Castel Gandolfo, Town in Rome and Latium, Italy

Castel Gandolfo

You will find Castel Gandolfo, best known as the summer residence of the Pope, at 30 km south-east of Rome, on the Alban Hills. The visit can easily start from Horti Torlonia, today hold in the Archaeological Park of Ibernesi, where you can find some ruins of a Domitian Villa. From there Castel Gandolfo stands out splendidly against the sky.

Walking o along Via Ercolano, you will reach Villa Torlonia, renovated in 1817 by the architect Giuseppe Valadier. The main façade, which faces the park, is made of a portico delimited by six Doric pillars supporting a terrace. From the terrace, six columns with Ionic capitals rise surmounted by a triangular pediment sculpted by Thorvaldsen. A few meters further Villa Torlonia’s main entrance is the building complex that once belonged to the Jesuits. The Villa, built by the “Compagnia di Gesù” in 1667, accommodated Goethe during his second trip in Italy. In 1963 the duke of Torlonia gave it to the Vatican.

In a few minutes you will see Villa Cybo. The Cardinal Cybo bought this luxury residence in 1717, and Livio Odescalchi gave it to the Pope Clement XIV in 1772. Have a look at the marvellous fountain called “delle lavandaie” (of the washerwomen) because of two women intent on washing clothes into the basin.

Palazzo del Drago is another magnificent dwelling built for want of Cardinal Alessandro Albani, in 1746. From there you will reach Piazza della Libertà, with Palazzo Pontificio facing north and the Church of St Tommaso da Villanova on the eastern side. The upper floors of the residence, rich in works of art, are the audience rooms, the Pope’s apartment, three chapels and service rooms. Gian Lorenzo Bernini designed the gate at the entrance of the garden.

In 1661 the piazza facing the Palazzo Pontificio got further embellished with another Bernini’s masterpiece: the Fontana. The project was inspired to the plant of the Basilica of St Peter and looks like the fountain of St Andrea della Valle in Rome.

On the eastern side of Piazza della Libertà is the street that goes up to the belvedere of Lake Albano, along with the Church of St Tommaso di Villanova - one of the best Bernini’s oeuvres. The Church has a Greek cross plant with thin cupola supported by Doric pillars. The painting that represents the “Crucifixion” was made by Pietro da Cortona.

In front of the belvedere is the entrance of Villa Barberini, a XVII-century three-storied building with sober architectural lines. From the Villa, a road flanked with holm-oak trees goes to the Giardino della Magnolia, Italian style garden with boxwood edging around the flowerbeds.

From the centre of Castel Gandolfo, Via Gramsci leads to the lakeshore, whose left side shows the entrance to the Ninfeo Dorico. The structure dates back to the Republican Age and had probably taken part to the life of Clodio. Some historians have hypothized that you could have been one of the shrines built in honour of the divinities of Alba Longa.

Continuing, you will reach Via dei Pescatori, that flanks the western side of the lake. A few meters ahead is the Ninfeo Bergantino, also called Bagni di Diana because of a mosaic portraying the goddess of the hunt. The nymphaeum was built in place of a millenary cavern, excavated a long time before. Traces of paintings have been found on the walls and, in 1841, the archaeologists brought back to life even fragments of sculptures.

Walking along Via dei Pescatori you will reach the emissary of Lake Albano: the Romans opened and excavated the tunnel, which is almost 1,5 Km long and starts with a monumental room.

Peaches, here called "guance di canonico", certainly are the typical local product.
A traditional trattoria may offer a good plate of “bucatini all'amatriciana” and fried "lattarini" (tasty lake fish), all accompanied with some delicious Colli Albani DOC.
The locals celebrate folkloristic events porchetta, salami and Roman cheeses.

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USA & Canada Toll Free: 1 800 509 8194
UK Toll Free: 0 800 047 0248
International: +41 91 220 0567
Italy: +39 089 842 6126
Email: info@summerinitaly.com