Villa Borghese: a journey through art, history, and nature

Villa Borghese, one of Italy's most captivating urban parks, represents a perfect blend of art, history, and nature in the heart of Rome. Spanning an extensive 80 hectares, this green treasure chest holds centuries of history and extraordinary artistic treasures that narrate the evolution of Italian and European culture. Through this itinerary, we will uncover the stories behind its artistic wonders, offering a fascinating glimpse into aristocratic, papal, and modern Rome.

Welcome to Villa Borghese

Villa Borghese, a splendid green oasis in the heart of Rome, is one of the capital's most captivating parks, sprawling over 80 hectares and teeming with artistic and natural treasures. This villa can be considered a veritable open-air museum. The Villa is a complex of architecture, celebratory monuments, fountains, statues, and gardens with a rich variety of flora that are of particular interest (consider the wild orchids growing in its gardens or its ancient trees). It is precisely this fusion of art and nature that makes Villa Borghese a place of rare beauty. Its history begins in 1605, when Cardinal Scipione Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V and a great patron of Bernini, decided to transform what was a vineyard estate into the largest green area built in Rome since antiquity. The site chosen was not by chance: it corresponds to the ancient gardens of Lucullus, the most famous of the late Roman Republic. The villa, extending over eighty hectares with a perimeter of four miles, was built in two distinct phases. The first phase began soon after the acquisition of numerous vineyards between Porta Pinciana, the Aurelian Walls, and the Muro Torto. Until 1615, all the Cardinal's efforts were directed towards creating a model residence, the most representative among the many homes he already owned in the city and on the Tusculan hills. Within a few years, the construction of the Casino Nobile, the current Borghese Gallery, flanked by two secret gardens and the pavilion of the Aviary, began, and the first two enclosures of the park were completed with entrances, statues, and fountains. Over the centuries, the villa has undergone numerous transformations: In the 18th century, Marcantonio Borghese, fifth Prince of Sulmona, transformed the formal gardens into an English landscape. The architect Antonio Asprucci and his son Mario worked on the landscape design from 1782 for over twenty years. They placed statues throughout the park and began the construction of the Garden of the Lake and Piazza di Siena. Between 1785 and 1792, they built the Temple of Aesculapius in the Ionic style in the center of the lake. Throughout the 19th century, the gardens' gates were opened for citizens to stroll, hosting popular festivals. In the 18th century, coinciding with the spread of Neoclassical taste, Marcantonio IV Borghese made some modifications to the villa's layout, particularly in the third enclosure area, where he built temples, added statues, fountains, and various furnishings, all inspired by the classical world. He also decided to remove the enclosing walls in the area corresponding to Via Flaminia and to improve the aesthetic and architectural qualities of the section overlooking Piazza del Popolo, as it was becoming a very visited place. After the Unification of Italy, a dispute arose between the Borghese family and the Italian State over the possession of the Villa. At the end of a long legal dispute, the Italian State acquired the entire monumental complex in 1901. In 1903, the Park was transferred to the Municipality of Rome and opened to the public. Today, Villa Borghese is a place where history, art, and nature intertwine in a fascinating dialogue. Our journey will lead us to discover its most beautiful and significant treasures.

