Palaces and Gardens

PALAZZO FARNESE (about 1 hour from the casale)

Palazzo Farnese at Caprarola – this palace was built for the “great cardinal” Alessandro Farnese in the 16th century and is considered a masterpiece of Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola. A tangible sign of power, it is at the same time fortress, palace and villa. With a characteristic pentagonal plan and central round courtyard, a splendid stone spiral staircase and frescoes in the Mannerist style, it is worth a visit. For garden-lovers, there are two secret gardens, one for summer and one for winter at the back of the palace, and a wilder park behind with a wooded area, fountains and a pavilion that was used for entertaining.

VILLA LANTE
(about 35 minutes from the casale)

Villa Lante at Bagnaia, a small town on the outskirts of Viterbo, with its eighteen hectares of park and formal garden, it represents one of the greatest examples of 16th century garden architecture. In 1566, the newly appoint Bishop of Viterbo, Cardinal Giovan Francesco De Gambara from Brescia chose the medieval village of Bagnaia as his residence and began to transform a hunting reserve into a “villa of delight” to compete with others of the time, such as Villa d’Este in Tivoli and Palazzo Farnese in Caprarola. The villa is characterized by two small, richly decorated twin pavilions surrounded by a formal garden on four terraced levels enriched by fountains and water features such as hidden jets of water the Bishop used to surprise his guests, and a lovely long fountain in which to chill the wine.

BOMARZO

(about 35 minutes from the casale)

The Gardens of Bomarzo known as “the Sacred Grove” (a.k.a. “the Park of the Monsters), are 16th century gardens in the Mannerist style commissioned by Pier Francesco Orsini and built to astonish its visitors who would have understood the mythological and alchemical symbols contained in the sculptures and strange constructions. There is a leaning house, which throws you off balance when you walk in it, the Orcus, a monstrous ogre’s mouth inside of which guests would dine while seemingly being dined upon, all under the inscription “All thoughts fly”. Sculptures include a dragon being attacked by lions, one of Hannibal’s elephants carrying off a Roman legionary, a Giant, a Fury, a two-tailed mermaid, mythological figures such as Aphrodite, and the sea-God Proteus and much, much more. This garden is enchanting for all ages – definitely something for everyone.

VIGNANELLO
(about 50 minutes by car)

Castello Ruspoli at Vignanello is a little gem of a garden was created in 1611 by Ottavia Orsini, daughter Giulia Farnese and stands behind the castle of the Ruspoli noble family, which is still today their summer residence, but which is open for visitors during part of the year. Although the garden has the traditional characteristics of a Renaissance garden, with a productive area and an area left wild as a hunting reserve, the formal part of the garden is given over almost entirely to an intricate and breathtaking “parterre”, a labyrinthine garden of low boxwood hedges (originally, they were of rosemary and sage) planted in intricate designs that is best seen from above.

VITORCHIANO

Not a historic garden, but certainly of interest to garden enthusiasts is the Centro Botanico Moutan, in Vitorchiano. Given over entirely to the cultivation of peonies and is open in April and May to view the flowering of the more than 250,000 plants of 600 different varieties. There is also a lovely café for a bite of lunch during the viewing months. In the nearby town, one can see the only Moai that exists outside of Easter Island.
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