I'm taking this Italian Gardens class this semester and we will be checking out around 5 or 6 Renaissance gardens around this region. This garden is Villa Lante and is located in Bagnaia the same small town that the bonfire was in. We went two fridays ago but I was unable to post until now due to being sick with a cold and flu all last week. But this garden was absolutely amazing. However, on that day it was hardly pleasing, it had snow flurried most of the morning and I had to get up earlier than most of the other students because I am volunteering on Friday mornings in the local high school. The english class is all girls and they were very excited to meet us and ask us lots of questions about america and about our lives in america. There were lots of questions about pop culture which I was unable to answer but not so disappointed about that. But I was surprised that there were a few of them that were able to speak and understand our english very well and there were a few of them that I could tell just didnt know it or just didnt care. After that we had lecture about this garden as it was snowing outside then turned to rain and we were in question about going out there. But at the end of the lecture the rain had stopped and we decided to go and I was miserable. I hadnt eaten anything except an espresso on the go and I was terribly unprepared for the cold damp weather outside. So miserably I went along and we waited for the bus to come and when it did we all got on and the driver got off. He smoked a cigarette and then told us we were too many and that he wouldnt take us we would have to take another bus out there. So Ok we waited for another bus out there and got of at the little town so cold and raw out and walked up to the garden. Upon arrival and first step into the garden my spirits had turned, I realized it was totally worth it...
The Pegasus fountain, Pegasus in ancient literature was responsible for kicking the ground in the mountains that provided water to support the people. So due to this most of the gardens have a Pegasus fountain.
This is the seal of Cardinal Gambera. Gambera meaning prawn or crayfish is the one who built this garden. As a Cardinal he had a great deal of wealth and built this garden for himself while he resided and was a ruler here in Viterbo.
This is called a water chain and it runs from one level of the garden to the next and at the head of the fountain here the water comes out of a crayfish showing that Gambera has provided the garden with a source of water. Also a showing of his power.
Also in every garden we will see there is always a fountain dedicated to the local river gods as we see here.
This was a lunch table with a flow of water through the middle which was used back in the day to keep jugs of wine cool.
The bottom of the garden and the grand finale per se.
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