Villa Doria Pamphili — Attraction in Rome

A Pamphilj family's country residence, Villa Doria Pamphilj took on the aspect of a sumptuous noble country residence under pope Innocent X (1644-1655). In 1856 it was enlarged by Prince Andrea V Doria Pamphilj who purchased Villa Corsini at Porta San Pancrazio.

In 1957, the Italian State acquired the initial part. A parcel of the current 184 hectares was acquired by the Municipality of Rome in 1965 and 1971, when the park was finally opened to the public.

Numerous parts of the villa still preserve important evidence of the Roman and medieval ages: the northern boundary along the Via Aurelia Antica partly coincides with the Trajan-Paul aqueduct structures. Important funerary structures from the Roman period have been found in numerous areas of the park (particularly important those brought to light at the Casino del Bel Respiro). The Casale di Giovio preserves fine Imperial age masonry examples and a decorated early medieval architrave.

The Casino del Bel Respiro was built under pope Innocent X, in the mid-17th century. The fountains adorning its gardens, were built by some of the greatest artists of the time, such as Alessandro Algardi, Giovan Francesco Grimaldi, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

Among the works carried out in the second half of the 19th century, following the battles fought in the Janiculum Hill area and in the villa itself during the extreme defence of the Second Roman Republic (1849), are the Arco dei Quattro Venti, the monumental entrance to the villa, the restoration of the Corsini Palace, the Greenhouses, and the Monument to the...

If you have the time and desire to be outdoors, this could be an ideal option. In addition to Villa Borghese, Villa Pamphili is one of the most beautiful parks in the heart of Rome. It is also one of the largest, after the one on the Appia Antica, with an area of approximately 184 hectares, reachable from 4 main entrances. It is a wonderful place, surrounded by greenery! Perhaps the most suggestive location in all of Villa Pamphili is “Il Casino del Bel Respiro”, where it doesn't seem to be in Rome, but in the open countryside. It was strongly desired by Prince Camillo Pamphili in 1644 to exhibit his collection of ancient statues. The Casino del Bel Respiro was designed by the sculptor Alessandro Algardi, to express the magnificence of the family. The palace, the furnishings and the gardens were inspired by famous gardens and parks, in particular those of Villa Adriana in Tivoli, where Algardi went to study and draw. The interior of the palace has numerous rooms and halls embellished with painted stucco. Perhaps the most beautiful place is the secret garden, embellished with hedges cut in such a way as to form various designs, including the lily, which is the coat of arms of the...

Villa Doria Pamphili is the largest public park in Rome, and was the former country estate of the Pamphili family.

"In 1644 Cardinal Giambattista Pamphili became elected to the papacy and took the name of Innocent X. In accordance with this change in status, the Pamphili aspired to a grander and more expansively sited new villa.

The initial design had a central casino (a house in the original meaning of the term) with wings, but only the central block was built. There is uncertainty as to who the architect was; Algardi was not an architect, and it may be that he had help from Carlo Rainaldi and that the construction was supervised by Grimaldi.

Construction began in 1645 and was complete by 1647 although embellishments and the garden layouts were not finished until 1653. The casino, sometimes known as the Casino del Bel Respiro, was designed as a complement to the Pamphili collection of sculptures both ancient and modern, and other Roman antiquities such as vases, sarcophagi and inscriptions; it was only ever intended for display of the collection and the family and guests resided in the older...