Regina Viarum

March 2023

Roman baths of Capo di Bove,

Via Appia, Italy

TEAM:

Davide Betti

Francesca Delfini

Francesco De Giovanni

Giorgia Di Loreto

Andrea Filiberti

Riccardo Giuseppe Meneghello

Andrea Paoletti

Simone Pasini

Matteo Perazzi

Capo di Bove is an archaeological site along the Via Appia Antica, about 500 meters from the Mausoleum of Caecilia Metella. It preserves the remains of an elegant private bath complex from the 2nd century CE, characterized by high-quality construction, an articulated spatial layout, and remarkably well-preserved mosaic floors. A later rural building, constructed over one of the Roman cisterns and transformed into a villa in the mid-20th century, now forms part of the property acquired by the Ministry of Culture in 2002.

Masterplan of the Appia Antica Archaeological Park

The current project introduces a protective architectural structure designed to conserve the mosaics and the best-preserved thermal rooms while improving public access. A long elevated walkway, oriented perpendicularly to the Via Appia and aligned with the geometry of the ancient buildings, connects the road to the farmhouse and enables visitors to move above the ruins. A second orthogonal walkway allows close views of the mosaic floors from directly above. Over these rooms, three large coffered glulam roofs shield the remains from sunlight and weather, supported by structural walls laid out according to the footprint of the ancient baths, ensuring that the new intervention remains closely integrated with the archaeological architecture.