Domus Aurea

The Domus Aurea ("Golden House") was a large palace built by the Roman emperor Nero after the fire that devastated Rome in 64. It was made of marble and covered in gold.

In the centre was a man-made lake, and Nero also commissioned a bronze statue of himself, designed to look like Apollo.

Vespasian tore down most of the Domus Aurea, and filled the lake with concrete, in order to build the Flavian Amphitheater.