THE VILLA D'ESTE, ROME 



all of which had to be levelled before the terraces 

 could be laid. The waters of the Rivellese, which 

 had been diverted from its course, were found to 

 be not nearly enough for the number of fountains 

 required, and Pirro Ligorio, the architect of the 

 villa, and Alberto Galvani, the designer of the 

 gardens, pierced a great tunnel into the heart of 

 the mountain, thus obtaining an inexhaustible 

 supply. The myriad fountains, with their rain- 

 bow spray, were enhanced by statues and orna- 

 mental basins, the work of a gang of artists and 

 craftsmen working under Galvani. The great 

 cypress trees were then planted,and in the archives 

 one reads how " Cardinal Hippolytus of Este took 

 possession of Tivoli in 1550 and in 1571 found 

 the garden and the palace finished, so that Pope 

 Gregory XIII could disport himself there." 



The splendours of the villa lasted not quite a 

 century. Then war, neglect, and robbery com- 

 pleted its ruin, the last Dukes of Ferrara refusing 

 to make any repairs. 



In 1850 it was bought from them by Cardinal 

 Hohenlohe, who did much to restore it, and at 

 his death it passed to the royal house of Austria. 



L. P. B. 



235 