Porta Pinciana

Our journey begins at one of the most scenic and significant entrances to Villa Borghese: the Piazzale del Museo Borghese. Here stands the building of the Villa Borghese Pinciana, now home to the renowned Borghese Gallery. The construction was commissioned by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, the powerful nephew of Pope Paul V, who entrusted the project to the architect Flaminio Ponzio. After Ponzio's death, the works were completed by the Flemish architect Giovanni Vasanzio, who contributed to defining the villa's current appearance. From the square, one can enjoy a splendid view of the building's elegant architecture and the surrounding greenery. From its inception, this space was designed to amaze: the arrangement of trees, the shady pathways, and the perspective vistas were meant to enchant guests at first glance. Among the plant species present are holm oaks, plane trees, ancient domestic pines, cedars, and firs, many of which date back to the original seventeenth-century layout. According to an anecdote, some foreign visitors spent hours leaving the square, captivated by the beauty of the place even before entering the museum. One of the historical entrances to the villa is Porta Pinciana, nestled in the section of the Aurelian Walls that connects Porta Pinciana to Piazzale Flaminio. Built between 271 and 275 AD during the reign of Emperor Aurelian, it was part of the defensive system designed to protect Rome from barbarian incursions. The name of the gate derives from the Gens Pincia, an ancient patrician family that owned land in this area. Having been closed for centuries, Porta Pinciana was reopened in the nineteenth century and today represents one of the main entrances to the park. The area is of great historical value, as it is believed that the Horti Luculliani, sumptuous gardens of ancient Rome, were located here. It's precisely in this area that, in 1606, Pope Paul V entrusted his nephew Scipione Borghese with the ambitious project of a villa surrounded by a large park, giving birth to what we still know today as Villa Borghese.

Lake Garden and Temple of Aesculapius

Among the most enchanting corners of Villa Borghese stands the Giardino del Lago, designed starting in 1782 by architect Antonio Asprucci in collaboration with the English landscaper Jacob Moore. This area, once known as "Piano Bello" or "Piano dei Licini," represents one of the first examples in Rome of an English-style landscape garden, characterized by winding paths, spontaneous vegetation, and water features, in stark contrast to the rigid geometric layouts of the 17th-century formal gardens. At the center of the artificial lake rises the Temple of Aesculapius, constructed between 1785 and 1792 in Ionic style. This small temple, inspired by models from classical antiquity, is dedicated to the Greek god of medicine. At the base of the structure are depicted symbolic animals sacred to him, such as the owl, the rooster, and the goat. The statue of the god within comes from an ancient Roman collection and is placed inside the cella, visible from the lake. The beauty of the place is particularly appreciable at sunset, when the lights reflect on the water and the silhouettes of the trees — including eight hundred Holm oaks planted at the end of the 18th century — create an intimate and evocative atmosphere. In the 1930s, the garden was also the setting for a pioneering initiative: Raffaele Vico devised a series of library kiosks from which visitors could borrow books to read in the park and return them at sunset. During the world wars, however, many of the villa's green areas were converted into war gardens, in response to the food emergency. Today, the Giardino del Lago remains one of the most beloved spots by visitors to Villa Borghese. Renting a little boat to glide over the lake and approach the temple from an unusual perspective is a captivating experience, combining nature, art, and romance. It's a little adventure in the green heart of Rome, capable of enchanting both young and old.

Borghese Gallery

Villa Borghese Pinciana is today home to the renowned Galleria Borghese, one of the world's most prestigious museums. The building, also known as the Casino Nobile, was constructed in the early 17th century at the behest of Cardinal Scipione Borghese, the nephew of Pope Paul V. The project was entrusted to architect Flaminio Ponzio, who personally oversaw the designs and directions of the cardinal, and was completed, after his death, by the Flemish Giovanni Vasanzio. Conceived as a suburban villa, the residence was intended not only for aristocratic stays but, above all, for the display of the rich collection of ancient and modern art that Scipione was zealously compiling. The villa was surrounded by a garden divided into an "urban" part, with geometrically arranged flowerbeds and fountains, and a "rustic" part dedicated to hunting, following the model of the Renaissance villa. The villa's façade, designed in Mannerist style and reworked in the neoclassical era by Luigi Canina in the 19th century, was originally decorated with no less than 144 bas-reliefs, statues, and ancient friezes, many of which were lost or ceded to Napoleon Bonaparte in 1807. This sale was orchestrated by Camillo Borghese, husband of Paolina Bonaparte, and brought the family eight million francs. Beyond the architectural loss, Italy suffered one of the most severe spoliations of its artistic heritage: many of these works are now preserved in the Louvre Museum. Despite this, the Galleria Borghese continues to house an exceptional art collection, among the most important in Europe. It includes masterpieces by Caravaggio (such as David with the Head of Goliath), Bernini (Apollo and Daphne, The Rape of Proserpina), Canova (Paolina Borghese), Titian, Raphael, and Correggio. The interior, renovated at the end of the 18th century by Antonio Asprucci, still retains sumptuous rooms, with frescoed ceilings and inlaid polychrome marble floors. An emblematic episode of Scipione's determination to build his collection is linked to Raphael's "Baglioni Deposition," stolen from the family's chapel in Perugia: unable to purchase it legally, the cardinal ordered the forced removal of the painting, wielding his authority as the nephew of the pope. Today, Villa Borghese Pinciana represents not only a treasure trove of masterpieces but also an extraordinary document of Baroque collecting, the political and aesthetic ambitions of the Borghese family, and the evolution of the villa as a public art space.

