Walking through time Walking through time - IBAM

ITINERARY
5
the castelli
romani
in the favorite
vacation resort of
aristocrats and popes
South of Rome
we discover traces of the taste
of the ancient Romans for pleasant
surroundings and leisure.
Man’s constant care and
attention has maintained the
beauty of these site that preserve
archaeological, natural and
monumental treasures, an
authentic patrimony of humanity.
CASTLES AND FORTRESSES
THE VILLA ALDOBRANDINI
Frascati
FROM THE MID 16 TH CENTURY FRASCATI, ONE OF THE MOST
ANCIENT TOWNS OF THE CASTELLI ROMANI, became a
true living garden at the gates of Rome, celebrated for its
princely villas, spectacular parks and fountains.
The imposing Villa Aldobrandini stands out among the
town’s numerous aristocratic residences also because of
its location overlooking an exceptional view, that for a
long time earned it the name of Villa Belvedere.
The original structure was built in 1550 by Monsignor
Alessandro Rufini above the remains of a Roman villa
belonging to the Ottavi family, and after changing owners
on various occasions, finally in 1598 it came into the
hands of Pietro Aldobrandini, cardinal and politician,
as a gift from his uncle Pope Clement VIII. Thus began
the most prosperous period of the villa, fated to become
a place of rest and retreat for the family whose named it
carries to this day. It was completely restructured in
1601 by Giacomo della Porta (the famous Lombard
architect who completed the work on the dome of St.
Peter’s after the death of his master Michelangelo). At
the request of Cardinal Aldobrandini, he created a
Frascati: Villa Aldobrandini.
magnificent Renaissance palace worthy of the
grandeur of this Florentine family. At the end of the
construction work all that was left of the small preexisting
villa was a wall, incorporated into the new structure.
The entire residential complex follows the layout
of the area and develops on a series of terraced planes
with striking yet functional ramps, according to the
typical Renaissance plan, animated by ornamental elements
that anticipate Baroque. The main facade is elegant,
adorned with pilasters and the Aldobrandini coat
of arms above the door. The spacious 18 th century atrium
leads to the great central salon on the ground floor,
frescoed with colours made with plants (known as
“grass juices”), along with rooms on the sides and stairs
to the upper levels. The first floor houses the aristocratic
rooms with fine furniture and painting decorations
with biblical themes by Giuseppe Cesari, know as
the Cavalier D’Arpino, who along with Giovanni
Fontana completed the works after the death of della
Porta. The great hall was located on the second floor.
The loggia on the third floor and the belvedere terraces
added splendour and prestige to the whole. The main
structure is flanked by structures creating a balanced
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