Mensa Ponderaria and Augusteum
Piazza del Duomo, 4
00019 Tivoli (RM)
Person in charge:
Arch. Laura Bernardi
laura.bernardi@cultura.gov.it
Mensa Ponderaria
The Mensa Ponderaria, or public weigh-house, was situated in the forum of the city of Tibur. The building, which probably dates back to Augustan times, was discovered by chance in 1883. It represents one of those rare occasions in which the specific function of public weigh-house was identified thanks to the presence of two marble mensae, or tables, with concave cavities of different sizes where the official weights were housed. An adjacent structure, discovered in 1920, was probably dedicated to the imperial cult (Augusteum).
An inscription provides information about the person who saw to the erection of the construction, the freedman Marcus Varenus Diphilus, magister Herculaneus, a rich and powerful college connected to the cult of Hercules.
The Mensa Ponderaria is open to the public on the following days:
• Access is permitted only with a ticket, which can be purchased online, via QR code on-site, or at the Institute’s ticket offices.
• The maximum capacity for each visit is 16 people, accompanied by guides and/or staff, for a 25-minute visit per shift.
• Everyone is reminded to wear comfortable shoes, stay within the site for a short time, pay close attention to steps and other uneven surfaces, and avoid stepping on the ancient or fenced-off pavement.
January 3, 2026
from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM (last admission at 4:30 PM)
Entrances at 3:00 PM and 3:30 PM – admission without educational tour.
Entrances at 4:00 PM and 4:30 PM – admission only with educational tour.
January 31, 2026
Admission from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM (last admission 4:30 PM) – admission without educational tour
February 14 and 28, 2026
From 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM (last admission 4:30 PM)
Admission at 3:00 PM and 3:30 PM – admission only with educational tour
Admission at 4:00 PM and 4:30 PM – admission without educational tour
March 14 and 28, 2026
From 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM (last admission 4:30 PM)
Admission at 3:00 PM and 3:30 PM – admission without educational tour
Admission at 4:00 PM and 4:30 PM – admission only with educational tour Teaching
Info:
prenotazionivillae@rearonline.it
villadeste@rearonline.it
Mensa Ponderaria e Augusteum
Piazza del Duomo, 4
00019 Tivoli (RM)
Villa d’Este ticket office
Piazza Trento, 5
00019 Tivoli (RM)
The Villae are part of an inestimable architectural, archaeological, historical and naturalistic heritage. To preserve their beauty and protect them from damage they must be treated with care. We need everyone’s cooperation if this precious and fragile legacy is to maintain its splendour and continue to reveal its age-old history.
The Villae comprise diverse, multiform sites, but are the expression of one and the same cultural heredity and unitary management principles. This is why we have drawn up a single set of general regulations for conscious and respectful fruition of the venues that can be easily adapted to suit the specific characteristics of each one of us.
