Thursday, May 2 - Villa Lante

The gardens and fountains of Villa Lante 

are located about 5 miles east of Viterbo.  Constructed and owned by cardinals of the church, it is

representative of landscape architecture of the period.

 

  

Built on 3 terraced levels, the water flows from grottoes, through cascades into fountains and then to a lower basin and garden in front of the villas which you see here.

 

Construction began in 1566 by Cardinal Gianfrancesco Gambara.  There are 2 nearly matching casini (one appears below).  The second was completed in the 1580-1590 period by another Cardinal of the church.

 

 

Interior frescos of one of the villas.

 

 

Fountain of Pegasus

 

 

Below is the Fountain of the Lamps,

a circular tier of fountains representing lighted oil lamps.  

 

Notice how the two levels are perfectly aligned.

 

 



 

On the 3rd terrace, a large, long stone table was built with a central channel

 of water in which wine was placed to cool.

In the background is a fountain to the river gods (closer picture follows).

 

Below is the "Fountain of the River Gods".

 

On the 4th terrace, a long cascade of water flows into the Fountain of the River Gods. 

 Notice the continual vertical alignment of all the major water features.

 

 

So quiet and peaceful is the flowing water, coupled with the whisper of the wind in the trees that one's soul feels truly at peace and distant from everyday cares.