Word: gregoriana
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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Gardens are often washed away by floods, but Villa Gregoriana, which reopened last month in Tivoli, Italy, was actually created by one. Rescued from abandonment by the Italian Environment Foundation (FAI), the vertical garden (there's actually no villa) offers one of the most romantic walks in Europe. It winds through luxuriant wooded paths, natural grottoes and ancient ruins, and leads to a spectacular 120-m waterfall. The landscape, featuring 2nd century B.C. architecture, inspired such 17th and 18th century artists as Nicolas Poussin and Jean-Honor? Fragonard, and became a must-see stop on the Grand Tour. Later, Villa...
...terraced walkways and craggy steps, which lead to clearings with dazzling views of waterfalls and temples dedicated to Vesta, the goddess of the hearth, and Tiburnus, the mythical founder of Tivoli who ousted the occupying Sicilians from the area. But over the last half of the 20th century, Villa Gregoriana became a neglected jungle of brambles, brushwood, ivy and weeds, obscuring the views and grottoes and covering the limestone walls' natural whorled designs...
...rocks fill the atmosphere. Architect Gae Aulenti's visitors' center offers audio guides, and next summer guests will be able to take illuminated evening walks. The restoration, which includes the replanting of tree and shrub species from Rivarola's original garden, will continue for at least another year. Villa Gregoriana is once again worthy of the most splendid of Grand Tours. tel: (39-06) 3996 7701; www.pierreci.it
Gardens are often washed away by floods, but Villa Gregoriana, which reopened last month in Tivoli, Italy, was actually created by one. Rescued from abandonment by the Italian Environment Foundation (fai), the vertical garden (there's actually no villa) offers one of the most romantic walks in Europe. It winds through luxuriant wooded paths, natural grottoes and ancient ruins, and leads to a spectacular 120-m waterfall. The landscape, featuring 2nd century B.C. architecture, inspired such 17th and 18th century artists as Nicolas Poussin and Jean-Honoré Fragonard, and became a must-see stop on the Grand Tour. Later...