"You who wander around the world, wandering to see tall and stupendous wonders, come here where everything speaks to you of love and art"
Il Park of the Monsters di Bomarzo, also called Sacro Bosco, was born in 1552 based on the idea of Prince Pier Francesco Orsini called Vicino, but the architect Pirro Ligorio, who after the death of michelangelo was called to work in Saint Peter.
I Parco dei Mostri is a labyrinth of symbols where you wander until you get lost among gigantic statues and monstrous creatures. After the death of Prince Orsini the park was abandoned and restored after centuries.
Le sculptures carved in large blocks of stone they seem to have been born from the ground as if by magic. It all dates back to the 1552th century, to XNUMX to be exact. This forest inspired many artists of the time who wanted to leave to express their wonder engraved on the spot "Epigraphs and verses". After the death of Vicino Orsini, no one cared more about this jewel of Mannerist art which after centuries of neglect was saved from the usual oblivion and restored for the joy of intellectuals and writers, artists and tourists who come from all over the world to admire this open-air museum.
Historical scientists and philologists have made several attempts to explain the labyrinth of symbols, and have found ancient themes and motifs from Renaissance literature, for example from the Canzoniere di Petrarch, of the Orlando Furioso of Ludovico Ariosto and of the poems Amadigi and Floridante by Bernardo Tasso. However, there are so many mysteries left that a universal interpretative scheme, in the end, perhaps could not be found; on one pillar, however, the possible key inscription appears "Sol to release the core".
After the death of the last Prince Orsini, the park was abandoned and in the second half of the twentieth century it was restored by the couple Giancarlo and Tina Severi Bettini, who are buried in the temple inside the park, which is perhaps also the tomb of Giulia Farnese.
The Park is open every day of the year with open hours from 8.30 to 19 from 01/04 to 31/10 while from 8.30 to sunset from 01/11 to 31/03. The entrance is a payment and it is a little bit expensive but you will certainly stay a couple of hours especially if you have children (who will have a blast in here) or a camera. Single adult ticket comes 10€, children from 4 to 13 years are € 8 while groups of 30 people pay € 8 each with a free ticket.
