VILLA D'ESTE
Villa with beautiful frescoes, beautiful gardens and beautiful view in Tivoli.
It was in the middle of the 16th century that the new governor of Tivoli, Hippolyte d'Este, the son of the famous Lucrèce Borgia, decided to build a vast palace on the ruins of the monastery of the church of Sainte-Marie-Majeure. The Neapolitan architect Pirro Ligorio is in charge of the project. Today, this villa is a true jewel of Mannerism, with magnificent frescoed rooms and extraordinary views of the region. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Several rooms are decorated with works from the Roman school (notably Zuccari and Agresti). But more than the interior of the city, what really makes this place interesting are the superb gardens where fountains and ponds swarm with splendid vegetation. They heralded the gardens of the modern era and would have an influence as far as Versailles, a complete break with medieval gardens. Linger at the organ fountain (la fontana dell'organo). This masterpiece of Baroque art contains a hydraulic organ that works thanks to the waterfall that compresses the instrument's keys. The show takes place every two hours from 10:30 am. Also worth seeing is the very interesting didactic museum of the Ancient Book, which presents many objects related to writing in antiquity, such as wax-coated tablets, papyrus, etc. And for those who don't know, the shooting scenes of the famous film Le Corniaud, with Bourvil and Louis de Funès, were filmed at the Villa d'Este!
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Further information
Opening time and information on VILLA D'ESTE
The Villa d'Este is open every day, except Monday morning, from 8:45 am. Closes between 5pm and 7:45pm, depending on the time of year. Last admission 1 hour before closing time. Online ticketing. Ticket €2 for European Union citizens aged 18 to 25 on presentation of valid ID. Adults €15. Villae Pass: €25 (access to Villa d'Este, Villa Adriana and Santuario di Ercole Vincitore, valid for 3 days). Rates may vary for temporary exhibitions.
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