If Rome promises the visitor mountains and wonders of beauty, its surroundings are not left out. The Villa d’Este located 50km from Rome provides the most obvious proof. Clinging to the hillside, the majestic Villa d’Este and its gardens unfold in the heart of the small town of Tivoli. In terms of gardens, Italy offers some examples of what was best in the Renaissance and the Villa d’Este is the true masterpiece. A jewel of Italian architecture and garden design listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Here we reach the pinnacle of refinement and beauty applied to the garden. But more than an Italian garden, Villa d’Este is a water garden. Omnipresent, water flows like an aquatic symphony. Fountains, water jets, caves, ponds and waterfalls form an aquatic and vegetal fantasy and present a splendid staging of water. A real show for the eyes and ears that unfold over 4 hectares. Statues representing mythological or fantastic scenes are installed in the heart of abundant vegetation. Some of these ancient statues and columns come from the famous Villa Hadriana of Emperor Hadrian nearby. In the Renaissance, the garden must surprise and take the visitor on the path of the wonderful and the least we can say is that the villa d’Este keeps its promises with a subtle mixture of artifice and nature creating surprise and providing a childish pleasure to the visitor under these floods of water and waterfalls.
The palace and gardens of the Villa d’Este were laid out in the 16th century by the architect Pirro Ligorio for Cardinal Hippolytus II d’Este. After failing to become pope, the ambitious cardinal became governor for life of the city of Tivoli. With this villa, he wants to mark the spirits and display his wealth and power. For the “aquatic” part of the garden, the architect showed great ingenuity. The entire water system operates without a mechanism with the sole force of gravity by simply exploiting the slope of the terrain. A system that still works today.
Considered one of the most beautiful water gardens in Europe, the Villa d’Este is an exceptional testimony to the Italian Renaissance and a source of artistic inspiration since its creation. One more place in Europe dedicated to beauty and an ideal garden for a romantic walk. A must see.
Lovers, lovers, at your luggage !
Practical Notebook
#More information
Villa d’Este
Piazza Trento, 5, 00019 Tivoli
www.villadestetivoli.info
Entrance rate : 12€
#Vidéos
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