FIRENZE,
FLORENCE, FLORENZ, FLORENCIA
THE BOBOLI GARDEN |
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THE BOBOLI GARDEN |
Palazzo
Pitti, the Medici’s Florentine villa, now one of the world’s most august
galleries, has a famous garden: the Boboli Garden (Giardino di Boboli). It's one of the
earliest examples of the Italian Garden which later inspired those of many European
courts. The original 1549 garden, was designed by the sculptor Tribolo, it was similar to
his work at Villa Castello. His clients were Duke Cosimo I and his Spanish wife, Eleonora
of Toledo. The renaissance design was as regular as it could be on an undulating site.
During the century after its inception, the garden changed and developed with the work
from many prominent designers. It became Florence’s grandest garden.
| The great grotto, designed by Buontalenti, is near the Palace
and contains Giambologna’s Venus and a copy of Michaelangelo’s four Slaves.
There used to be water tricks and games. The natural amphitheatre behind the Pitti Palace
was made into a real amphitheatre after 1600 and continues to be for plays. The garden was
then extended to the west (c1620). Walks lead up to a ridge and down to an enchanted oval
garden with the famous Isoletta, an island of lemon trees and sculpture. The island has
Gianbologna’s statue of Oceanus, described by Burkhart as ‘more simple and
majestic than any other fountain in Italy or the whole western world’. The garden
extend over a vast area forming an open-air museum with antique and Renaissance statues,
grottoes and large fountains. The gardens were enlarged in the 17th century to their
present extent of 45000 square meters. |
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HOTELS IN FLORENCE
| A view of Florence from Boboli Garden:
Campanile di Giotto, Brunelleschi Dome and Torre of Arnolfo (Palazzo Vecchio). |
| A view of Florence from Boboli Garden |
| A view of Florence from Boboli Garden |
 
| A view of Florence from
Boboli Garden: Campanile di Giotto and Brunelleschi Dome. |
Boboli Garden, Giardino di
Boboli. |
| The side of Palazzo Pitti, looking
towards the Boboli's Garden. |
| Campanile di Giotto, Brunelleschi Dome
and Orsanmichele |
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