About
An Italian garden is the setting for a 16th-century horror show.
Commissioned in 1552 by Prince Pier Francesco Orsini, also known as Vicino, the Park of the Monsters ("Parco dei Mostri") was built in the Garden of Bomarzo not for aesthetic pleasure, but to express grief. The Prince had endured a horrific war, seen his friend die and been held captive for years before returning home only to find his beloved wife had also passed away. This immense sorrow prompted him to create a “Villa of Wonders” as a tribute to these tragic events with renowned architect Pirro Ligorio's help. Having previously designed projects such as the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Rome after Michelangelo's death and Villa d’Este in Tivoli, Ligorio saw this as an interesting challenge.
