A special new opening will welcome 2020 visitors to Pompeii: the Casa del Frutteto, or House of the Orchard.
The small house, still under restoration, is scheduled to open to the public in February. It is considered one of the most beautiful houses on Via dell’Abbondanza, and takes its name from the fine frescoes that adorn its walls depicting gardens with ornamental trees and plants with such detail and precision that it’s possible to easily recognize the species depicted: lemons, strawberry trees, pears, cherry trees, plums.
The house probably belonged to a wealthy vintner. During excavations, several amphorae used to contain wine were found in the garden of the house. Among the utensils, there was also a large kettle, which the Romans used to heat the water to mix with wine.
Paintings depicting gardens were very common in Pompeii, but always in the areas devoted to welcoming and entertaining guests; on the contrary, in this house the paintings are found in the private rooms.
At the end of the restoration, the colors of the frescoes will be made even more vivid by an innovative LED lighting that will eliminate all wave bands that could modify the natural beauty of the frescoes.
