Villa Doria Pamphili Park in Rome
Villa Doria Pamphili is the biggest landscape park of Rome and is located in the west part of the Eternal City’s old town center.
Not far from Trastevere district, it is situated in the lovely residential area of Monteverde, outside the walls of the Gianicolo. It is one of the most beautiful villas of the capital and boasts an important past made up of historical events and several changes.
With its 184 hectares it arose from the country estate of a roman noble family and is a representative seat of the government. Without a doubt one of the most important parks of Rome, it is very popular among romans who love to spend their time in this enjoyable place.
The seventeenth century villa preserves the features of the original building and, where once there was only a plot of land, the Pamphili family began to build several different elements like the Casino del Bel Respiro (beautiful breath as it stood on high ground), a spectacular Baroque construction ended in 1657 and then embellished with an enviable parterre with garden layouts that wind like a labyrinth. The imposing facade of the building alternates windows to niches adorned with sculptures both ancient and modern, low-reliefs and busts. The interiors are noteworthy too and present roman antiquities such as vases, sarcophagi, inscriptions, frescoes and sculptures from different eras.
By now the villa is subdivided in three areas:
The palace and the gardens (pars urbana), the pine grove (pars fructuaria), and the rural property (pars rustica).
This can give you an idea of the dimensions and peculiarity of the park, a real green micro-ecosystem in the heart of Rome.
This one of a kind spot is a gem to discover and an ideal gateway to leave behind caos, traffic and stress. The huge green space in fact stands out for its variety and offers a lot of different attractions such as: the secret garden, a suggestive elliptical lake and several streams of water. You will cherish a rich vegetation that will make you forget being in a Metropolis, a fountain called the Cupid Fountain and last but not least the Chapel of Doria Pamphili, a funeral chapel commissioned in 1890 by the the Prince Alfonso Doria Pamphili.
Doubtless this is a special place where you can lose yourself in an unusual at times surreal scenario.
You will see a stream of water ending in three symmetrical grottoes that look like big niches dig in the rocks. Entering in the central grotto you will admire the stream from a unique perspective that will you make feel like being into a romantic sci-fi movie…but it’s not a set, it’s all true! As regards as panoramas, we can’t avoid to mention the amazing St. Peter Basilica view, that you can admire from a little promontory of the villa.
Definitely the ultimate spot for a pleasant stroll or for a ride on you bike on the lakeside, surrounded by varied trees and many vegetation species like monumental oaks and big pines. We are sure you will fall in love with this roman refuge, especially in Spring, when splendid flowers in bloom will literally amaze you.
Another thing you will appreciate are its wide-open spaces, where you can either do sport, or relax and meditate. They are ideal for a picnic with your friends or just to regenerate yourself in a context that could seem lights years away from the big city, but it’s just a few kilometers from the heart of Rome.
