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Town: FRASCATI
The most famous and the most enormous of the noble villas of the Castelli
Romani, and a sort of scenic background of piazzale G. Marconi
at the centre of Frascati.
This building was built by Giacomo della Porta, who designed
also the nymphaeum, that with its small cascades animated the
two columns over the fountain. This is the place where architecture,
decorative elements and water gathered to produce one of the
best examples of baroque style, using lights and sounds to produce
astonishment. After Giacomo della Porta's death the works to
build the waterfalls were directed by Carlo Fontana and Carlo
Maderno.
Area's Natural Characteristics
The original vegetation of this area was characterized by woods
consisting of different species of trees and of oak woods, which
are typical of the Mediterranean hill. The different species
of trees are: white hornbeams, lindens, maples, hollies, laurels
and bays, English oaks and ilexes.
There are different kinds of plants in the villa's gardens
and they were almost planted by man and they are examples of
one of the most beautiful Italian gardens. Along the paths leading
from the palace to the waterfalls there are huge Cedars of Lebanon,
together with trees belonging to the typical vegetations: ilexes,
maples and lindens. The bay trees, can be easily recognized
for the bright green of its leaves; some very old hollies and
viburnum grow among the ilexes, and also their size is very
great. Near the villa there are ilexes trees, and at an height
of 480 metres above the sea level there is the Tuscolo's
pine wood. This is a villa at the centre of a town and therefore
the fauna is characterized by the species inhabiting public
gardens: Near the bushes you can hear the blackbird's
chirp: the adult male of this species has a yellow beak and
bright black feathers. It eats earthworms, insects, and berries.
It is very confident of people, as it loves eating crumbs threw
by visitors. Its nest usually finds at a medium height hidden
among entangled bushes to protect its off-spring from predators,
like the owl, a nocturnal bird of prey, and the numerous cats.
Place
The villa, with its wonderful façade, finds in front
of the piazzale G. Marconi, in Frascati. The visitors entrance
finds along the road leading to the Capuchins Convent (Via Guglielmo
Massaia, n.18) and can be reached on foot, from piazzale G.
Marconi, where there is a parking area (at a distance of 500
metres from the villa's entrance).
Roads and Public Transports
By car: From Rome cross the Tuscolana, S.S. 215, slip-road
21 of the G.R.A., or the highway A1 Rome-Naples (slip-road:
Monte Porzio Catone) following the road signs for Frascati.
By train: Line Rome-Frascati. There is a train starting
each hour from Rome. It will take you half an hour to reach
Frascati. For information on train timetable call the phone
number 848888088 or visit the web page www.fs-on-line.it.
Through a series of steps you will reach piazzale G. Marconi
By Bus: Rome-Rocca Priora. (Cotral bus service phone
number 800431784, phone number067222153) from the underground
station ‘Anagnina' of the Linea A. It will take
you 20 minutes to reach Frascati (Bus stop: Piazzale Marconi).
Topic
Botany
Visits
The villa is owned by the Aldobrandini family, but it is possible
to visit the garden and the waterfalls on working days from
9:00 a.m. 13:00 p.m. and from 15.00 p.m. to 17:00 p.m.(winter)
18:00 p.m.(summer).
For information on the visits phone to the Azienda Autonoma
Soggiorno e Turismo I.A.T., sita in Piazzale G. Marconi, 1-
00044 Frascati, phone number 069420331. For information on guided
visits phone to the A.T.C.R., Via Sentiero del bosco, 2/c –
00046 Grottaferrata (RM), phone number 0694547046.
Tourist signs
There are tourist boards but there are not explanatory boards
within the garden.
Further Information
Web sites: www.castelliromani.it/Towns/frascati/frascati.htm,
www.castellionline.com, www.hurricane.it/castelliromani.
Books: Del Nero R., 1999. Frascati e le ville tuscolane:
storia, arte, natura, percorsi. Libreria Cavour Editrice,
Piazza San Pietro n.10-12, Frascati (RM).
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