At Bomarzo, in the province of Viterbo in northern Lazio, there is a unique complex of monuments called Parco dei Mostri (Park of the Monsters) also called Sacro Bosco (Sacred Forest) or Villa delle Meraviglie (Villa of Marvels). Commissioned by Prince Pier Francesco Orsini and dedicated to his wife Giulia Farnese, it was designed and built in 1547 by […]
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Anyone who stays in Lazio cannot miss a visit to the castles of the Borgia, the family that, in the sixteenth century, imposed its power not only on the region, but played an important part in the Renaissance history of Italy, thanks to unscrupulous political alliances, intrigues, crimes and ecclesiastical careers successfully undertaken by Alfonso and Rodrigo Borgia,
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The nasoni are the characteristic Roman drinking fountains. Cylindrical in shape and 1.2 meters high, they are made of cast iron and the water is supplied by a curved torch with a central hole that mimics the appearance of a nose, hence their name. In Rome there are 2,500 nasoni fountains, to which must be added
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Climbing up the Aventine Hill lies one of the most suggestive gardens in Rome where a splendid view of the city can be enjoyed thanks to its panoramic balcony. The Orange Garden, or Savello Park, located in the area of an ancient medieval fortress belonging to the Savelli family, has very little remains after the almost complete demolition in
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Rome and cats are still an inseparable pair today. This is testified by the most sold and loved postcards by foreign visitors, those that portray Roman cats lazily crouched on the ruins or posing next to the statues. In the capital alone, 120,000 strays live which, since 2001, the Municipality of Rome has considered the
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The Borgias were one of the most important and powerful Italian families between the 15th and 16th centuries. Of Spanish origin (their surname was originally Borja, although even in their country they are known by the Italianized surname), they have often been portrayed by detractors and political opponents as monsters capable of any villainy. Certainly,
On the promontory facing the splendid Gulf of Patti, in the province of Messina, overlooking the picturesque Lakes of Marinello, stands the Sanctuary of Tindari. The building was constructed where ancient documents report the existence of the Castle of Tindari, confirming the hypothesis that the first religious nucleus was constituted by a fortified church built on a
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Torricella Peligna Torricella Peligna is a hill town between the Sangro and Aventino Valleys, in the province of Chieti, in Abruzzo. Its view extends to the Adriatic Sea and, like all Italian villages, it boasts an archaic history. The most ancient archaeological finds date back to the 6th century BC and are located in
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The Church of St. Clement is one of the most interesting religious buildings in Rome and is located a few steps from the Colosseum. The visit requires a descent through four different architectural layers from up to 2000 years ago and reaching 20 meters below ground. It’s not unusual considering that the visible archaeological part of Rome corresponds
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Beatrice was the first woman of Italian literature to leave an indelible trace in the heart of every reader. Sung by Dante in the unforgettable verses of his youthful book, Vita Nova, Beatrice returned to be the protagonist of the verses of the Divine Comedy from the last Canto of Purgatorio to Canto XXXI of Paradiso, thus demonstrating
