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Villa Borghese located in the heart of Rome, was the suburban residence of the
Borghese family. Built in 1616 by the nephew of Paul V, the Cardinal Scipio Borghese,
it was surrounded by large and varied gardens, which are still populated by eagles
and dragons, the heraldic symbols of the family. The architect of the Casino was
Jan Van Santen, a Dutchman known also as Giovanni Vasanzio. He completed a design
by Flaminio Ponzio.
Until a few years ago cars were allowed to enter the villa and the square in
front of the casino was a parking lot. A recent restoration together with the
white color of the building eventually brought some peace and silence.
The building now hosts the gallery of statues and paintings which was hosted
in the Palazzo Borghese in town. However the statues by Gian Lorenzo Bernini inside
the gallery were sculpted for the Casino. Between the busts the reliefs of the
eagle and the dragon.
The gardens to the north of the Casino are a fine example of a XVIIth century
Italian garden, with statues and fountains. The gardens to the south of the Casino
were redesigned in the XIXth century when the Borghese acquired other adjoining
land and built a new entrance opposite Porta del Popolo .
In addition to their heraldic symbols the Borghese, who owned the Villa until
the end of the XIXth century, decorated the gardens with little buildings in neoclassical
style
The gardens were opened to the public and on special occasions the Romans were
entertained in Piazza di Siena a sort of open air theatre.
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