Grotta Azzurra
When the gloomy emperor Tiberius was in power he had a large collection of statues and artefacts and sculpture in his villa in Sperlonga. Here he had a magnificent triclinium which impressed and awed. However in 26 AD, the roof of the linked grotto collapsed while Tiberius was dining, and he was only nearly saved. Tiberius decided to move to the small island of Capri.
On Capri the emperor established a new villa, which nothing of remains today. The emperor also found a new grotto - more magnificent than the last. A sea-side cave flooded with a brilliant blue or emerald light. The water seemed purer than anywhere else. Tiberius made the grotto his personal swimming location and brought many guests - each amazed by the beauty of the location. Filling it with artworks and expanding the cave. However, in just 10 years Tiberius would pass away and the grotto would be forgotten. Occasionally being rediscovered now and again. Locals believe it's an evil place, where monsters reside.
The grotto is only accessible from the sea. Its tunnel is only one pace high at low tide, and otherwise completely submerged. Meaning the entrance is both hard to spot and inaccessible most of the time. Safe entry is only possible when tides are low and the sea is calm. The Blue Grotto is some 60 paces long by 25 pace wide. The unearthly blue light, as well as the acoustics inside the grotto makes for remarkable beauty. At the back of the main cave, three connecting branches lead to the Sala dei Nomi, or “room of names”, named after the graffiti signatures left by ancient romans. Two more passages lead deeper into the island, though they have suffered cave-in, leaving them blocked. One of these at the back of the cave seems to have been an ancient stairway leading up to the Emperor’s pleasure palace. It has a magical aura of 4, aligned with Aquam.
The Emperor had the cave decorated with statues of Neptune and Tritons, some of the artwork from his former palace, some new commissions. They stand on the edge of the water. A few of the pedestals are empty however, since they have fallen over edge and rest upon the bottom of the sea. Conch shells and small votive gifts also lie along the edge of the water. Triton occasionally still visits the spot, and dont mind sharing the grotto.