Villa Lante
Sixteenth-century villa at Bagnaia with two twin pavilions and a famous Italian terraced garden, animated by monumental fountains.
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About the museum
Construction of the villa at Bagnaia, a hamlet of Viterbo, began in 1511, but its present appearance is mainly due to the works commissioned by Cardinal Gianfrancesco Gambara, Bishop of Viterbo from 1566. The design is attributed to Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola, the same architect as Villa Farnese at Caprarola. The name “Lante” was given to it only in the 17th century, when it passed to Ippolito Lante Montefeltro della Rovere, Duke of Bomarzo.
The Italian garden, one of the best-known Mannerist examples of the 16th century, is laid out on terraces connected by water, which is the absolute protagonist along the central axis with monumental fountains. Among them are the Fontana del Gambero, the fountain with Pegasus surrounded by the Muses and Apollo, completed in 1587 after Cardinal Gambara's death, and the Fontana dei Mori, commissioned by Cardinal Montalto, with four athletes accompanied by the heraldic emblems of his family. The parterre, originally a simple design of box hedges with citrus trees, now has forms in the French taste.
Unique among aristocratic residences is the pair of mirror-image pavilions, the Palazzina Gambara and the Palazzina Montalto, whose loggias are decorated with grotesques and mythological episodes by Raffaellino da Reggio and his assistants; the walls also show views of the village of Bagnaia and of other famous gardens of the time. The villa remained property of the Church until 1656, then belonged to the Lante family for three centuries; in 1953 it was bought by the industrialist Angelo Cantoni and in 1973 it passed to the State. It is now managed by the Istituto Ville monumentali della Tuscia of the Ministry of Culture.
Highlights
- Italian terraced garden with fountains along the central axis
- Fontana dei Mori and Fontana del Gambero
- Twin Palazzine Gambara and Montalto with frescoed loggias
- Grotesques and mythological scenes by Raffaellino da Reggio
- Villa park
- Operated by
- Istituto Ville monumentali della Tuscia (Ministero della Cultura)
- Visitors per year
- approx. 88,000
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2 |
Standard ticket €8, reduced €2. E-ticketing via the “Musei Italiani” app is available. The Ministry of Culture states that reductions follow the admission regulations of the state cultural sites.
Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
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Amenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The Italian garden, the loggias of the Palazzine Gambara and Montalto and the park are normally open. The piano nobile (main floor) of the Palazzina Gambara can be visited on Wednesdays at 10:30 and 14:30, with compulsory booking by the previous day (maximum 15 people, visit with internal staff). The piano nobile (main floor) of the Palazzina Montalto is open on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 to 12:00 and on Sundays for the whole opening time (except the first Sunday of the month), without booking. Groups of up to 30 people plus the guide; the use of whisper radio-guide systems is recommended. Food and balls may not be brought into the garden and park; in paid areas small dogs are admitted in carriers, and in the park dogs on a leash (muzzle for medium and large breeds). |
