Back to Excursions listCAPRAROLA
The Farnese Palace
From Rome, by car (52.3 km):
Take the Via Cassia towards Viterbo, when in Monterosi turn left on the road "CIMINA" towards Nepi and then take to Ronciglione/Caprarola.
The Farnese needed a residence worthy of their acquired dukedoms.
The projects by Antonio Sangallo il Giovane and Baldassarre Peruzzi architects of what initially had to be a pentagonal fortress, was transformed by the Vignola in a magnificent palace.
He transformed the bastions at the fortress corners in airy
terraces from which enjoying the panorama on the surrounding
campaign, lightening the austere building with scenic ramps
to access the palace, courtyards and garden.The small medieval village below was restructured and connected to the palace through a rectilinear street axis. The best artists, the most illustrious names of the age - among them the Zuccari brothers, entrusted with the direction of works inside - were invited.
Antonio Tempesti, Giovanni Il Vecchio, Giovanni Antonio Da Varese, Raffaellino da Reggio, Giacomo Del Duca and Jacopo Bertoia worked to realize the magnificent summer residence, a real expression of the new feudal power of the Farnese family, realizing an abundant heraldic, mythological and celebrative repertoire stiff to the exaltation of the family, as appears in the halls.
Immediately, from the entrance hall, it shows
the originality of the Palace.The splendid stone staircase that from the basements develops up to the noble floor - allowing the Duke to approach directly with the horse the upper floors of the palace - is supported by thirty gentle Doric columns and with allegorical frescoes dedicated to the Farnese family on the walls.
One after the other come the halls, rich of delicate architectonic elements and frescoes on walls and ceilings, some of which skilfully painted in perspective in order to simulate the vault.
The Farnese dedicated a large part of their revenue
to the decoration of the palace.
Very beautiful the Sala dei Fasti Farnesiani
(the Farnese Magnificence hall) the Sala dell'Aurora
and the Sala del Mappamondo (mappamondo = world-map),
one of the finest
rooms where all the walls are painted with
maps of the four continents (the map shows also the Antarctic
Continent), Palestine and Italy and with a large map of the
world.A
thin appeal pervades the visitor while walking on the original
XVI century cotto floors.
MORE PICTURES
THE GARDEN
Two bridges connect the palace to the immense and to the park on the back side of the palace.
The Summer and the Winter gardens, superior example of Italian garden, encircles the Palace.
The Fountains, grottos, nymphaeums and numerous water games, the monumental Fountains and statues enrich the way between hedges and large staircases.On the top of the hill, over 600 meters on the Sea level, at the end of a long path, encircled from the park, is the Mansion of Piacere (il Casino Del Piacere), with its water staircase, fountains, terraces, a casino and loggia.
This was the shelter of the Cardinal Alexander
during the great warmth in the summery periods.
Caprarola (Km. 16 from Viterbo) is
located in a dominant position overlooking the Tiber valley
and the other fiefs of the Farnese family.
Recently has been object of study from part of
the School of Architecture of Prince Carl of England. In 1995,
Few km far , the splendid scene of the Vico Lake, Regional
Natural Park since 1982.
Caprarola also preserves the church
of S. Maria della Consolazione as ordered by Odoardo Farnese.
It is of great architectural value.
In the courtyard at Palazzo Farnese, from June
to September, there are Renaissance music concerts (by order
of the Farnese).
To be visited:
Santa Teresa Church
The Church, part of an entrusted religious complex of the
Carmelitani, was finished in 1623 and entitled to S. Maria
and S. Silvestro. Subsequently the church was dedicated to
S.Teresa of the Carmelitane Order.
The building location outside of the town is not accidental
but, as for other elements of the
city structure, has a tightened geometric relation with the
Farnese Palace.
The facade of the church, harmonious and slander, is made
of peperino stone with Farnese lilies on the top.
The inside, a single nave, has three altars with as many precious
paintings. The annexed convent is rich of xvii century furnishings.
Church of S. Rocco
Located on the large square in front of the Palace, it has
been transformed to Sanctuary for soldiers. Inside, a single
space, the Chapels are nails head are rich of stuccos, fresco
and decorations surely realized by the masters who worked
to the decoration of the Palace.
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