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Bomarzo
Bomarzo is a town and ''comune'' of the province of Viterbo (Lazio, Central Italy), in the lower valley of the Tiber. It is located east-northeast of Viterbo and north-northwest of Rome. History The city's current name is a derivation of ''Polymartium'', first mentioned in the ''Historia Langobardorum'' by Paulus Diaconus. The etymology ''"polis martium"'', city of Mars, suggests a Roman origin. However, archeological evidence for a Roman city has not been found so far. However, a Roman brickmaking factory established nearby may have been owned by Domitia Calvilla, the mother of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. It was a historical fiefdom of the Orsini family, whose castle is at the edge of the densely built town, until it was sold to Ippolito Lante Montefeltro della Rovere in 1645. Lante was elevated to the title of ''Duke of Bomarzo''. Main sights Bomarzo's main attraction is a garden, usually referred to as the ''Bosco Sacro'' (Sacred grove) or, locally, '' Bosco de ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Park Of The Monsters
The Sacro Bosco ("Sacred Grove"), colloquially called Park of the Monsters (Parco dei Mostri in Italian), also named Garden of Bomarzo, is a Mannerism, Mannerist monumental complex located in Bomarzo, in the province of Viterbo, in northern Lazio, Italy. The garden was created during the 16th century. The design is attributed to Pirro Ligorio, and the sculptures to Simone Moschino. Situated in a wooded valley bottom beneath the castle of Orsini, it is populated by grotesque sculptures and small buildings located among the natural vegetation. History The park's name stems from the many larger-than-life sculptures, some sculpted in the bedrock, which populate this predominantly barren landscape. It was commissioned by Pier Francesco Orsini, called ''Vicino'', a 16th-century condottiero, and patron of the arts, greatly devoted to his wife Giulia Farnese (not to be confused with her maternal great-aunt Giulia Farnese, the mistress of Pope Alexander VI). When Orsini's wife died, he had ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
