The Sacred Grove - After our shopping trip downtown, we fix sandwiches in the Palazzo and gather picnic supplies for a picnic lunch at Bomarzo, otherwise dubbed "the Sacred Grove (Bosco Sacro) or Park of Monsters." It is supposed to be a must-see in the Lazio region, which is where we are staying. It is also a popular side trip from Rome. Between the directions from Palazzo and the GPS, we easily arrive in under 30 minutes as the park is about 8 miles (13 km) away from Soriano. Of course, driving on the narrow, winding roads of Italy takes far longer than in the states. Plus, we are especially careful to stay within the speed limit of about 35 mph.
We pay our $9E entry fee each and receive permission to picnic at some white plastic tables tucked under trees. There is a group of children on a school outing of some kind noisily having a delightful time on the playground equipment. Other than those children, the park has very few visitors on a week day, and a big group of tourists just left.
After tucking the picnic remains back in the car, and a pitt stop in the toilette, we head off to find the monster sculptures.
16th Century Horror Show - The Park of the Monsters, or "Parco dei Mostri," in the Garden of Bomarzo was not meant to be pretty. Commissioned in 1552 by Prince Pier Francesco Orsini, it was an expression of grief designed to shock.
The Prince, also known as Vicino, 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, the Prince wanted to create a shocking "Villa of Wonders." There are two rumored architects of the park. One is architect Pirro Ligorio who had completed the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Rome after the death of Michelangelo, as well as the Villa d'Este in Tivoli. Apparently, recent evidence strongly suggests that is was designed by Michelangelo himself, with the work carried out by his students.
The park is filled with bizarre and fascinating sculptures for which only the accompanying inscriptions provide any explanation. 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. Perhaps the most frightening piece in the garden is an enormous head, mouth opened wide in a scream. The accompanying inscription reads "all reason departs." 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.
Built during the Italian Renaissance, the garden layout bore little resemblance to the symmetry of other Renaissance gardens, and the art was made in a rough "Mannerist" style, a sort of 16th-century version of Surrealism. Salvador Dalí was so inspired, he shot a short film here, and the sculptures inspired his 1946 painting The Temptation of Saint Anthony. Jean Cocteau was also a fan of the park. Other artists followed, and a novel, libretto, and opera have all been based on the park.
There were signs all over warning visitors not to take photos. We figure it's simply a standard procedure whether it is enforced or not. We chose to ignore the signs and proceeded to take numerous self portraits everywhere with the aid of the trusty travel tripod. The statutes have held up well for over 700 years, but they are definitely showing wear and losing many of their original details. The park is nicely shaded; nevertheless, it is humid and we leave a sweaty two hours later having thoroughly visited and enjoyed the monster park.
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