Park of Monsters 

Park of Monsters in Bomarzo is considered a unique creation in the history of garden architecture, it is part of the extraordinary concentration of Gardens and Palaces built in the second half of the 16^th century in Rome’s surrounding areas. A valley scattered with enormous volcanic rocks crossed by a stream, rich of Mediterranien native tree species is the natural scenery of this terraced park designed by Vicino Orsini (1523-1585), Lord of Bomarzo. He laid out his Magic Wood in collaboration with famous iconographers such as Annibal Caro and sculptors such as Simone Moschino and Pirro Ligorio. Entering the garden you step into a Microcosm permeated with fantasy, soul and aesthetic of Mannerism, inhabited by enormous figures of Deities, fantastic and real Animals, Mascarons and grotesque Faces with wide open mouth and big teeth, sculpted into gigantic volcanic rocks emerging from the bowels of the Earth. You will take a special journey in this place where Nature, Art, Mythology, Literature, History, Memory and Vicino Orsini’s life episodes are put together in a surprising and sometimes astonishing joke. Along the garden’s path you will discover secrets carved into the sculptures, you will be figuring out riddles graved in stone by Vicino Orsini five hundred years ago, you will see Proteus, two Sphinxes, the Giant, the Turtle with the Fame and many other Figures. You will enter the magic Leaning House, you will take in the giant Ogre’s mouth around which there is an inscription referring to Dante’s Hell. You will take a stroll in a world of Marvels where, it is said, Hermetic and Esoteric practices used to take place.

Would you like to visit both, the Monster Park and another interesting site in the same day in the surroundings? Choose it! 

Villa Lante, Bagnaia or

Civita di Bagnoregio or

Palazzo Farnese at Caprarola or 

Viterbo

Special Renaissance and Mannerist Gardens, Palaces and Painting in one day:

Park of Monsters in Bomarzo - Villa Lante at Bagnaia - Palazzo Farnese in Caprarola.

Some Kilometric distances: 

Rome – Bomarzo 90 km

Orvieto – Bomarzo 44 km

Port of Rome, Civitavecchia – Bomarzo 74 km