Hadrian enjoyed doing architectural experimentation, especially at his Villa in Tivoli, southeast of Rome. Built on a massive terrace, it provided a spacious opportunity for Hadrian to suggest his own wild interpretations of the many places in the world he had travelled to. We still don't know the correct names of all of the architectural fantasies that he built there. But his style is quite clear. He loved to combine Greek architectural forums with daring experiments in Roman vaulting. He had a particular fondness for segmented domes. It looked like they were quite similar to the sides of a pumpkin, but which were thought at the time to be squash-like. One section of the Villa, the so-called Stoa of Poikile or painted Stoa of Athens, is a good example of one of Hadrian's ideas. It consisted of a long, porticoed promenade area, which was just perfect for an after-dinner stroll. Dinner was held in a beautiful hall with three apses around it, with the front side opening out onto a fountain. And then the walkway came. There was a long pool in the center, which might be stocked with ducks, or other water fowl, and fish for the delight of dinner guests. In the Hadrianic tradition, the carving was all careful, precise, and shallow, and highly polished on gleaming white marble Another section of the Villa was the Piazza d'Oro, or the golden piazza as it's called which allowed Hadrian full rein to explore his fascination for the gourd vault. Hadrian had inherited Trajan's architect, Apollodorus of Damascus who seems to become so frustrated with Hadrian's meddling in one of his imperial projects, that he actually told the Emperor off saying quote old goat draw your gourds. By the way that's the last we ever hear of Apollodorus. It's true that Hadrian made some errors in his Villa. Placing vaults on top of flimsy columns in a manner that is sure they would never last. But his baroque experiments with walls that pushed out and pulled back in, that rippled with curves and broke up the flat surfaces of the buildings. These lay in ruin for centuries, and architects such as Francesco Borromini in the 17th century could come there for inspiration which led to some of his remarkable Baroque churches such as San Carlo at the Four Fountains in Rome. A wonderful example of Roman Baroque architecture re-experienced as a 17th century church. In architecture Hadrian loved to use Greek Architectural parts just as he did in the Pantheon. But he went to combine them with bold architectural experimentation. Placing segmented vaulted domes on top of post and lintel architecture, was a common Hadrianic practice. He must have been like a child playing with toys as he designed and erected his fantastic complexes, and since the area was never overbuilt, a tourist can visit today and experience much of the Emperor's joy also.