17th century Villa Valadier overlooking the lake, built on the remains of the Roman villa or vicus (village).
- about 1 km to the north the remains of the (mainly public) baths next to the natural springs, the Aquae Apollinares, which had also been a healing sanctuary to Apollo since Etruscan times as evidenced by the many votive objects found.[2]
Vicarello was also an estate in the Roman period called the Vicus Aurelius, the origin of the name "Vicarello", as it had later belonged to the emperor Marcus Aurelius (r.161-180).
In 1999 the area became protected as part of the Regional Natural Park of Bracciano-Martignano.