7 December 2018
Castello di Vignanello
The history of Vignanello dates back to 853, when the Benedectine monks erected a citadel on the site. Destroyed at a later date, the citadel was rebuilt as a military stronghold.
On the death of Beatrice Farnese, the first feudatory of Vignanello, it was presented to her daughter, Ortensia Baglioni.
On the occasion of her marriage to Sforza Marescotti, a courtier at the papal court, the stronghold was transformed into a more comfortable villa.
Following generations, and in particular Ottavia Orsini, the wife of Ortensia's nephew, Marcantonio Marescotti, oversaw the creation of the wonderful Italian garden, to this day regarded as one of the most beautiful Italian parterres, at the centre of which one finds a huge basin surrounded by a balustrade: a perfectly rectangular space crossed by four avenues and subdivided into twelve aligned parterres, composed of mixed hedges of bay, laurel, and box.
Lower box hedges go to form patterns within the frames thus created, tracing also the initials of Ottavia Orsini and her sons, Sforza and Galeazzo, in the central beds.
Today garden and castle alike are lovingly cared for by princesses Claudia and Giada Ruspoli (the family took the name Ruspoli in 1704), who are slowly restoring the place to its antique splendour.
On the death of Beatrice Farnese, the first feudatory of Vignanello, it was presented to her daughter, Ortensia Baglioni.
On the occasion of her marriage to Sforza Marescotti, a courtier at the papal court, the stronghold was transformed into a more comfortable villa.
Following generations, and in particular Ottavia Orsini, the wife of Ortensia's nephew, Marcantonio Marescotti, oversaw the creation of the wonderful Italian garden, to this day regarded as one of the most beautiful Italian parterres, at the centre of which one finds a huge basin surrounded by a balustrade: a perfectly rectangular space crossed by four avenues and subdivided into twelve aligned parterres, composed of mixed hedges of bay, laurel, and box.
Lower box hedges go to form patterns within the frames thus created, tracing also the initials of Ottavia Orsini and her sons, Sforza and Galeazzo, in the central beds.
Today garden and castle alike are lovingly cared for by princesses Claudia and Giada Ruspoli (the family took the name Ruspoli in 1704), who are slowly restoring the place to its antique splendour.
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The many great gardens of the world, of literature and poetry, of painting and music, of religion and architecture, all make the point as clear as possible: The soul cannot thrive in the absence of a garden.- Sir Thomas More - |
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