I might be an American in Rome, but there is actually an American princess in Rome and she lives at Villa Ludovisi. Sometimes known as Villa Aurora, the palatial dwelling is hidden behind Via Veneto and is the real-life home of HSH Princess Rita Boncompagni Ludovisi. She has the distinct honor of living with the only fresco Caravaggio ever painted.
Now, let&#;s be clear: there is no longer a recognized royal family in Italy. However, the Ludovisis were royalty. The princess is originally from Texas, but she gained her titled when she married HSH Prince Nicolò Boncompagni Ludovisi in
The Texan was previously known as Rita Jenrette, and was once married to U.S. Representative Jon Jenrette. However, her third husband was the reason she moved to Rome. She met him when she worked in real estate and was showing off one of his Italian properties to a client interested in building a hotel.
Prince Ludovisi&#;s title comes from Piombino &#; a state that his family once ruled until it was abolished by Napoleon. Their holdings have now been reduced to 7 acres of gardens and the lovely Villa Aurora, which is filled with priceless artwork.
The Ludovisis are related to Pope Greg
Frescoes in the Casino dell'Aurora, Villa Boncompagni Ludovisi, Rome ()
by GUERCINO
The Casino dell'Aurora is the only portion spared from nineteenth-century demolition of the Villa Ludovisi (later Villa Boncompagni Ludovisi) in Rome. Originally the Casino, erected around and enlarged in the nineteenth century, was a three-story structure on a cruciform ground plan. During the pontificate of Pope Gregory XV Ludovisi the villa and its casino were used mainly for official functions such as dinners for the college of cardinals. The Casino was decorated by paintings on the ground floor and the second floor in the seventeenth century.
The ceiling of the central room on the ground floor was painted by Guercino depicting Aurora on Her Triumphal Chariot. This composition was a deliberate response to Guido Reni's Aurora in the Palazzo Pallavicini-Rospigliosi in Rome. Guercino's coworker was Agostino Tassi who was responsible for the architecture (quadratura) painted in fresco technique. (Guercino painted in tempera instead of fresco.)
In the Stanza del Caminetto, a room adjacent to the central room, the centre of the ceiling shows a wreath of putti, the documented work by A
Getting Around
I found walking Rome was the best way to see everything.
The metro, trams and buses are also an easy and cheap option.
Buses and the metro can get crowded. Tickets must be bought before boarding and validated.
Beware of pickpockets.
Buses 40 (express) and 64 start at Termini and end near Saint Peter's, traveling past places of interest, returning the same way.
Some stops along the 64 route are:
Repubblica
Piazza Venezia
Via Nazionale
Corso Vittorio Emanuele II
Bus 75 takes you past the Colosseum to Trastevere
Bus takes you to Villa Borghese
Ticket Options
&#; B.I.T (Biglietto Integrato a Tempo) is the standard ticket valid for one metro, unlimited tram or bus rides within minutes.
&#; B.I.G ( Biglietto Integrato a Giornaliero) is a daily ticket valid for unlimited metro, tram, bus and train travel within Rome.
Purchasing Bus and Metro tickets.
Newsstands, train stations, metro stations, kiosks with the ATAC logo and tabacchi shops sell tickets for the metro, trams and buses.
Large fines apply to travelers not holding or validating their ticket. Tickets once validated start from the time they have been stamped.
&#;
The
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So happy to see you! Your place or mine?
Getting there is the easy part. It&#;s getting inside that requires a bit of work. Being close to the Spanish Steps and the Villa Veneto, the Villa Aurora is easy to reach.
Because all the tours are given by the Princess, who is a treasure trove of knowledge about the house and the family, the only way to visit is to arrange a personal tour. And the only way to book a personal tour is to email Tatiana @ , or ring her up at +39 06 (Mon, Wed, Fri h) and make a reservation.
Mind you, there is a charge: &#;, which will allow a group of up to 15 people to visit. So the best thing you can do is find as many art-loving friends as possible, and book a tour. It&#;s your only chance to see these unique works of art- and learn first-hand how, if you don&#;t manage your investments well, you&#;ll end up with just a little garden shed to live in&#;
Useful links:
Here's the fascinating The New Yorker article about the Villa and its inhabitants.
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