Villa Aldobrandini. The Villa Aldobrandini is a villa in Frascati, Italy.
Still the property of, and still lived in by, the Aldobrandini family, it is known as Belvedere for its charming location overlooking the valley toward the city of Rome. It is the only grand Papal garden not owned by the state.
Vatican prelate Alessandro Rufini built the original villa in 1550. Pope Clement VIII gave his nephew Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini the villa in 1598 as a reward for the negotiations he undertook with France which resulted in the peace treaty of 1595 and for his role in annexing Ferrara to the Papal States.
Clement's gift also ensured the property remained in the family as Popes are not allowed to own property. Aldobrandini commissioned the Roman architect Giacomo della Porta to convert the villa into suitable accommodation in which a Cardinal could live and also entertain a Pope.
Works started in 1598. While the core of the villa was completed by the time of Giacomo della Porta's death in 1603, work continued for another 20 years on the various aspects of the villa and the garden under the supervision of Carlo Maderno who added the loggia and Giovanni Fontana. The villa is aligned with the cathedral down its axial avenue that is continued through the town as Viale Catone. The villa has an imposing 17th century facade and some other interesting architectural and environmental features, such as the doub
Still the property of, and still lived in by, the Aldobrandini family, it is known as Belvedere for its charming location overlooking the valley toward the city of Rome. It is the only grand Papal garden not owned by the state.
Vatican prelate Alessandro Rufini built the original villa in 1550. Pope Clement VIII gave his nephew Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini the villa in 1598 as a reward for the negotiations he undertook with France which resulted in the peace treaty of 1595 and for his role in annexing Ferrara to the Papal States.
Clement's gift also ensured the property remained in the family as Popes are not allowed to own property. Aldobrandini commissioned the Roman architect Giacomo della Porta to convert the villa into suitable accommodation in which a Cardinal could live and also entertain a Pope.
Works started in 1598. While the core of the villa was completed by the time of Giacomo della Porta's death in 1603, work continued for another 20 years on the various aspects of the villa and the garden under the supervision of Carlo Maderno who added the loggia and Giovanni Fontana. The villa is aligned with the cathedral down its axial avenue that is continued through the town as Viale Catone. The villa has an imposing 17th century facade and some other interesting architectural and environmental features, such as the doub
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