Archive for 'Latium'

Pope Alexander VII had huge ambitions for Rome and took on large-scale building projects with the aim to reorganise and redesign large chunks of it. Together with the wunderkind architect, sculptor, painter, writer and designer, Bernini, he completed one of these major works, St Peter's Square. This open space lies in front of St Peter's Basilica and Alexander wanted it to be laid out so that the maximum number of worshippers would be able to see the Pope giving his blessings from the church or adjacent Papal apartments as well as to make a grand entrance to the hallowed buildings. A collaborative affair, the plans were made over several stages of planning until the present design was decided upon.

Bomarzo, a town in Latium in the lower valley of the Tiber, is most well-known for a highly unique attraction. Officially called the Gardens of Bomarzo, they are also referred to as the Sacred Garden, and that most descriptive of names, Bomarzo Monster Park. Created in the 16th century, the gardens are set in a forest at the bottom of a valley beneath Orsini Castle and feature bizarre and fantastical sculptures and small buildings alongside the natural beauty. If you feel like wandering through a Dali painting, this is just the thing for you! Find a luxury villa in Latium and you can explore this truly unique garden for yourself.

Rieti is the capital city of the province of Rieti in Latium, Italy. Its roots go back to the Sabines before being conquered by the Romans. During the Middle Ages it was destroyed by Barbarians but remained important within the Lombard empire. This period also saw it become a favoured papal seat and, therefore, witness to many important historical events in Italy. Rieti continued to move from ruler to ruler until the twentieth century when it initially became part of Umbria before being made a provincial capital of Latium. This turbulent past has only added to the town's heritage and made it an extraordinary little repository of art, architecture and history. Experience the walk through history that the town offers by finding a villa with a pool in Latium and spending some time there – you won't regret it!

Rome does not lack in famous and astounding monuments. If you visit, you will never be stuck for something to do. However, you might be interested in visiting something uniquely tied into Italian history that is just a little off the beaten track of most tourists, a little less obvious. That something is the Altare dell Patria (Altar of the Fatherland), also known as the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II (National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II).

Michelangelo once said that he didn't create sculptures but, rather, freed beings from within blocks of stone. He is known for breathing life into rock. Yet, another great sculptor managed to bring believability to stone so that it seemed to move and live.

This was Gian Lorenzo Bernini, an Italian architect and artist born in Naples and who predominantly worked in Rome. Throughout the city there remains a trail of his masterpieces that truly must be seen to be believed.

Why not find a villa with a pool near Rome and spend a day following Bernini around that greatest of cities?