Villa d’Este in Tivoli is one of the symbols of the splendor of the Italian Renaissance period. This complex is famous all over the world for the wonderful fountains that decorate the Italian garden. It is one of the most beautiful gardens in Europe in which fountains create beautiful and valuable water features.
This architectural jewel is located in the city of Tivoli not far from Rome. Its realization is due to Cardinal Ippolito II d’Este governor of Tivoli and son of Lucrezia Borgia. Because of its incredible beauty this architecture has been taken as a model for the development of other important villas in Europe.
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Villa d’Este in Tivoli, where is it?
Villa d’Este in Tivoli is one of the most beautiful and admired architectural works in Italy. This property was built by Ippolito d’Este in the city of Tivoli which is immersed in the countryside of Rome. Tivoli was a Roman city of great importance and was praised by important historians and poets of the past such as Catullus, Virgil and Martial.
Emperor Hadrian was very close to Tivoli and built here his villa in which he retired to spend carefree days. The city has been the birthplace of several characters who have played an important role in the history of Italy in both artistic and scientific fields.
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The history of the Villa d’Este in Tivoli
The construction of Villa d’Este was commissioned by Cardinal Ippolito II d’Este who had received as a gift from the then Pope Julius III a part of the territories of the area of Tivoli. These large estates caused the cardinal to move to Tivoli in order to manage them more directly.
For this reason he decided to build this wonderful villa. Construction began in 1550 by the architect Pirro Logorio and lasted for about 20 years. During the realization of the work there were several problems, also because the water from the fountains comes directly from the river Aniene through a 600-meter-long underground channel.
The wonderful villa was inaugurated in 1572. Cardinal Ippolito d’Este died a few months later. Over the years, some of the most important artists of the time worked here, such as Bernini, who brought the structure to levels of absolute excellence. During the eighteenth century following the transfer of ownership to the Habsburgs, the villa experienced a period of degradation and neglect.
Only from the middle of the 19th century were the works undertaken for its renovation by Cardinal Gustav von Hohenlohe. With the First World War Villa d’Este became the property of the Italian state. Subsequently, important restorations were carried out to remedy the bombings of 1944 during the Second World War
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Villa d’Este in Tivoli: here’s what to see
Villa d’Este is one of the main tourist attractions of Lazio and is visited every year by people from all over the world. Once inside the villa you have the opportunity to visit the two floors that compose it. There is a piano nobile that is frescoed and another service. The rooms are decorated with frescoes that simulate tapestries, curtains and views of landscapes.
The vaults inside the rooms have been decorated each with a different theme. Through the windows you can admire the beautiful garden of the house. This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful Italian gardens in Europe and is the most spectacular aspect of the Villa d’Este in Tivoli. The fountains in the garden are numerous. These are powered by a complex mechanism that gives rise to amazing water games. The most famous among those present is the Ovato fountain and symbolizes the Tiburtini Mountains.
In the central part there is a beautiful waterfall that feeds the tank below. Another spectacular fountain is that of the Organ built between 1568 and 1611. Its main peculiarity was that when it was operated it allowed water to come out and operate the keys of the organ that played. Finally, one of the most scenic fountains of the garden is that of Neptune which has a beautiful waterfall.
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The traditional cuisine of Tivoli
Tivoli is a city rich in history and culture, accompanied by a highly appreciated gastronomic tradition. Among the most famous traditional dishes that are prepared in Tivoli there is a particular type of pasta typical of these areas. These are the gobies that are served with sauce all’arrabbiata.
Their shape makes them particularly suitable for absorbing the seasoning and for this reason they are also used with other types of sauce. As for the typical products, one of the most famous is certainly the pizzutello grape characterized by its very particular shape. Another of the most important products of local agriculture is extra virgin olive oil.
A typical dessert of the city of Tivoli is the pizza grown or pizza Giulia that is prepared in particular in the Easter festivities, is based on sweet pizza dough, eggs and coral salami, and flavored by anise.
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