Villa Borghese Museum, Parks in Rome, Park, Villa Giulia, National Gallery of Modern Art

VILLA BORGHESE PARK

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Tempio di Faustina
Emperor Antonino Pio's wife
- Villa Borghese Park -

Tempio di Faustina
Emperor Antonino Pio's wife
- Villa Borghese Park -

"THE PARK AND ITS ATMOSPHERE"

Villa Borghese Park, surely one of the eldest in the entire Italy, was built in obedience to cardinal Scipione Borghese's wish at the beginning of 1600 and soon became an architectural example for many others parks and Villas of Rome built later. At the beginning of XX century the park and the Villa were bought by Italian State and happily given to the citizens. Romans are very fond of Villa Borghese that during weekends explodes of life. There're many attractions able to satisfy all kind of visitors' tastes: a simple walk along its tree-lined avenues enjoying the moltitude of curiosities such as the Byron Estatue or the false (as all the ruins here) Roman temple dedicated to Faustina, Emperor Antonino Pio's wife; a romantic boat ride on the artificial lake where arises another temple dedicated to Esculapio or a panoramic ascent with a mongolfiera; Villa Borghese is then ideal for jogging being one of the more central and larger park of Rome but also perfect for those travellers who also like to feed their mind as it hosts Villa Borghese Museum (see below), and 2 of the more interesting museums of Rome: the National Etruscan Museum at Villa Giulia and the National Gallery of Modern Art. There're many entrances to the park but we like to suggest the one from Porta Pinciana arriving from Via Veneto and the one from the Pincio arriving from Vatican and Piazza del Popolo.

Opening hours: Daily from dawn to sunset.

"VILLA BORGHESE MUSEUM"

Villa Borghese, thought and projected within the huge park at the beginning of 1605, was ordered by cardinal Scipione Borghese, descendant of Pope Paolo III, who was elected in 1534 and had at least the great merit to force Michelangelo in finishing the frescoes inside the Cappella Sistina. Farnese family, in fact, owns to that small group of families that during the Renaissance and baroque period partecipated both as politics and patrons of art to the history of Rome. Scipione Borghese placed many orders to young sculptor Bernini who made masterpieces as Apollo e Dafne and Ratto di Proserpina. Nowadays Villaborghese keeps all this sculptures offering to the visitor a suggestive itinerary to understand better the post renaisance period of the capital. The ground floor keeps, besides the mentioned scupltures, also some of the most popular and loved paintings by Caravaggio as Bacchino Malato, Fanciullo con canestro di Frutta, Madonna dei Palafreneri and San Gerolamo. The upper floor keeps paintings by Tiziano, Caravaggio, Antonella da Messina, Lorenzo Lotto, Rubens and Raffaello. In 1807 Camillo Borghese sold to Napoleone a great part of his collection of works that now is kept at Louvre Museum.

Opening hours: Daily from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The box-office closes at 6.30 p.m. Admissions are strictly reduced at only: 360 persons every 2 hours. (mandatory exit at the end of time slot ). Closed on Monday and Jan 1st, May 1st, Dec 25th.
Tickets: FULL 8.50 €. REDUCED 6 € (European Union citizens between 18 and 25 years old; - European Union teachers of State schools only by showing valid membership card); COMPLIMENTARY € 2 (European Union citizens under 18 and over 65 years old. - ICOM members (only by showing valid membership card) - European Union school groups, upon reservation. - European Union students and teachers in Architecture, History of Arts only by showing valid membership card. - Journalists only by showing valid membership card)
Official Web site: Museo di Villa Borghese, Roma




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