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Town: FRASCATI
This villa is the oldest of the “Tuscolane” villas, symbol of refined
taste and of the baroque beauty. Francesco Borromini in the
18th century redesigned and rebuilt it transforming a previous
villa which belonged to Monsignor Ruffini. The villa was seriously
damaged by bombardments during the second world war, but thanks
to an accurate restoration works, it is returned to its ancient
splendour. Its Italian garden divided into two courts is very
precious.
There is a small lake named “Peschierone”, a rectangular
basin surrounded by cypresses which with their shadows make
the lake's water darker creating an atmosphere conferring
to the lake the sad fame of suicides place for those who suffer
from love problems.
The fourth room of the left wing of the villa is very interesting:
it was built by Giovanni Francesco Grimaldi and Ciro Ferri,
according to the rococo style and to the taste of the inversion,
i.e. the outside replacing the inside. There is a sort of exchange:
the garden in the room (it is represented on the wall), the
room in front of the garden.
This room it is also called Spring's Room, Venus'
temple or Triumph of Flora; it has in its centre a marble fountain
with jets of water and light effects and on its walls in correspondence
of this fountain there are painted on one side a fountain and
on the other side a staircase. This room is a sort of temple
in the wood, where the leafage is stuccoed transforming and
hiding the actual room's windows.
Area's Natural Characteristics
Villa Falconieri was well-known also for a branch of English
oak, that growing through the gate, made it one of the most
beautiful gate of the Tuscolane villas. Recently according to
the orders of the Italian Monuments and Fine Arts service and
to the wish of the owners this branch has been cut. The part
of the garden on the left of the entrance path above the small
lake, is the less known, and it is very interesting from a natural
point of view. It is a wonderful wood with ancient ilexes very
large in size and a secular plane. There are several plants
worth seeing: the bay and its aromatic leaves, the holly with
its red berries and the viburnum, a plant that in winter has
both flowers and fruits.
If you are a young woman looking for your prince, probably you
will find him along the lake's shore while he is ‘croaking'.
At a first sight, it could seem a common toad, but probably
your kiss can transform it in a prince! In the basin at the
right of the entrance there are a lot of frogs as you will consider
from the numerous tadpoles. In the wood there are woodpeckers,
and the dendrocopus major which with their chirp will accompany
you through your walk. There are also several passerines: blackcaps,
great tits, blackbirds and robins.
Place
To reach this villa, from piazzale G. Marconi in Frascati, cross
via Catone and after 400 metres turn to the right on via del
Tuscolo. At the first hairpin bend turn to the left on the road
leading to its entrance. Villa Falconieri finds at a distance
of 800 metres from piazzale G. Marconi
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. The nearest
parking area is in via Angelo Celli in front of the public gardens
of the “Ombrellino”.
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 the seat of the C.E.D.E., Centro Europeo per l'Educazione,
belonging to the Italian Ministry of Public Education. It is
possible to access to its library.
For guided visits phone to the A.T.C.R., (Agenzia Turistica
Castelli Romani), Via Sentiero del bosco, 2/c - 00046 Grottaferrata
(RM), phone number 0694547046 - fax 0694547422.
Tourist signs
only tourist information.
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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