THE GARDEN OF MONSTERS - ITALY
Even now, there's this 16th-century garden full of monsters, not too far from Rome, in the calm town of Bomarzo. It's like the only one of its kind. Historians are still scratching their heads, trying to understand what the person who made it was trying to say with all these scary sculptures. Even though the creator never spilled the beans on any hidden message, there might be some clues or hints left for visitors to discover.
This awesome place called as the Garden of Monsters, also known as Sacro Bosco, Parco dei Mostri, or sometimes Bosco dei Mostri. It was cooked up by the Duke of Bomarzo, Pier Francesco Orsini, who was quite the character in the 16th century. Orsini was part of a fancy Roman family but had a tough time when he was a general in the pope's army during the Italian Wars. His buddy and commander, Orazio Farnese, bit the dust in a battle, and Orsini got captured and stuck in Germany for a while. Life got even rougher when he came back home to Bomarzo and lost his wife, Giulia. Heartbroken, he kind of ditched religion and jumped on the Epicureanism bandwagon, which is all about enjoying simple pleasures and living the chill life. Orsini found solace in hanging out with artists, writers, and other creative folks. He spent a lot of time in his monster-filled garden, calling it his "Villa of Wonders." It's like he turned his pad into this cool sanctuary where he could escape from the tough stuff life threw at him.
Orsini enlisted the expertise of Pirro Ligorio, a highly esteemed artist, renowned papal architect, and accomplished Renaissance garden designer. Ligorio was tasked with crafting over 30 statues and sculptures to adorn Orsini's garden, showcasing a commitment to elevating the artistic and aesthetic appeal of the space. Some of the more famous sculptures can be identified as 'Orcus', 'Gigante', 'Elefante', and a Mortuary Temple believed to be dedicated to His Late Wife.
In the 1800s and most of the 1900s, the garden got all wild and ignored. But then, in the 1950s, the Spanish artist Salvador Dalí made a cool movie about it and painted a picture inspired by the park. This got the Bettini family excited, and they started fixing things up in the 1970s. Now, even though it's still someone's private spot, loads of people visit because it's a big deal for tourists.
You've got a free upvote from witness fuli.
Peace & Love!
It's very interesting to read about these spooky places. Write more about such places.