House of the Faun, Pompeii

Roman Site in Pompeii

CC BY-SA 4.0 / NikonZ7II

The House of the Faun, or Casa del Fauno, is one of the top attractions in Pompeii and one of the grandest private homes ever uncovered in the ancient city. Built during the Samnite period around 180 BC, this sprawling Hellenistic palace fills an entire insula and was framed by elegant peristyle courtyards, richly decorated rooms, and elaborate water features. When Vesuvius erupted in AD 79, volcanic ash engulfed the property and sealed in an extraordinary collection of artworks, making the house a more vivid window onto the Roman Republic than many sites in Rome itself.

Walking through the ruins today, it is easy to imagine the life of the aristocratic family who lived here, surrounded by intricate mosaics, painted walls, and sculptures that expressed their wealth and cultural aspirations. The famous bronze dancing faun in the central atrium, now represented by a replica, still seems to spring lightly beside the limestone impluvium, while the remains of geometric floors and garden layouts evoke the refined world of its owners. This spot is one of the best places to see in Pompeii if you want to understand how status, taste, and everyday routine were woven together in the houses of the Roman elite, and it is often visited on walking tours of Pompeii that trace the city's most important domus.

History and Significance of the House of the Faun
Things to See and Do in the House of the Faun
How to Get to the House of the Faun
Practical Tips on Visiting the House of the Faun
Where to Stay close to the House of the Faun
Is the House of the Faun Worth Visiting
FAQs for Visiting House of the Faun
Nearby Attractions to the House of the Faun

History and Significance of the House of the Faun

Constructed around 180 BC in the Samnite period, before Pompeii became firmly integrated into the Roman state, the House of the Faun reflects a sophisticated blend of Italic and Hellenistic influences. Its sheer size and complex layout mark it out as the residence of a very wealthy family, likely part of the local aristocracy that prospered under Rome while retaining its own traditions. Over time, the house was adapted and embellished, keeping pace with changing fashions as Pompeii grew into a thriving urban centre.

The House of the Faun belongs to the highest tier of Roman domestic architecture, grouped with other elite residences such as the House of Pansa and the House of the Silver Wedding. Even more than 190 years after its excavation, the quality of its craftsmanship and materials stands out, particularly in its mosaic floors and architectural detailing. Evidence from the eastern walls of the tetrastyle atrium shows that parts of the house were repaired after the major AD 62 earthquake, suggesting that its owners invested heavily in restoration and continued to live here right up until the eruption of AD 79.

When Vesuvius erupted, ash and pumice buried the house along with the rest of Pompeii, abruptly freezing life in place. That catastrophe is the reason so much survives: walls, floors, and decorative schemes that would normally have been altered, stripped, or destroyed over centuries remained sealed underground. As a result, the House of the Faun is one of the clearest and most complete records of a Roman Republican-era aristocratic home, providing archaeologists and visitors alike with invaluable insights into architecture, taste, and domestic life.

Things to See and Do in the House of the Faun

One of the first things to look for as you enter is the overall layout. The House of the Faun occupies an entire city block and organises life around multiple atria and peristyle gardens. Walking from the street into the entrance hall and then through to the atrium, you get a sense of how guests would have been received and how public and private spaces were separated. The axial views through doorways and across courtyards show just how carefully the house was designed to impress.

At the centre of the main atrium stands the replica of the bronze dancing faun, whose playful pose gives the house its name. The original statue, now in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, was discovered beside the white limestone impluvium that collected rainwater from the roof. Pause here to imagine the atrium when it was still roofed, with water reflecting the statue and mosaic floor patterns while light filtered in from above. The faun, technically a satyr associated with woodland, wine, and the god Dionysus, sends a clear message about the cultured, Hellenised identity the owners wanted to project.

Elsewhere in the house, look for surviving mosaics and traces of wall painting. Although many masterpieces have been removed to the Naples museum, including the famous Alexander Mosaic, the floors and decorative fragments that remain on site still convey the richness of the original décor. As you move through the peristyle gardens, side rooms, and service areas, try to imagine the house alive with servants, family members, and guests circulating between banquets, business meetings, and moments of relaxation. The scale and complexity of the layout make it one of the must-see places in Pompeii for anyone interested in Roman domestic life.

How to Get to the House of the Faun

To visit the House of the Faun you first need to reach the archaeological site of Pompeii, in the modern town of Pompei near Naples. The nearest major gateway is Naples International Airport, which has frequent flights from across Italy and Europe and serves as the main arrival point for most visitors heading to Pompeii. For the best deals and a seamless booking experience, check out these flights to Pompeii on Booking.com. From the airport you can continue by train, bus, or car.

