Snapshot: the intriguing Gardens of Bomarzo

In one corner stood the graceful Pegasus frozen in mid action while in a clearing lies the imposing Neptune in stony aloofness.  And if you venture further, you’ll stumble upon a giant turtle carrying on its back a woman with wings on her shoulders. If you find this all very confusing yet fascinating, the goal of this bewildering spectacle has been achieved.

Sacro Bosco (Gardens of Bomarzo) IS designed to astonish. Also known as the Sacred Grove, or to locals- Park of the Monsters, it’s found in the Viterbo province in northern Lazio, Italy.

Created in the 16^th century, the gardens rest at the bottom of a valley and was dotted with sculptures and natural vegetation. Some of the sculptures were carved onto the bedrock, and were commissioned by Pier Francesco Orsini, who lived in the nearby Castle of Orsini. He developed the gardens as a tribute to his wife when she passed, by engaging garden designer Pirro Ligorio and sculptor Simone Moschino.

The exact rationale of the puzzling garden design remains a mystery. No one really understood the meaning behind the sculpture of Hannibal’s war elephants, the erection of a leaning house or a petrified dragon being attacked by lions. Everything in here appears whimsical, without a semblance of pattern stringing a story or put together a concept.

Fallen to neglect in the 19^th century, the Gardens of Bomarzo received a new lease of life in the 1970s as part of a restoration program. Today, although it remains a private property, it’s become a popular tourist attraction.

After all, it’s not every day you get to see majestic mythological creatures alongside a giant fruit with cones and basins.  If you are ever in Lazio, the Sacro Bosco is intriguing enough to warrant a visit.

Have you ever been to the Park of the Monsters before? Which is your favorite sculpture?