House of the Faun

The House of the Faun, located in the ancient city of Pompeii, was the residence of a wealthy Roman magistrate and was buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD.

The building was unearthed in the 19th century and has helped scholars to reconstruct the life of the past thanks to the precious finds unearthed.

The house was named after the bronze statue found in the middle of the impluvium. Despite this mythological figure being a satyr, she was mistaken for a faun. The difference between the two is subtle because their appearance is almost identical: they have human features with horns and the lower part of a goat. While the faun is a Roman deity, satyrs are Greek mythological figures.

The original statue can be admired at the Archaeological Museum of Naples, in the excavations there is a reproduction.

History of the House of the Faun

The house, built in the third century BC, was initially small and had a large vegetable garden around. The next century was renovated and enlarged. Its owner was one of the richest men in Pompeii who expanded it to 3,000 square meters with many peristyles.

With the eruption of 79 A.D. the House of the Faun was totally buried.

Where is House of the Faun?

It is located near the entrance to Porta Marina and is one of the first attractions that you usually meet by continuing to the Forum passing the honorary arch.

Nearby are the Forum, the House of the dei Vettii, the Lupanar and the Terme del Foro.