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# 69 •OCTOBER 5 , 2015
read more about #Italian Culture and History
ITALIAN CULTURE AND HISTORY:
The Villas of Tivoli
By www.italia.it
If you are in Latium, you
should visit Tivoli, located on the Monti Tiburtini
(Tiburtine Hills). The city
of Tivoli was founded in
1215 B.C. in the province
of Rome. The poet Virgil
called it Tibur Superbum
(Aeneid, Book VII), a name
that can still be found in
the city’s coat of arms. Tivoli, in addition to being
known for its sulphur mineral water springs, used
since ancient times, is
best-known for its two villas on the UNESCO list of
World Heritage Sites: Hadrian’s Villa (Villa Adriana)
and Villa d'Este.
VILLA ADRIANA
It was commissioned by
Emperor Hadrian as his
imperial residence. Access was provided from
two roads (Via
Tiburtina
and
Via Prenestina)
or by navigating
the Aniene River. The emperor wanted to
replicate those
monuments that
had fascinated
him on his many
travels, especially in Greece: The
Pecile, Canopus,
Academy
and
the Lyceum. Our
nected to Alessandria by
tour starts precisely with a navigable canal) can be
these monuments.
reached by crossing a series of thermal buildings.
The Pecile is an enormous It’s a long basin of water
garden surrounded by decorated by columns
a portico with a central and statues that culminapond and was used for tes with a temple covered
summer and winter strolls. by a ribbed dome.
In line with t