Italy

Villa Borghese

Villa Borghese is a very beautiful park with wonderful sculptures, with purely Italian vegetation and a very festive atmosphere. If you want to take a break from the Roman fuss - you are here. Take a walk in the park, go to museums, rent a bike and drive everything. Have great fun!

Park Villa Borghese

Borghese family

The Villa Borghese landscape park occupies 80 hectares of land on the side of the Pincho hill in Rome. The founder of the park was Marcantonio Borghese - a native of Siena, a representative of the wealthy clan Borghese. In 1550, he married a Roman woman and bought a large plot of land occupied by vineyards. In 1612, Cardinal Shipione (Scipio) Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V (son of Marcantonio), began construction of a family villa. The project was carried out by architects Flaminio Ponzio and Giovanni Vasancio.

Entrance from the piazzale Flaminio

Borghese's family passion was collecting art. Despite religious beliefs, family members took out the exhibits in various and not always righteous ways. In the 17th century, Cardinal Shipione created the Borghese Gallery. In the middle of the beautiful park, a white renaissance palace grew. The facade was designed by Flaminio Ponzio.

Villa Borghese - public landscape park

Fountain
Monument to Pushkin
Monument to Gogol
In the alleys of the park
Turtle in the lake

In the XIX century, the territory of the villa was expanded by joining neighboring lands. Luigi Canina designed part of the park in an English landscape style. In 1902, the Borghese clan stopped. Umberto I bought the villa and transferred it to the Roman municipality.

Villa Borghese has become a popular public park. The vast territory presents garden landscapes of various styles, beautiful fountains and statues, there are even monuments to Russian writers - Pushkin and Gogol. On the shore of an artificial lake is a miniature Greek temple - an imitation of the temple of Aesculapius. On the water of the lake you can ride on a rented boat. The park has created many recreation areas, there are children's attractions and a Biopark for kids (most of the animals live there not in cages, but in natural conditions).

Garden, Lake and Temple of Aesculapius

Museums

The villa has three important museums:

  • Borghese Gallery,
  • National Museum Villa Giulia with the largest collection of Etruscan art,
  • National Gallery of Modern Art.

Borghese Gallery

Galleria Borghese, photo stavers

The basis of the collection of the Borghese Gallery (Galleria Borghese) was the family collection of the famous family. On the second floor, paintings are exhibited, on the first - sculptures. The wealth of the Borghese collection could be envied by the Louvre and the Hermitage. The exhibition has paintings by Caravaggio, Titian, the famous masterpieces of Raphael, paintings by Bellini, Bartolomeo, Rubens.

The center of the sculptural exposition is considered the creations of the great Bernini, which are distinguished by their unique realism and grace. Scipio Borghese was an ardent admirer of his work. Bernini's works are dedicated to several museum halls. Among them is a graceful sculpture from Carrara marble "The Abduction of Proserpine"; statue of David; Apollo and Daphne. The sculpture of Antonio Canova Paolina Bonaparte in the image of Venus is one of the pearls of the Borghese collection.

Address: Piazzale Scipione Borghese, 5, 00197 Roma.
Website: galleriaborghese.beniculturali.it.
Opening hours: VT-SR, Fri-Sun 09: 00-19: 00; Thu 09: 00-21: 00; Sun off.
Tickets: full - € 13.50; preferential - € 6.50. Tickets must be ordered in advance on the official website, the cost of booking is € 2.

Gallery of Modern Art

National Gallery of Modern Art (Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna), photo by Mario Positello

In the collection of the gallery of modern art (Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, abbreviated GNAM), you can see the works of Van Gogh, Klimt, Kandinsky, Rodin, Modigliani and other masters of the XIX - XX centuries. In 75 halls, more than 5,000 paintings and sculptures from different eras are presented. This museum has existed since 1883, and exhibition facilities at Villa Borghese were opened in 1933-34.

Address: Viale delle Belle Arti, 131, 00197 Roma.
Website: lagallerianazionale.com.
Working hours: VT-VS 08: 30-19: 30; Sun off.
Tickets: full - € 10; preferential - € 5.

Museum of Etruscan Art

National Museum of Etruscan Art (Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia), photo by Alvaro de Alvariis

The Museum of Etruscan Art (Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia) is located in Villa Giulia, the former suburban summer residence of the popes. It was built in 1550-1555 by the architect of the Mannerism era Bartolomeo Ammannati for Pope Julius III. Objects from excavations of necropolises are exhibited here: sarcophagi and ancient figurines, dishes and decorations, bas-reliefs. This is the largest Etruscan art collection in the world. In the halls, reconstruction of models of the Etruscan cities of Vulchi, Cerveteri, Todi, Wei is presented.

Address: Piazzale di Villa Giulia, 9, 00196 Roma.
Website: villagiulia.beniculturali.it.
Opening hours: VT-VS 09: 00-20: 00; Sun off.
Tickets: full - € 8; preferential - € 4.

The steps of the famous Spanish Steps lead to the villa directly from Spanish Square. Another entrance to the park is located on Piazza del Popolo.

Villa Borghese is a public park, so admission is free.

How to get there

Take line A metro to Spagna Station in Plaza Espana; exit towards the signs for Villa Borghese - Via Veneto.

Watch the video: Visit to Villa Borghese Gardens: Best Things to Do During Your Roman Holiday (November 2024).

Popular Posts

Category Italy, Next Article

Outlets in Florence: what to buy and how to get
Cities of Italy

Outlets in Florence: what to buy and how to get

A city of medieval palaces and squares, interesting museums and galleries, magnificent parks and gardens, Florence is popular not only with connoisseurs of art and architectural beauty, but also with shopping enthusiasts. In the capital of Tuscany there are a great many shops that can satisfy the needs of even the most spoiled shopaholics: boutiques of famous designers - both Italian and European, large shopping centers, department stores, small private shops, markets and, of course, outlets.
Read More
What to see in Venice on your own in 1 day
Cities of Italy

What to see in Venice on your own in 1 day

What to see in Venice on your own if there is only 1 day left? This question is often asked by tourists, going to the only city in Italy, built on the water. After all, I want to see as much as possible, and ordinary guides do not give ideas on how to put all the most interesting into such a tight route.
Read More
Rimini: you cannot forbid to live beautifully
Cities of Italy

Rimini: you cannot forbid to live beautifully

Rimini is the most popular and, perhaps, the most famous Italian resort, located on the Adriatic Sea. This coastal city with more than two thousand years of history has long been chosen as a place for a luxurious vacation by both Italians themselves and tourists from all over the world. Rimini gained its fame as a resort town in the summer of 1843, when the first Privileged Beach was opened here, on which European aristocrats and celebrities gathered, who later built luxurious villas and mansions on the coast for a more comfortable stay.
Read More
What to see in Naples on your own in 1 day
Cities of Italy

What to see in Naples on your own in 1 day

The capital of the Campania region is one of Italy's most controversial cities. The largest Italian city on the coast, Naples is a city of cuisine and contrasts, 1000 churches and ancient castles. Much less is written about Naples on the Internet than about Rome, Milan, Florence or Venice, and therefore BlogoItaliano prepared an overview of the route that you can see in Naples on your own in 1 day, which will help you better plan your trip to the city.
Read More