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Stop By Villa Borghese For Some Much-Needed Rest In Rome

by: LeonKammer
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It is a characteristic of a lively metropolitan city like Rome to have an active and energetic outdoor life. So when you are a tourist in Rome, the fast paced city lifestyle is thrilling to be a part of. But before long the time will come when you will want the peace and quiet of the country. And there is no better place to find that tranquillity than in Villa Borghese.

While Villa Borghese is not the largest facility of its kind, the 148 acres has a lot to offer, including many museums, aviaries and a wonderful and relaxing artificial lake. In the 16th century Cardinal Borghese bought the vineyard and transformed it to fit his vision that was inspired by Versailles. The Cardinal himself drew the initial designs, sketching out a villa that he later saw constructed to fit his vision.

An artificial lake, which contains a small Ionic temple was added towards the end of the 18th Century.

Cardinal Borghese's love of birds is reflected in his aviaries at the site where he could keep and enjoy exotic peacocks, ostriches and other lovely species on the grounds where gazelles used to graze.

At the turn of the 20th century, the grounds and facilities of Villa Borghese were donated to the City of Rome. Since then a number of improvements have been made, including more temples, sculptures and fountains. A notable fountain you can see there is the original version of the Tritons in the Fountain of the Moor which can be seen at the Piazza Navona in the city. The actual ones in the fountain are not originals but replicas of these originals.

This delightful 100 year old park offers delights and new things to discover whenever you are there. It is not uncommon at the appropriate time of year to find Siena Square in the park hosting horse jumping competitions that you can enjoy. There is a tranquil botanical garden for you to linger in and it is common to find outdoor concerts being performed at the Piazza di Siena Amphitheater. And not far from the botanical garden you can find a stunning Baroque arch that dates to the 18th century entitled the 'Arco di Settimio Severo'.

If you feel your appetite come up, you don't have to leave Villa Borghese to attend to your need as there is a quaint bar in the middle of the park where you can get some authentic Italian pasta or just sit back and enjoy a leisurely Campari. As you lounge in the cafe, you may be able to spot an installation of several pavilions from the 1911 World Exposition that is on display in the park for you to enjoy.

Without fail though, most tourists are drawn to the many museums that have become popular on the grounds of Villa Borghese.

One reason for the popularity is you can find some sculptures by Bernini on display at The Museo e Galleria Borghese and you can compare those here to the many fountains in the city of Rome that Bernini designed and built. A notable piece that is worth the stop is a Bernini sculpture entitled Abduction of Proserpina by Pluto. But this gallery is home to a number of famous Renaissance painters, including Raphael and Titian.

The original summer residence for Pope Julius II that he used in 1553 can be found in the Villa Giulia. The name of that villa, the Museo Nazionale Etrusco lets us know that a tour of the museum will let us see some fascinating Etruscan art works that were found in excavations in the hills that surround Rome.

To gain entrance to the Villa Borghese, simply travel to the north end of the Spanish Steps. The actual entrances can be found above the Piazza del Poppolo and the Porta Pinciana but near the end of the Via Veneto. The Villa Borghese is an ideal spot to save for that time in your trip when you need a place of quiet to enjoy some peace and respite from a very active day in the city. But be sure you allocate several hours when you are there to see and experience all that the Villa has to offer.

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