ローマ・フィレンツェ・ベネチア・ミラノのレストラン、ホテルなど観光情報を紹介 イタリア観光ブログ

Hello Bloggers,

I would like to take you on a journey, through words and photographs, into the "Holy Wood" of Bomarzo in which the stage fiction is overwhelming and the observer is immersed in a lot of sensations that can make him confused and transport him in a dream, absurd, playful and hedonistic world.

The architect Pirro Ligorio (he built Villa d'Este in Tivoli), commissioned by Prince Pier Francesco Orsini (called Vicino Orsini), planned the creation of a park, in 1547, which collects grotesque elements, using mythological figures represented therein and it is the only one of its kind in the world.
Orsini called it "Holy Wood" and dedicated it to his wife, Giulia Farnese, to vent the heart broken at the death of her.
There are also strange architectures, such as the house tilted, or some enigmatic statues representing perhaps the stages of a symbolic journey.

"You, who travel the world, in search of great and beautiful wonders, come here, where there are horrible faces, elephants, lions, bear and dragons" (the inscription written on the Etruscan Bench in the park).

A visit to the park unfold in a series of stages ranging between mythology and fantasy.
There are more than 24 works of art contained in the park.

Let’s start the visit to this fabulous and fantastic park through some pictures I took…

The Proteus and Glaucus. It's the colossal head of Proteus, but also the head of Glaucus, the fisherman who became a Marine god after eating a magical herb.

The Mausoleum, half destroyed and very little left, has fallen over. Some people say that it looks like the splendid siren of Sovana.

Hercules and Cacus. Another of the recurring themes in the garden is the fight of Good against Bad and these statues represent the battle between the giants, between Hercules, mythological hero, who slaughtered Cacus.
Next to the statue there is an interesting inscription which describes (in part) it's significance: "If Rodes was the city of the 100 colusses this statue (and the whole park) could easily be yours".

The tortoise, the woman, the whale and on the left, beside the group, the Pegasus, the winged horse which seems ready to fly into the sky. 

Venus of the Cimini, on a conche, Venus, dressed as a Roman matron, but with the looks of the women of Tuscia.

To guards Venus there is Jupiter, Giove Ammone, representing with its mask the mouth of truth.

The hanging house. A house built on an inclined rock, probably built to amaze the guests and to make the visit to the park unforgettable.

The sleeping Nymph, relaxing among the woods.

The elephant, the tower, the guide and the legionaire. The fortified elephant with which Hannibal seriously damaged the Roman legions, transports the unconscious body of a legionaire.

The dragon. The legendary beast by excellence the winged Dragon, while it fights, not against man, but other beasts.

The classic orcus (orc) that eats children or the big human head with wide open eyes in a moment of loud screaming, not of terror but for terrorizing the visitors or it might represents the gates of hell as well.

Cerberes. The three headed dog, guardian of hell.

Echidna, the lions and the Fury at the sides the two mythical figures, half woman half snake, with at the centre two lions.

The pagan temple, in the Villa of Wonders, was built about 20 years later to honour the memory of Vicino Orsini's second wife.

The park is open all year long from 8.00 a.m. until sunset .

Entrace fees:
- individual 10,00 Euro
- children from 4 to 13 years 8,00 Euro
- Groups, minimum 30 people, 8,00 Euro (with the letter of the promoting Organization) and one free entrance for every 15 people
- student 6,00 Euro (with the letter of school) and one free entrance for every 15 people
- disabled not self-sufficient: free
Note: no booking required

How to get there.

Bomarzo is difficult to reach by public transport.

By train.
can use the train from Rome and get off the station of:
- Orte Scalo and then take the bus to Bomarzo
- Viterbo and then take the bus to Bomarzo

By car.
From Viterbo: it’s located 20 km. Along the highway Viterbo-Orte, exit Bomarzo.
Highway A: exit Attigliano, Bomarzo direction.

Thank you for reading,

Guenda