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May 25, 2020
Even with today’s transportation, the journey to the island of Capri and a trek to one of its peaks takes commitment. In A.D. 27 the Roman Emperor Tiberius left Rome for a tour of the southern reaches of the Italian peninsula. Along the way he visited Capri, and having the reaction of most visitors, decided to stay forever. Being an Emperor he had the means, building twelve villas on the island. The most elaborate of these was set on Monte Tiberio, its second highest peak, facing eastward to the bay of Naples.
The Villa Jovis had to respond to its environment. Roman construction techniques were adapted to compensate for the uneven elevation and lack of water. The villa and gardens spilled down multiple terraces. Nowadays an undersea pipeline serves Capri water from the mainland. In the first century rain had to be collected. Large cisterns captured rainwater landing on the roofs and fed a full-featured bath complex that included pools of different temperatures. The water collection system also provided irrigation to a part of the island too high for streams, making the gardens possible.
Tiberius moved to Capri in part for safety but also due to frail health. The setting and climate worked and the emperor governed from Villa Jovis for the next 11 years. The location was appreciated by later nobles and artists who were inspired by Capri. Baron Jacques d'Adelswärd-Fersen built his villa, La Gloriette, just to the northwest of Villa Jovis. Fersen’s life was as colorful as that of any Roman emperor, and like Villa Jovis, Fersen’s Art Nouveau creation gained a reputation as a hive of decadence and questionable goings on.
When you have had your fill of architecture, gardens, and legend, don’t neglect to survey the view from the site, a thousand feet above azure waters. From Monte Tiberio you can chart your course to the nearby islands of Procida and Ischia. Ever-present Vesuvio looms large over the Bay of Naples, while Sorrento and the Amalfi coast invite your exploration. However, like many visitors before, lured by the siren song of Capri, you may choose to stay right where you are.
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