After 50 years of neglect, Rome's "lost" imperial palace, Domus Tiberiana, has reopened as an open-air museum. The Domus Tiberiana Palace was opened to the public on the 21st (local time) after extensive restoration work, ANSA news agency reported. This palace, spread over 4 hectares (40,000 m2) of land on the Palatine Hill, is
where the emperors of the ancient Roman Empire lived. Domus Tiberiana is named after Tiberius, the second emperor of the Roman Empire. Domus means house in Latin.

As the name suggests, it was presumed to be the palace of Emperor Tiberius, but later archaeologists discovered that it was a palace built by Nero, the fifth emperor, after the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD. This palace was further expanded by Emperors Domitian and Hadrian, and in the 8th century, Pope John VII used it as his residence. 

The Domus Tiberiana Palace was closed for safety reasons in the 1970s as it was at risk of collapse. Alfonsina Russo, director of the Colosseum Archaeological Park (where the Domus Tiberiana fell) and lead archaeologist on the renovation work, told CNN that many of the ancient artifacts are very well preserved and were excavated during the project.

Russo said it had attracted about 400,000 visitors since reopening in late September, which he said was a "huge success." Rousseau believes this incarnation of the Domus Tiberiana will provide visitors with the most 'moving' visit for generations, she added. “The Palatine Hill has always been the stage of Roman power politics,” he said in an interview. “Tiberius may have chosen this place to build his palace as it was where his family resided. “There are few places where you can feel the past like Domus Tiberiana.”

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