Parco dei Mostri, Bomarzo

Our second stop today was a park built in the 16th century called Parco dei Mostri, the Park of the Monsters, in the Garden of Bomarzo. It was commissioned in 1552 by Prince Pier Francesco Orsini as an expression of grief designed to shock.

The Prince had just been through a brutal war, had his friend killed, been held for ransom for years, and come home only to have his beloved wife die. Racked with grief, he wanted to create a shocking “Villa of Wonders” and hired architect Pirro Ligorio to help him do so. Ligorio was a widely respected architect and artist and had previously completed the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Rome after the death of Michelangelo.

The park is filled with bizarre and fascinating sculptures, most of which have survived the test of time. Among the pieces are a war elephant, a monstrous fish-head, a giant tearing another giant in half, and a house built on a tilt to disorient the viewer. The most recongisable piece in the garden is an enormous head, mouth opened wide in a scream. The accompanying inscription reads “all reason departs” and it is known as the Mouth of Hell.

While there is no way of truly knowing how the Prince felt about the park, the final addition indicates that perhaps he was getting over his melancholy. Built 20 years after the park was begun, it is not a monster but a temple, built to honor his second wife.

It was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon before making our way back to our B&B castle for one more night.Read more