The places of Sovicille – Villa Cetinale
Villa Cetinale was built by the Chigi family, in the mid-seventeenth century, by the architect Carlo Fontana. Near the entrance there is a portico with three arches and a false loggia above, placed in a central body, flanked by two narrow bodies. On the other side there is a double staircase that leads to the first floor and ends with a large portal. All around there are elegant, formal gardens. In front of the Villa Cetinale is the beautiful park of the Tebaide. It consists of an oak forest with paths, chapels, statues and small lakes. It is tied to a legend, recounted by the writer Idilio Dell’Era. The Cardinal of Rome, Fabio Chigi, future Pope Alexander VII, was invited by his brother to see the statues that had been installed in the magnificent park of holm-oaks. The Cardinal was delighted in observing the beautiful statues that had been erected on the stone pedestals until one of them turned out to be a very pretty real live girl, because she lost her balance and fell to the ground. The Cardinal became very angry and left for Rome ordering his brother to build as many chapels in the woods, as there had been statues on the pedestals, under the oaks, made so as to repair for the hoax he had been submitted to.
Source and photo: Pro Loco Sovicille
Autore
Appassionato fin da piccolo di computer e tecnologia, sono programmatore per lavoro e per passione. Ho una laurea magistrale in Informatica conseguita all’Università di Bologna. Co-ideatore e sviluppatore di Nice Places.
