Villa d’Este, Part I

A wonderful day trip from Rome takes you to a lavish palazzo and garden in Tivoli, once owned by the son of the infamous Lucrezia Borgia. Villa d’Este, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has one of the most wonderful gardens in the world. Ippolito d’Este (1509-1572) was the second son of Lucrezia and the Duke d’Este.

Cardinal Ippolito d’Este, who became a church official at age 10(!)

Ippolito eventually succeeded his father, but also gained significant wealth from his positions in the church. With that wealth, he built Villa d’Este — often pilfering antiquities and marble from the nearby Hadrian’s Villa to do so.

When you first enter the palazzo, there’s a fountain in the courtyard — just a hint of what is to come.

The Fountain of Venus, by Raffaelo Sangallo, in the entry courtyard

Then you’ll make your way through a myriad of beautifully decorated rooms.

Room after room of beautifully decorated spaces…
Every wall, every ceiling…
All different
Decoration in the “Hall of Nobility”
In each corner of the Hall of Nobility is Cardinal Ippolito’s coat of arms with a white eagle
I love how it feels like people are walking into the room…
…another person peers in ….
Fresco of The Synod of the Gods on the ceiling of the Hall of the Fountain
A particularly glorious ceiling
A Birth of Venus
Decoration in the Hall of Noah
Fresco on the ceiling of the Hall of Noah
The Hall of Glory
A fresco gives a hint of what’s in store for visitors to the garden.
The magnificent view out the window
Then, you leave the palazzo for the gardens, and it becomes even more breathtaking …

Much more to come in our next post!

Published by spanishstepsapartment

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In the heart of Rome's Historic Center, between the beautiful Spanish Steps and the famous Trevi Fountain, this luxury two bedroom, two bathroom apartment is surrounded by fine dining and fabulous shopping. It is within walking distance of the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and many other historic sites and museums, and near the subway, taxi stands, bus stops, and bike rental. Located in a traditional Roman palazzo, the apartment was fully renovated in late 2010 and is now available for vacation and short-term rental.