Secret Gardens

Next to the Borghese Gallery, in the heart of the villa, lie the enchanting Secret Gardens, small green paradises designed in the 17th century to be reserved exclusively for Cardinal Scipione Borghese and his most illustrious guests. Inspired by the medieval hortus conclusus, these walled spaces were conceived as an extension of the residence, places of reflection, beauty, and contemplation. The original gardens, created between 1610 and 1633, were three: The Garden of Bitter Oranges, named for the presence of bitter orange trees; The Flower Garden, where rare and exotic plants were cultivated; The Sundial Garden, added around 1680 between the two pavilions of the Aviary and the Sundial, featuring flower beds of blooming bulbs. A fourth area, known as the “Cultivation Garden,” was dedicated to the growth of plants that were later displayed in the other three. At the end of the 17th century, to the south of the gardens, the Exedra of Dragons was built—a monumental semicircular entrance designed by Carlo Rainaldi and Tommaso Mattei, decorated with dragons, the heraldic emblem of the Borghese family. In the Aviary Garden, one of the best-preserved today, the design of the flower beds was faithfully restored in the late 1990s, following 17th-century models. The beds, or "cassette" as they were called in Rome in the 1600s, are bordered by Roman tiles and divided into geometric partitions, in line with the decorative taste of the time. During the world wars, the Secret Gardens were converted for the cultivation of vegetables in response to wartime needs. However, their original function as an aesthetic and private refuge has been fully restored today. Finally, a plaque now preserved in the Vatican Lapidary bears witness to the Cardinal's pride in his work: it reads a phrase that can be translated as, "I, the custodian of Villa Borghese, offer it publicly"—a gesture that anticipates the modern idea of art as a shared community asset.

Pincio Terrace

The Terrace of Pincio is one of Rome's most iconic viewpoints, renowned for its breathtaking panoramic view over Piazza del Popolo, the historic city, and the dome of St. Peter's Basilica. The true renaissance of the Pincio occurred in the 19th century, when under Napoleonic administration, the Pincio Promenade was designed: a large urban public garden, among the first in Europe, conceived as a space for recreation and wellness for the people. Architect Giuseppe Valadier crafted an intricate path that harmoniously connected Piazza del Popolo to the Pincian Hill, featuring staircases, elliptical ramps, and curvilinear avenues. After the Napoleonic era, Valadier completed the work between 1816 and 1834 during the Restoration. Over time, the Promenade was enriched with busts of illustrious Italian figures—ranging from Dante to Galileo—ultimately numbering 229 by the time of the Second World War, making it a true pantheon of national memory. Among its curiosities is the hydrochronometer designed by Gian Battista Embriaco in 1867, still visible in the garden: a water-powered clock that was awarded at the Paris Universal Exposition. Until the mid-twentieth century, the Pincio Promenade was the true urban park of the capital: a venue for performances, concerts by the municipal band, and now a beloved place for cultural events and simple walks. It is directly connected to Villa Borghese via Viale delle Magnolie and Porta Pinciana, one of the villa's monumental entrances. Along its avenues, since 1904, busts of foreign writers and thinkers, like Victor Hugo, were also placed, symbolizing the international openness of Roman culture.

