Pincio Gardens and Villa Borghese
-Bioparco Zoo, Villa Medici, Pincio Terrace

Pincio Gardens is a park with a gate just north of Piazza del Popolo. A terrace above the square, Pincio Terrace at the Piazzale Napoleone I, offers great views of the city. The park dates back from the antiquity, but the name comes from the former villa of the Pinco family. Later it served as the vineyard for the monastery of Santa Maria del Popolo. The architect, Giuseppe Valadier designed the park in a classicist style, in 1810-18, , by orders from Napoleon. In the Pincio park you find a water clock and an obelisk, as well as busts from important European persons, though many have fallen into disrepair unfortunately. The obelisk, from about 200AD, was taken from Hadrian's villa in Tivoli outside Rome, and placed by Pope Pius VII in 1822. The Water Clock originally was on display at the World Exhibition in Paris, built in 1867 by the Dominican father Giovanni Embriaco.

Villa Borghese is Rome's largest public park, and border Pinco Gardens from the other side of the Aureian wall, a highway goes through it underneath. You find lakes, temples, fountains, shady lanes, statues, an arch, an amphitheater, a botanical garden, a large zoo and several museums in the gardens of Villa Borghese. In 1605, Scipione Borghese, a nephew of pope Paul V turned this site, that formerly was a vineyard, into a park. It has been public since 1903, when it was obtained from the Borghese family. At the same time the Villa Borghese, a white impressive villa from which the park was named, was built. Today there is a popular art museum inside, Museo e Galleria Borghese, with sculptures by Canova and Bernini. Bernini's "Abduction of Proserpina by Pluto" can be found here, as well as paintings by Titian, Rubens and Raphael. Another large museum is the modern art gallery, Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, housed in a white building in classicist style with 19th and 20th century paintings. In Museo Nazionale Etrusco, housed in the Villa Giulia from 1553, ancient Etruscan objects are displayed. In 1911 the World Exposition took place in the park. Many of the pavilions from the exhibition are still standing. You see four wheel bikes everywhere in the park, since these bikes, as well as segways, are popular to rent for tourists. Villa Medici, now property of the French Academy, is situated right next to the Villa Borghese gardens. It is a white castle like villa built in 1544 for the famous Medici family. You can enter the gardens of Villa Borghese through a gate at Piazzale Flaminio (near Piazza del Popolo) or at the Aurelian Wall in the end of Via Veneto. It is also near the Spanish Steps.

We visited the Pincio Gardens and Villa Borghese gardens the last day. Unfortunately the Villa Borghese museum was closed this day, so when we passed the Bioparco zoo, we decided to do something different; to enter the zoo instead of visiting the art gallery.
Bioparco di Roma is the zoo that is situated in the Villa Borghese gardens. 1 114 animals and 222 species are maintained here, and it has about 780 000 annual visitors. It opened in 1911 and was interesting to visit, but many of the animals where tired and was hiding in the shades of the trees. Elephants, camels, bears, seals, lions, tigers, camels, hippos and wolves can be found here, among others, as well as an aviary and a reptile house. Even if the whole concept of zoos are a bit controversial (though this one claims to be a more natural zoo), it was relaxing to walk around here this hot day.

