Great excursion 45 minutes from Rome to Villa d’Este and Hadrian’s Villa
Tivoli is an Italian municipality located in the province of Rome. Tivoli is about 30 km or so far from the capital, it is located to the east of the Roman hinterland and consists of a residential area immersed in the splendid bucolic frame of the Roman plain and located on the slopes of the Tiburtini mountains, on top of a soft hill. On its eastern side Tivoli is bathed by the river Aniene.
Not far from Tivoli are the Roman resorts of Ariccia, Albano and San Polo dei Cavalieri. The present area of Tivoli territory had already been inhabited by man since prehistoric times. As for the foundation of the city, historians agree that it was founded about four centuries before Rome. The first defensive settlement arose in the Castrovetere area and was inhabited by peoples of different origin, such as Etruscans and Sabines who gave birth to the first Tiburtines.
During the years of the Roman Empire Tivoli, or Tibur, was a very appreciated city for its very healthy climate, so that the Latin historian Martial claimed that its light air had the power to whiten the skin and ivory. Although Tivoli and Rome were several times rival cities, they managed to live together and find compromises. It was during the Hadrian period that Tivoli became famous as the summer holiday destination and the most illustrious Romans built their villas here that can still be admired today.
Tivoli was a Roman city of great importance, decadent by historians and poets including Catullo, Virgilio and Marziale. Many of the greatest personalities have come to Tivoli who have distinguished themselves in scientific and artistic fields throughout the history of our nation. Among the many characters is also that of the Sibyl Tiburtina, who was a mythological character, so it did not really exist, has been the protagonist of numerous legends and stories that fascinated readers and students of all ages. Emperor Hadrian was, however, bound to the city of Tivoli, as many of his contemporaries built his own villa in which he was relieved to spend his day carefree.
Tivoli is a fascinating city, immersed in the Roman countryside, between art and nature and history. In ancient Tibur you can visit the ancient Roman villas and the more modern ones like Villa d’Este. You will discover the genuine flavors of the Roman tradition and breathe in the full lungs the healthy air known since Roman times.
The magnificent Villa d’Este in Tivoli is one of Italy’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Just a brief train ride from Rome, Villa d’Este was originally commissioned by Cardinal Ippolito II d’Este (Governor of Tivoli in 1550). The Cardinal, disappointed that he was not elected pontiff, wished to bring to Villa d’Este the luxury of the Ferrarese, Roman and French Courts and, above all, to match the luxury found in Hadrian’s Villa. Villa d’Este’s concentration of fountains and grottoes represented a model emulated in gardens throughout Europe, specifically those done in the Mannerist and Baroque styles.
The most noteworthy garden in this regard is that of the Royal Palace of Caserta, near Naples. Of particular interest are the rooms on the piano nobile – nobles’ floor – decorated and painted by a large group of Roman artists of the late Mannerist school, among the most famous of whom were Livio Agresti and Federico Zuccari.
What stands out most at the Villa is, of course, the marvelous garden, conceived by the painter and architect Pirro Ligorio, and constructed and landscaped by the Court architect Alberto Galvani with the help of countless artists and artisans. After its most splendid period, the Villa fell into a state of abandon sometime between the 18th and 19th Centuries; it was only around the 1850s that, thanks to a masterly restoration, the Villa returned to its original glory. From that point, several important artists were guests at the Villa, including the musician Franz Liszt, who composed “Water Games at Villa d’Este”, and held one of his last concerts there (1877 and 1879, respectively). Restoration works and maintenance have continued up until the present day, and Villa d’Este and its garden are some of the most visited sites today. Defined by terraces, staircases, and grand slopes and promenades, the garden evokes the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, while the water transport system, with an aqueduct and a tunnel under the city, resembles the highly-advanced engineering of the Romans. The 100 Fountains lining the longest promenade also make a strong impact on the scenography, and no doubt contributed to the gardens’ turns as the background for several films – such as the banquet scene in William Wyler’s “Ben Hur”. To the left of the promenade is the Fontana dell’Ovato, the most Baroque fountain here, endowed with the extraordinary visual effect produced its rocks, massive ornamentation and the streams of water representing the three Rivers flowing from the Tiburtine Hills: the Aniene, Erculaneo and Albuneo. In Antiquity, water from the Aniene flowed to the fountain, transported via canal. Looking from the villa, one can see the Grotta di Diana (Diana’s Cave) on the left, elaborately decorated on the exterior. Originally, statues were kept on the interior, including one of Diana the Huntress, but they were later acquired by Pope Benedict XIV, who had them transferred to the Capitoline Museums in Rome. Below the three-level promenade of the 100 Fountains is the Fountain of the Dragons, that, due to its central position, is in the heart of the garden. Legend holds that the fountain was completed in only one night, in September, 1572, as an homage to Pope Gregory (Boncompagni) XIII, who was a guest at the Villa and whose family crest contained winged dragons. In the lower part of the garden resides the Rotonda dei Cipressi, a rounded piazza with giant, centuries-old cypress trees. Finally, the most impressive and imposing fountain is Fountain of Neptune, realized by Gian Lorenzo Bernini (later restored in the 20th Century). The fountain’s beauty made it a prime example that was copied by numerous artists and architects during the 1700s. Below it, three small, reflective fishing ponds complete the scenery already blessed by the Neptune, while above stands the Fontana dell’Organo, named for a mechanism inside the fountain that, by means of water, creates notes similar to that of an organ – this effect can still be heard by visitors today. To learn more, explore the history of Villa d’Este in our itinerary
When we visit Hadrian’s Villa (virtual tour) we only get a vague idea of the grandeur of this imperial residence, built between 118 and 138 A.D., with an area greater than that of the entire city of Pompeii. Due to the neglect into which it fell over the years, people removed statues, decorations, marble and structures, making the site hard to interpret. Nevertheless, the atmosphere of the Villa gives the idea of a layout never before attempted for the dimensions, completeness and elegance, which still make it one of the most important archaeological sites in the world, UNESCO site since 1999. The statues now on display in the Antiquarium, in the Capitoline Museums and Vatican Museums, and in many other museums in Europe, are the proof that Emperor Hadrian, who decided to build himself a country villa utilised all of his cultural resources, and the site thus represents his complex and fascinating personality. In addition, Hadrian wanted to evoke the places and monuments that most fascinated him during his travels through the provinces of the empire, first of all Egypt, where in 130 AD Antinous was killed, her young lover mysteriously drowned in the Nile River. We go from the huge Baths to the Naval Theatre, where a small island enabled the Emperor to spend a few hours in total peace. The remains of the aqueducts testify to the amount of water from the Aniene River to supply the fountains and ponds, while the Cento Camerelle (hundred bedrooms) reveal that the structure must have been full of people, slaves, servants and administrators. The heart of the complex contains the imperial residence, on the traditional pattern of the Roman domus, attached to a large number of service rooms and buildings. These include the Praetorium, the Cryptoporticus, the Fishery, the barracks for firemen, the Canopus and the Academy.