The Farnese Gardens ( it, Orti Farnesiani sul Palatino), or "Gardens of Farnese upon the Palatine", are a garden in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
, central
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, created in 1550 on the northern portion of
Palatine Hill
The Palatine Hill (; la, Collis Palatium or Mons Palatinus; it, Palatino ), which relative to the seven hills of Rome is the centremost, is one of the most ancient parts of the city and has been called "the first nucleus of the Roman Empire." ...
, by Cardinal
Alessandro Farnese. They were the first private
botanical garden
A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...
s in Europe; the first botanical gardens of any kind in Europe were started by Italian universities in the mid-16th century, only a short time before.
Alessandro Farnese was appointed
Cardinal Deacon
A cardinal ( la, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalis, literally 'cardinal of the Holy Roman Church') is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. Cardinals are created by the ruling pope and typically hold the title for life. Col ...
of the Roman Catholic Church in 1534 at the age of 14, by
Paul III
Pope Paul III ( la, Paulus III; it, Paolo III; 29 February 1468 – 10 November 1549), born Alessandro Farnese, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 October 1534 to his death in November 1549.
He came to ...
, his grandfather, who had been elected to the papacy two months previously. He is remembered for being an antiquarian who assembled the greatest collection of Roman sculpture assembled in private hands since antiquity, the famous
Farnese Collection
The classical sculptures in the Farnese Collection, one aspect of this large art collection, are one of the first collections of artistic items from Greco-Roman Antiquity. It includes some of the most influential classical works, including the sc ...
. In 1550, when Farnese acquired a northern portion of
Palatine hill
The Palatine Hill (; la, Collis Palatium or Mons Palatinus; it, Palatino ), which relative to the seven hills of Rome is the centremost, is one of the most ancient parts of the city and has been called "the first nucleus of the Roman Empire." ...
(historically the oldest of Rome's seven hills) he had ruins from a
Roman palace of Tiberius at the northwest end of the hill top filled in, and converted to a summer home. The site overlooks the
Roman Forum
The Roman Forum, also known by its Latin name Forum Romanum ( it, Foro Romano), is a rectangular forum (plaza) surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient ...
and is near the
Arch of Titus
The Arch of Titus ( it, Arco di Tito; la, Arcus Titi) is a 1st-century AD honorific arch, located on the Via Sacra, Rome, just to the south-east of the Roman Forum. It was constructed in 81 AD by the Roman emperor, Emperor Domitian shortly aft ...
.
The garden was divided into the classic style of quadrants with a well or a fountain at its centre, deriving from the design of the Roman
peristilium palaces of the area, as re-created by the noted architect
Vignola
Vignola (Emilian language#Dialects, Modenese: ; Bolognese dialect, Bolognese: ) is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Modena (Emilia-Romagna), Italy.
Its economy is based on agriculture, especially fruit farming, but there are also mechani ...
. The villa's design was first attributed to Michelangelo but later to Vignola and Rainaldi. The gardens were arranged in terraces. Steps from terrace to terrace ran past the ''Ninfeo della Piogga'' (a
nymphaeum
A ''nymphaeum'' or ''nymphaion'' ( grc, νυμφαῖον), in ancient Greece and Rome, was a monument consecrated to the nymphs, especially those of springs.
These monuments were originally natural grottoes, which tradition assigned as habit ...
) to end in the ''Teatro del Fontanone''. Aviaries were situated in the center ''Casina'', which boasted
fresco
Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaste ...
es. Walking paths at the base of the ''Domus Tiberiana'' included underground passages and ancient sculptures.
Though little of the Farnese Gardens survives today, some remnant structures may be seen.
Location of the Farnese family gardens, now known only as a remnant. The gardens became popular again in the 18th and 19th centuries as Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the principally 17th- to early 19th-century custom of a traditional trip through Europe, with Italy as a key destination, undertaken by upper-class young European men of sufficient means and rank (typically accompanied by a tuto ...
travelers visited Rome.
From the name of these gardens is derived the name of the plant ''Acacia farnesiana
''Vachellia farnesiana'', also known as ''Acacia farnesiana'', and previously ''Mimosa farnesiana'', commonly known as sweet acacia, huisache, or needle bush, is a species of shrub or small tree in the legume family, Fabaceae. Its flowers are use ...
'' and from its floral essence, the important biochemical farnesol
Farnesol is a natural 15-carbon organic compound which is an acyclic sesquiterpene alcohol. Under standard conditions, it is a colorless liquid. It is hydrophobic, and thus insoluble in water, but miscible with oils.
Farnesol is produced from 5- ...
.
See also
* Botanical garden
A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...
* List of botanical gardens
A botanical garden is a place where plants, especially ferns, conifers and flowering plants, are grown and displayed for the purposes of research, conservation, and education. This distinguishes them from parks and pleasure gardens where plants, us ...
References
External links
Farnese Gardens website with historical plates and modern photos
Convention on Biological Diversity - Italian Botanical Gardens
{{Authority control
Buildings and structures in Rome
Botanical gardens in Italy
Gardens in Rome
Rome R. X Campitelli
Palatine Hill