Villa Borghese. The villa that the park is built around in 1605, then owned by the Borghese family. It was designed by Flaminio Ponzio. Today it houses an art museum with sculptures by Bernini and others. Unfortunately it was closed during our visit. Villa Borghese 002 Villa Borghese, the villa from which the park was named. Bernini's "Abduction of Proserpina by Pluto" can be found here, as well as paintings Titian, Rubens and Raphael. Villa Borghese 004 Villa Borghese 005 Villa Borghese 006 Museo e Galleria Borghese Villa Borghese 008 Villa Borghese annex. Parts of the garden are not well maintained. Villa Borghese 010 The border between Villa Borghese and Pincio Gardens goes at this road, Viale del Muro Torto, that goes right through the Aurelian Wall. You see four wheel bikes everywhere in the park, since these bikes, as well as segways, are popular to rent in the park for tourists. You see four wheel bikes everywhere in the park, since these bikes, as well as segways, are popular to rent in the park for tourists. Villa Borghese 013 Villa Borghese 015 Villa Borghese 016 Piazza di Siena, Villa Borghese Piazza di Siena and Casina dell'Orologio. The World Exhibtion in 1911 took place in Villa Borghese, many of the pavilions are still intact. The World Exhibtion in 1911 took place in Villa Borghese, many of the pavilions are still intact. Villa Borghese 020 Villa Borghese 021 Villa Borghese 022 Tempio di Annia Faustina e Cerere, Villa Borghese A shady lane at Villa Borghese Villa Borghese 025 Villa Borghese 026 Via Pinciana, gate to Villa Borghese. Via Pinciana at the gate to Villa Borghese. Ferrari store at Via Pinciana at the gate to Villa Borghese.Villa Borghese 029 Harley Davidson store at Via Pinciana at the gate to Villa Borghese.Villa Borghese 029 Villa Borghese 031 Villa Borghese 032 Villa Borghese 033 The World Exhibtion in 1911 took place in Villa Borghese, many of the pavilions are still intact. Villa Borghese 035 Embassy buildings next to Villa Borghese Modern apartment buioding near Villa Borghese. Avary at the zoo seen from Villa Borghese Villa Borghese, a bust and a wall that has fallen into disrepair. This wall used to be part of a Roman theater. One of the 228 busts in Villa Borghese. Villa Borghese 041 Villa Borghese 042 Villa Borghese, entrance to the zoo. Villa Borghese. Walls of the Bioparco zoo. Villa Borghese, at the entrance to the Bioparco zoo. Tempio di Annia Faustina e Cerere, Villa Borghese Aesculapius Temple, Villa Borghese Aesculapius Temple, Villa Borghese Arco di Settimio Severo, Villa Borghese.The arch features the original Triton statues that were moved from Piazza Navona. Villa Borghese 050 Villa Borghese 051 Villa Medici, now property of the French Academy, is situated right next to the Villa Borghese gardens. It is a white castle like villa built in 1544 for the famous Medici family. Villa Medici, now property of the French Academy, is situated right next to the Villa Borghese gardens. It is a white castle like villa built in 1544 for the famous Medici family. Villa Borghese gardens seen from Villa Medici. View from the terrace at Pincio Gardens View from the terrace at Pincio Gardens terra Pincio Terrace Pincio Terrace Pincio Terrace above Piazza del Popolo. Pincio Terrace Viale del Belvedere, Pincio Gardens 012 This obelisk, from about 200AD, was taken from Hadrian's villa in Tivoli outside Rome, and placed by Pope Pius VII in 1822 in Pincio Gardens. Pincio Gardens 014 Pincio Gardens 015 Pincio Terrace above Piazza del Popolo. Pincio Terrace above Piazza del Popolo. Piazzale Flaminio right below Pincio Gardens. Pincio Terrace Pincio Terrace View from the terrace at Pincio Gardens Pincio Gardens 024 Pincio Gardens 025 Pincio Gardens 026 Moses in the bulrushes statue and pound, Pincio Gardens. Moses in the bulrushes statue, Pincio Gardens. Pincio Gardens has 225 busts, in various conditions. Pincio Gardens 031 The Water Clock originally was on display at the World Exhibition in Paris, built in 1867 by the Dominican father Giovanni Embriaco. The Water Clock in Pincio Gardens originally was on display at the World Exhibition in Paris, built in 1867 by the Dominican father Giovanni Embriaco. Pincio Gardens 034 Pincio Gardens 035 Pincio Gardens 036 The road that divides Pincio Gardens from Villa Borghese, through the ancient Aurelian Wall. The entrance to Bioparco Zoo. Bioparco di Roma is the zoo that is situated in the Villa Borghese gardens. 1 114 animals and 222 species are maintained here, and it has about 780 000 annual visitors. It opened in 1911 and was interesting to visit, but many of the animals where tired and hide in the shades. Elephants, camels, beers, seals, lions, tigers, camels, hippos and wolfs can be found here, among others. An aviary and a reptile house can be found here. Bioparco Zoo, yhe pope Bioparco Zoo 004 Bioparco Zoo 005 Bioparco Zoo 006 Bioparco Zoo 007 Bioparco Zoo, lion Bioparco Zoo 009 Bioparco Zoo 010 Bioparco Zoo 011 Bioparco Zoo 012 Bioparco Zoo 013 Bioparco Zoo 014 Bioparco Zoo 015 Bioparco Zoo 016 Bioparco Zoo 017 Bioparco Zoo 018 Bioparco Zoo 019 Bioparco Zoo 020 Bioparco Zoo 021 Bioparco Zoo 022 Bioparco Zoo 023 Bioparco Zoo 024 Bioparco Zoo 025 Bioparco Zoo 026 Bioparco Zoo 027 Bioparco Zoo 028 Bioparco Zoo 029 Bioparco Zoo 030 Bioparco Zoo 031 Bioparco Zoo 032 Bioparco Zoo 033 Bioparco Zoo 034 Bioparco Zoo 035 Bioparco Zoo 036 Bioparco Zoo 037 Bioparco Zoo 038 Bioparco Zoo 039 Bioparco Zoo 040 Bioparco Zoo 041 Bioparco Zoo 042 Bioparco Zoo 043 Bioparco Zoo 044 Bioparco Zoo 045 Bioparco Zoo 046 Bioparco Zoo 047 Bioparco Zoo 048 Bioparco Zoo 049 Bioparco Zoo 050 Bioparco Zoo 051 Bioparco Zoo 052 Bioparco Zoo 053 Bioparco Zoo 054 Bioparco Zoo 055 Bioparco Zoo 056 Bioparco Zoo 057 Bioparco Zoo 058 Bioparco Zoo 059 Bioparco Zoo 060 Bioparco Zoo 061 Bioparco Zoo 062 Bioparco Zoo 063 Bioparco Zoo 064 Bioparco Zoo 065 Bioparco di Roma is the zoo that is situated in the Villa Borghese gardens. 1 114 animals and 222 species are maintained here, and it has about 780 000 annual visitors. It opened in 1911 and was interesting to visit, but many of the animals where tired and hide in the shades. Elephants, camels, beers, seals, lions, tigers, camels, hippos and wolfs can be found here, among others. An aviary and a reptile house can be found here. The entrance to Villa Borthese from Piazzale Flaminio (near Piazza del Popolo).htbox gallery zoomby VisualLightBox.com v6.1