The Pompeian Room

This small room is located beneath the first flight of stairs.
Its decorations are directly inspired by ancient examples (which is why it is called the ‘Pompeian Room’) and date back to the renovations carried out between 1861 and 1863 by the Duke of Ripalta, Salvador Bermúdez de Castro.

Following recent restoration work, this room now provides access to the south-west area of the ground floor of the villa, which was part of Agostino Chigi’s private quarters.

In the 16th century, the Pompeian Room was the landing for the staircase connecting to the kitchens in the basement, while in the 19th century, Salvador Bermúdez de Castro had the staircase removed to erect the current east wall, turning the room into a hallway.

In the 1930s, the offices of the President and the General Secretariat of the Reale Accademia d’Italia were located in this area, while the “Saletta pompeiana” housed the toilets reserved for President Guglielmo Marconi.