Must Do in Rome: Villa Doria Pamphili

Sunday, February 15, 2009 ·

By Bruno Namtabi

Villa Doria Pamphili is Rome's largest public landscaped park, with an area of about two square kilometers. Originally owned by the Doria Pamphili family it's named after, this part was purchased by the City of Rome in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

This attractive area is a wonderful place to jog or take a slow stroll, as well as one of the best places in the city for bird watching.

This area has a long history, dating from before 1630, when it was referred to as the Villa Veccie. At this time, it was purchased by Panfilo Panfili, as well as the vineyards around it.

This created an enormous holding that stood on high ground above the rest of Rome. It was known for its amazing views, and acted as a suburban resort for its owner and his family.

A new villa was begun in 1644 on the site by the then Pope's nephew. Work on it progressed until 1652, with design elements used to complement both the site's ancient sculptures and its contemporary decor and artworks.

You'll find most of the artifacts in the Capitoline Museum today, though there are still some at the site. Visitors to the Villa Doria Pamphili will see an exterior in the busy Baroque style, with alternating niches and windows, as well as Mannerist-type bas relief panels.

Inside, there are even more bas reliefs, as well as frescoes of Roman history. Around 1650, gardens were laid out in a sequence of connected areas around the villa, and extending to lower levels. At one point there were statues placed here, but much of the area is now grassy instead.

In the other garden areas, later fountains and gateways make this a beautiful but complex park. You can still hear sixteenth and seventeenth century music at the concerts that are still held in the Villa Doria Pamphili's Giardino del Teatro.

Currently, the majority of the gardens of the Villa Doria Pamphili are planted in a sixteenth century style, with close cut greenery and wide gravel walks. At one point there were a number of Roman tombs on the site, but they have all been excavated through the centuries.

If you visit this lush park, you may be surprised to learn that it was once a site of violence - during the short lived nineteenth century Roman Republic, hand to hand fighting broke out in the fortified villas on the city outskirts, including at the Villa Doria Pamphili. However, this region survived while other neighboring villas were nearly destroyed.

The villa's owner then took advantage of his neighbors' misfortune, buying up their property and expanding his holdings even more. Surviving structures on these pieces of land host art exhibits and more.

If you're taking a holiday to Rome, don't forget to include a trip to this incredible Roman park. Every tourist should see the Villa Doria Pamphili.

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