Pietro Canonica Museum

In the verdant heart of Villa Borghese, adjacent to Piazza di Siena, lies a small museum gem: the Pietro Canonica Museum, housed in the charming Fortezzuola, a castle-shaped construction that once served as an aviary for the exotic birds of the Borghese family. Originally called "Gallinaro" or "Pollaio," it was used in the 17th century to host ostriches, peacocks, and ducks for hunting expeditions. The current appearance of the building stems from an 18th-century architectural intervention attributed to Antonio Asprucci. This building became the residence and studio of the artist Pietro Canonica (1869–1959) in 1927, thanks to a concession from the Municipality of Rome. In return, the sculptor promised to donate all the works contained in the villa upon his death so that the building would become a museum. Canonica lived and worked in this place for over thirty years, leaving not only his creations but also his personal touch. An internationally renowned sculptor and passionate composer, Canonica was trained in Turin and became prominent between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, frequenting royal courts across Europe, from London to St. Petersburg, Paris to Berlin. His works, celebrated for extreme realism, depict members of aristocracy and nobility with a refined and precise technique that earned him numerous official commissions. The museum preserves busts, equestrian statues, models, casts, and sketches, offering a comprehensive journey into the artist’s creative process. Notable works include the bust of Beatrice, inspired by Dante, and portraits of important historical figures. But the museum is also an intimate place, revealing the more human side of Canonica: on the upper floor, visitors can see the private quarters of his home, furnished with original furniture, paintings from 19th-century Piedmont, and personal items. The ground floor workshop, preserved as when the artist worked there, recounts the artisanal and technical side of his work, surrounded by sculptures in various stages of completion. The museum regularly hosts temporary exhibitions, cultural events, and concerts, while the library, composed of approximately 2200 volumes, retains texts on art history, sculpture, and figurative arts, including numerous books owned by Canonica himself. There is also a photographic archive documenting his production and the historical contexts in which he worked.

Temple of Diana and Fountain of the Sea Horses

Among the many enchanting corners of Villa Borghese, one of the most captivating is certainly the area encompassing the Temple of Diana and the numerous artistic fountains that adorn the park. The Temple, a refined neoclassical pavilion, was erected as a tribute to the Roman mythology goddess of the hunt. Despite its small size, it stands out for its architectural harmony and intimate atmosphere, and it is often used for temporary exhibitions and cultural events. Not far from the temple, a small square hosts one of the most spectacular fountains in the entire villa: the Fountain of the Seahorses. Commissioned by Marcantonio IV Borghese during the extensive redevelopment of the park that began in 1766, it was crafted between 1790 and 1791 to replace the pre-existing Mascherone Fountain, which was destroyed during the garden's transformations. The sculptural realization was the work of Vincenzo Pacetti, one of the leading neoclassical artists of the time. The fountain features a circular composition, dominated by four seahorses (hippocampi: half horse and half fish) arranged radially. The marble-sculpted figures support a decorated basin from which a double chalice and a central spout rise. Additional water jets spring from between the horses' legs, creating a dynamic play of movement and light. An interesting detail: it is said that the decorative motif was inspired by an ancient cameo given by Prince Borghese to Pacetti as a visual reference for the composition. Nearby are also the Dragon Fountains, placed in the retaining wall between the gardens surrounding the Aviary and the Park of the Deer. These two symmetrical fountains feature a central rock from which emerges the head of the Borghese dragon, with gaping jaws from which water descends into a semicircular basin decorated with a molded edge. The dragons, heraldic symbols of the Borghese family, bestow a strong visual and historical identity to these fountains. Finally, the less known but equally significant Venus Fountain is also noteworthy, likely attributed to Giovanni Vasanzio. This element, along with many others scattered throughout the park, reflects the artistic taste of the Borghese family and their desire to transform the villa into a location capable of rivaling the most lavish aristocratic residences in Europe.