By train, the most common route is to travel from Napoli Centrale or Piazza Garibaldi on the Circumvesuviana line towards Sorrento and get off at Pompei Scavi Villa dei Misteri station, which is a short walk from the main entrance to the ruins.Use Omnio to easily compare schedules, book train tickets, and find the best prices all in one place for a hassle-free journey across Italy. Regional Trenitalia services also stop at Pompei station in the modern town, from where you can connect on foot or by local transport to the site.

Buses run between Naples, Sorrento, and Pompei, with stops near the archaeological area, offering an alternative to rail travel if you prefer coach-style journeys or are coming from coastal resorts. If you are travelling by car, Pompei is well connected by the A3 motorway and local roads, with signposted parking areas close to the entrances of the archaeological park.If you are looking to rent a car in Italy I recommend having a look at Discover Cars, first, as they compare prices and review multiple car rental agencies for you. Once inside the site, the House of the Faun lies along one of the main streets and is clearly marked on visitor maps.

Practical Tips on Visiting the House of the Faun

Suggested tips: Pick up or download a site map before entering Pompeii so you can locate the House of the Faun easily and plan it into a logical walking route through the ruins.
Best time to visit: Early morning or late afternoon offer cooler temperatures and thinner crowds, making it easier to appreciate details of the house and its mosaics.
Entrance fee: Adults: €22.00 (General Pompei Tickets)
Opening hours: Daily: 9:00 - 15:30
Official website: https://pompeiisites.org
How long to spend: Allow at least 30 to 45 minutes inside and around the house to take in the layout, faun statue, and surviving decorations, longer if you are particularly interested in Roman domestic architecture.
Accessibility: Paths inside Pompeii can be uneven, with cobblestones and steps; some areas of the House of the Faun may be difficult for visitors with reduced mobility, so check current access information if needed.
Facilities: Toilets, cafés, and water fountains are available at various points within the archaeological park, but not inside the house itself, so plan breaks accordingly.
Photography tip: Use wider angles to capture courtyards and atria, and focus on low viewpoints near the mosaics and impluvium for atmospheric shots of the faun and geometric floor patterns.
Guided tours: Joining a guided tour or hiring a licensed guide at the gate can greatly enrich your visit, explaining the social status of the owners, decorative programs, and links to other elite houses.
Nearby food options: For meals and snacks, you will find plenty of cafés and restaurants just outside the site entrances in modern Pompei, as well as some refreshment points within the park.

Where to Stay close to the House of the Faun

Staying in or near modern Pompei makes it easy to explore the archaeological site at a relaxed pace and return to the House of the Faun at quieter times of day. A convenient option close to one of the main entrances is Hotel Forum, which offers comfortable rooms within walking distance of the ruins. Another good choice is Hotel del Sole Pompei, some of whose rooms look towards the archaeological area and Vesuvius, making it a great base for history-focused trips. For a friendly, central stay in the modern town, Hotel Diana Pompei places you near shops, restaurants, and transport links, while still keeping the House of the Faun and other key sites just a short walk away.

Is the House of the Faun Worth Visiting

The House of the Faun is absolutely worth visiting and should be high on your list when planning a tour of Pompeii. As one of the largest and most luxurious aristocratic homes from the Roman Republic, it brings to life the scale, comfort, and artistic refinement enjoyed by the city's elite. The combination of its Hellenistic layout, famous faun statue, and wealth of mosaics makes it a key piece in understanding Pompeii not just as a ruin, but as a lived-in, status-conscious city. If you want more than just streets and temples, this house provides one of the richest, most intimate encounters with Roman domestic life anywhere in the site.

What Other Travellers Say...

Reviews Summary

4.8 (1,183)

House of the Faun, in Pompeii (80045 Pompei, Metropolitan City of Naples, Italy), is a vast, luxurious Roman residence occupying an entire city block, noted for its well‑preserved mosaics and frescoes, two atria, two peristyles, multiple triclinia, a small bathing complex with tepidarium and calidarium, and a replica bronze faun statue in the impluvium; highlights include a mosaic of Alexander the Great (the original housed elsewhere), a tablinum with a perspectival cube floor, a first peristyle with 27 stuccoed columns and a larger peristyle with 48 Doric columns, servants' quarters accessed from shops, and evidence of both residential and business spaces that give a vivid sense of Pompeian elite life.

Tatiana Zakharova

3 months ago

"I visited the House of the Faun in Pompeii and was truly impressed. Everything is so beautiful and well preserved — the mosaics and architecture arestu ing. Pompeii itself left a deep impression on me, and I highly recommend everyone to visit. It’s amazing to walk through a city frozen in time since the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD...."

