Italy: Villa d’Este – Inside the Palace

The interior of the palace at Villa d’Este in Tivoli is as impressive as its famous gardens, if not even more mind-blowing! The palace was built in the 16th century for Cardinal Ippolito II d’Este and is renowned for its lavish frescoes and over-the-top lavish decor. Room after room is just bursting with vivi frescoes and stucco, creating a surreal world of mythological grandeur. Each room is absolutely different, both thematically and visually – Sala della Fontane jas frescoes celebrating the estate’s water features, reflecting the garden’s hydraulic marvels, Salone (grand reception hall) features elaborate ceiling frescoes showcasing the wealth of the Este family, Room of Hercules is painted with scenes of the Hercules feats, Room of Noah Illustrates biblical stories with detailed frescoes of the Flood and Noah’s Ark, and so on and so forth. The palace was designed by architect Pirro Ligorio with contributions from leading artists of the time and it served as a retreat for the Cardinal. It’s just total visual candy overload!