Villa d'Este was commissioned by cardinal Ippolito d'Este, son of Lucrezia Borgia and grandson of the famous Pope Alexander VI Borgia, to his friend Pirro Ligorio. In these years Pirro Ligorio was working in the near Villa Adriana, the monumental suburban villa of the emperor Hadrian.
Inspired by the classical masterpieces mixed with a Manieristic touch Pirro Ligorio realised a unique suburban villa decorated with 51 fountains, 220 basins, 396 water jets and 64 waterfalls. The most impressive thing is that all the fountains are feeded only with the pressure of the river Aniene and there are no pumps and machines.
The most beautiful fountains are the Fountain of the drakes, Fountain of Tivoli, Fountain of Rome, Neptune Fountain and the splendide Organ Fountain, which has a musical mechanism that plays every two hours.
Discover with your Tour Guide in Rome the hidden secrets of the Villa D'Este in Tivoli!
