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Temples of Humankind · All visit types (€55–€140)

Hall of Earth

The Great Mosaic Floor — a spiral map of Earth's kingdoms in hand-cut stone, with Falco Tarassaco's original directional wall paintings. ~22m × 16m · Floor mosaic: ~350 m².

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Damanhur› Temples of Humankind› Hall of Earth
The Hall

Symbolic
Programme

The Hall of Earth is dominated by its floor — a vast spiral mosaic mapping Earth's four kingdoms: mineral, vegetable, animal, and human. The reading order moves from the centre outward, following the spiral arm that corresponds to each kingdom. Four directional wall panels painted by Falco Tarassaco show the kingdoms in trompe l'oeil architectural relief. Earth in Damanhurian cosmology is understood as a living being — a participant in the cosmic project rather than a passive substrate.

Construction Note

Constructed in phases across the 1980s and 1990s. The floor mosaic required 4 years of dedicated work. Over 80,000 individual stone and ceramic tesserae.

OFFICIALBELIEF
Dimensions & Theme
Earth's four kingdoms — mineral, vegetable, animal, human
~22m × 16m · Floor mosaic: ~350 m²
Artworks & Materials

Central floor mosaic (~350 m²) in hand-cut stone and ceramic tesserae. Four wall panels by Falco Tarassaco (trompe l'oeil). Relief sculpture at the four cardinal points. Earthenware and terracotta details. Inlaid directional compass in the floor centre.

Visit Types
All visit types (€55–€140)
Visitor Experience

What to
Expect

The largest floor surface of any hall. Visitors walk on the mosaic — comfortable flat shoes essential. The floor's spiral narrative takes 15–20 minutes to read with a guide. Photography from the elevated entry point captures the full pattern. Included in all four visit types.

How to Book

Contact: welcome@dhwelcome.org or +39 0124 512226
Monday–Saturday, 09:00–17:00 CET
Advance booking required. Peak season (Jun–Sep): 4 weeks ahead.

Navigate the Complex

Hall
Sequence

Common Questions

About This
Hall

Yes — visitors walk directly on the mosaic throughout the tour. This is deliberate: the floor is designed to be experienced underfoot as well as visually. The tesserae are sealed and maintained annually.
All four directional wall panels were designed and painted by Oberto Airaudi (Falco Tarassaco), the founder of Damanhur. They are original works executed in the 1980s and represent some of his most substantial visual art remaining in situ.
With a guide explaining the symbolic programme, allow 20–35 minutes. The floor alone — with its spiral reading sequence — takes 10–15 minutes to walk fully.
All guides speak Italian. English, German, and French are available — specify at booking. Private tours in other languages can be arranged with advance notice.
The guided tour moves as a group. Individual backtracking is not possible during the standard visit. If you have a specific wish to spend more time in a particular hall, mention this to your guide at the start — some flexibility is possible in smaller groups.