Two
Italian Gardens.....
The Villa Lante
di Bagnaia
This garden is considered to be Italy's most prestigious monument
to late-Renaissance art, and is attributed to the architect Vignola, who
built the garden for Cardinal Gambara during the mid to late 1500's. The
design is centered on a single axis with water as the main theme, amd with
the architectural structures ( two palazzinas) subordinate to the garden.
There is a beautiful transition from the woods and nature at the highest
level to the extreme geometry of the lower terrace or parterre. Changes
occurred over the centuries, with Duke Ippolito Lante obtaining ownership
in 1656, thereby adding the more elegant patterns according to the style
of the French designer, La Notre. In 1971 the garden was acquired by the
Italian Government. These pictures were taken on a visit this September,
1999.
The lower parterre with Quadrato and the Fountain of the
Moors
A feature of Italian gardens is the lack of flowers and the
dominant 'chiaroscuro' effects created by sculpted trees and shrubbery.
The pines and cypress from the adjacent, less formal hunting park add a
contrasting backdrop.
One of two matching 'Palazzinas'
The Cardinal's Table
The Fountain of the Giants
The Villa Medici di Petraia
This castle, dating back to 1364, was converted to a palatial villa
for Cardinal Ferdinando de'Medici in 1575. It sits high on a hill overlooking
Florence and the Arno valley, and is a classic example of Italian Renaissance
design. I visited it this September during a month-long stay in Tuscany.
The villa from the lower terrace
The villa from the sunny, Southern side terrace
A depiction of the original garden design
The central staircase leading up to the villa from the lower
terraces, with reflecting pool on the right side
A view from under the steps leading up to the top terrace
The lower terraces of boxwood and herbs are enclosed by a
long curving hedge, and framed by a double row of plane trees....with views
out to the Arno valley below
Have a closer look at other gardens and places
in and around Florence
, including the Villa Medici di Castello, which is within walking distance
of Petraia
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