136 Old Gardens of Italy 



While the plan is bold and unhesitating, no detail 

 has been overlooked. The channels down which 

 the water foams are purposely roughened to pro- 

 duce the delightful tinkling that sounds so refresh- 

 ing in hot weather. The fountains of black marble 

 like those at Viterbo are of simple design, but 

 contain innumerable openings for the spurting 

 water. The balustrade that borders the steps 

 leading from one terrace to another bears on it an 

 enchanting design along which runs and drips a 

 silvery thread. 



The great central fountain of the parterre rises 

 from wide water spaces, and its base is reached by 

 four stone bridges. A high, clipped hedge encloses 

 the parterre on three sides, and gives it that air of 

 seclusion which we so often find in the old gardens 

 when they approach close to the house. 



An old fresco of the villa may be seen on the wall 

 within the loggia close to the entrance to the 

 parterre. 



The great crab that will be noticed on the front 

 of the garden houses was the heraldic device of 

 Cardinal Gambara. 



FARNESE PALACE, CAPRAROLA.* 



BUILT about 1547-49, by Vignola, for Cardinal 

 Alexander Farnese (nephew of Paul III.). Now 



* Montaigne wrote enthusiastically about the pa'ace and its grounds 

 which he visited in 1581 : " Je n'en ai vu aucun dans ce beau pays qui lui 

 soil comparable." 



