A not so stupid thing to do, If you are stupid enough to be in Rome in June

A bit outside Rome, In Tivoli - not the Enjoyment park in Copenhagen, but a small city outside of Rome, there is a nice place, not too famous among the tourists which is called Villa d'Este. As everybody know (at least the ones the have read my painfully detailed description of what a villa is (link)) a villa is just a park, I the case of Villa d'Este there is also a castle-like house to be seen.

Back to Copenhagen, the Tivoli we know there is actually modelled after this garden (Or modelled after Jadin di Tivoli in Paris, which in turn was modelled after this garden). The Villa is special for all its fountains, which makes it nice and fresh, and which is then why its a nice place to go, even when its 36 degrees as it was Sunday here in Rome.


Ippolito II d’Este was the second son of Lucrezia Borgia and Duke Ferrara Alfonso - Lucrezia famous for poisoning her guests at her dinner parties. Being the second son meant, at that time, that he was destined to be a man of the church (I guess this gives a good standing with the church but apparently not always the most faith full people... At least the this man was more inspired by Venus (the ancient Roman god of love) then Jesus when he made his fountains.)

With pressure of his cardinal Uncle and the French king, Ippolito II d’Este turned into Cardinal Ippolito II d’Este. But after a failed attempt to reach the top and become the grand pope, he focused his energy on making this garden (probably among other things) where there was once an monastery.

Villa d'Este has later restored and has many more things added since then. Among others Gianlorenzo Bernini, has designed one of the fountains.

Later again other people of the church had a lot reconstructed, so the garden would be more fitting for a place of the church. And of course also Mussolini and and his fascist friends had some alternations made. So sadly I don't have any pictures of nice naked statues to show. But also without these, there are still plenty of beautiful things to go and see.
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