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Misiu martino

a month ago

"Covering a total surface area of about three thousand square metres, this building occupies a whole Insula (block) and is certainly one of thelargest and most sumptuous houses in Pompeii. Its entrance lies in Via della Fortuna.The residence is of Samnite origin and was built in the early 2nd century B.C. in place of an older construction. It derives its name from the small bronze statue of a dancing faun (a copy of which is exhibited here) which decorates the impluvium of the Tuscan Atrium. Nothing is known about its owners.From an architectural viewpoint this house is unique not only for its remarkable size, but also because it has two atria, two peristyles, four triclinia and a small bathing complex. Each of the two distinct parts of the house was arranged around an Atrium of its own. The first part, which has a Tuscan Atrium, is identified by the greeting "Have" which appears both in a Mosaic on the pavement and on the 1st-style decorations of the entrance hall. This was certainly the residential section of the house, while the other, laid out around a Tetrastyle Atrium, was where the servants lived and worked. Opposite the entrance to the residential section is a Atrium and the peristyle which was used as a sort of office for the household business. This was where the tabulae, or accounts and other documents, were kept. '>Tablinum whose floor is decorated with a cube design in perspective. The skeleton of a woman carrying jewels and coins was found in this room and is assumed to have been the wealthy owner of the house. The house has two winter triclinia, one on either side of the Atrium and the peristyle which was used as a sort of office for the household business. This was where the tabulae, or accounts and other documents, were kept. '>Tablinum, and a first Peristyle with 27 stuccoed columns just behind the Atrium and the peristyle which was used as a sort of office for the household business. This was where the tabulae, or accounts and other documents, were kept. '>Tablinum itself. Two columns mark the entrance to the Exedra in which the magnificent Mosaic depicting a scene from the battle of Issus between Alexander the Great and King Darius of Persia was found. A corridor from one of the two summer triclinia which extend all round the Exedra leads to a larger Peristyle with 48 Doric columns.This has a Lararium on the left and the door to the gardener's lodgings on the right. A secondary entrance to the house from Vicolo di Mercurio also leads into this Peristyle. In the servants'quarters, which can be reached through separate doors from two shops, we can see a number of cubicula where the staff slept. The kitchen, the lavatory and the small private baths of the house opened onto a narrow passageway leading to the Peristyle. The baths are composed of a Tepidarium and a Calidarium which used the heat generated by the hearth in the adjoining kitchen and both had slightly raised floors...."

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E Scott Parks

10 months ago

"The Casa del Fauno, or House of the Faun, is a splendid example of Pompeian opulence and artistry, captivating visitors with its grand scale andexquisite details. This luxurious residence features stu ing frescoes, intricate mosaics, and a charming atrium, all centered around a striking statue of a faun, embodying the spirit of revelry and nature. The house's layout offers a glimpse into the lifestyles of Pompeii's elite, with spacious rooms designed for both intimate gatherings and extravagant celebrations. As you explore its beautifully preserved spaces, you can almost feel the pulse of ancient life and the whispers of tales told within these walls. A visit to the Casa del Fauno is a romantic stroll through history, where art and architecture beautifully intertwine to create an enchanting experience...."

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FAQs for Visiting House of the Faun

The House of the Faun occupies an entire insula in the northern part of the ancient city, close to the main thoroughfares, and is clearly marked on official site maps.

No, entry is included in the standard Pompeii archaeological park ticket, so you can visit the house as part of your general tour of the ruins.

The statue you see in the atrium is a replica; the original bronze dancing faun is preserved in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples for protection and conservation.

Most visitors spend about 30 minutes exploring the house, but enthusiasts of Roman architecture and mosaics often stay longer to examine details in the atria and peristyle gardens.

Yes, children often enjoy the sense of exploring a huge ancient house and spotting features like the faun statue and mosaics, though you will need to keep an eye on them around uneven surfaces and low walls.

Many Pompeii guides and group tours include the House of the Faun in itineraries focused on domestic life and art, and you can also book private tours that give extra time to this and similar high-status homes.

Nearby Attractions to the House of the Faun

Pompeii Forum: The political and commercial heart of the ancient city, surrounded by important temples and public buildings.
House of the Vettii: Another richly decorated elite residence with vivid wall paintings that complement what you see in the House of the Faun.
Villa of the Mysteries: A suburban villa just outside the city walls, famous for its enigmatic Dionysian frescoes.
Pompeii Amphitheatre: One of the oldest surviving Roman amphitheatres, offering a sense of the city's entertainment and public spectacles.
National Archaeological Museum of Naples: Home to original sculptures, mosaics, and artefacts from Pompeii and Herculaneum, including pieces from the House of the Faun.

The House of the Faun appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Pompeii!

Moira & Andy

Hey! We're Moira & Andy. From hiking the Camino to trips around Europe in Bert our campervan — we've been traveling together since retirement in 2020!

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