Villa Mandragone

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Villa Mandragone is found on Monte Porzio Catone, on a 1.365 ft hill, about 20 kilometres south-east of Rome.
It is one of the twelve Tuscolan villas built by papal nobility in 1500 in the countryside of Frascati (Castelli Romani area). In particular, it was built by Cardinal Mark Sittich von Hohenems Altemps, following the project of Martino Longhi the Elder. Construction works took place in the last 25 years of the XVI century and the building was dedicated to Pope Gregory XII Boncompagni. The latter’s coat of arms features a dragon, hence the name of the villa.

In 1613, the villa was purchased by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, who had it expanded and modified according to the Baroque style.

Surrounded by a 45-acre park with cypresses and centuries-old holm oaks, it includes a tree-lined internal courtyard, a hanging secret garden, and a large Italian one, featuring the elegant portico by Giovanni Vasanzio, and the “Teatro delle Acque”: an impressive semicircular nymphaeum with five niches and optical illusions.

The villa has been the property of Tor Vergata University of Rome since 1981 and is used for conferences, meetings and training.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)