Villa Farnese, Caprarola

The most splendid villa in northern Lazio. The grandiose pentagonal building by Vignola was built for Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, the grandson of Pope Paul III, in the mid 16th century. The approach up a series of diagonal ramps, is extremely imposing. The interior has two identical suites of rooms leading off the central courtyard, one for the summer, the other for the winter. They are frescoed by the Zuccari family with grotesque decorations and scenes glorifying the Farnese family. Behind the Villa are two parterres, for the different seasons. Further up the hill, in the chestnut woods, is a secret garden, where the Cardinal could relax with his friends. At the top of a water-chain stands a casino, surrounded by a box parterre with statues of herms making music and conversing with one another. The effect is very pagan and a far remove from the piety of the contemporary Counter-Reformation which was transforming the Catholic religion.