Domus Romana
About
The Domus Romana, or Domvs Romana, is a celebrated Roman‑era townhouse that sits on the dividing line between the medieval city of Mdina and the historic town of Rabat in Malta. Constructed in the early 1st century BC, the single‑storey domus served as a wealthy urban residence and featured a spacious peristyle courtyard that supported a series of richly decorated polychrome mosaics. These mosaic panels, painted in Hellenistic‑style motifs, are among the finest surviving examples of Roman art in the Western Mediterranean and rival works from Pompeii and Sicily. The site was discovered accidentally in 1881 during a landscaping project, and subsequent excavations revealed not only the surviving mosaics but also a range of Roman artifacts—including statues, coins, amphorae and fine tableware—as well as remains of an 11th‑century Muslim cemetery that was later incorporated into the museum displays. Today, the Domus Romana is managed by Heritage Malta and offers visitors a unique insight into Roman domestic life, along with a glimpse of the site's later Islamic use. The museum building itself was opened to the public in February 1882 and has been a focal point of Malta’s archaeological heritage for well over a century.
Highlights
- Polychrome Mosaics
- Ancient Roman Peristyle
- Archaeological Finds
Must-See Areas
Good to Know
Good for
At a glance
- Typical visit: about 30 minutes