THE VATICAN GARDENS, ROME 



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PLATES 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74 



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ROM very early days the ground now occupied by St. Peter's and the Vatican 



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has been a sacred spot. It was the hist of the fourteen districts into 

 which the Emperor Augustus divided the city. The famous g-ardens of 

 Domitian and Agrippina were laid out here, and here also was the great 

 Circus of Caligula, with its lofty obelisk that occupies the centre of Bernini's 

 colonnade, and enjoys the unique distinction of never having been levelled 

 to the ground since the day of its erection. Upon the fall of Rome this 

 district became deserted until, in 848, the Saracens having been utterly routed at Ostia, 

 numerous slaves were brought to Rome and set to labour in restoring its walls, and Leo IV. 



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continued the Avork of his predecessor in building up the walls of the great palace which has 

 ever since been known as the Vatican. Of the gardens as they existed in those days, it would 

 be difficult to form any very accurate idea, and they were probably only first laid out in an 

 ornamental form when Sixtus IV. was Pope. What was done at this period we cannot say, but 

 some few years later more extensive works were carried out, first under the direction of Raphael 

 and then by Antonio da Sangallo the younger; though since then the gardens have been much 

 altered, they still show traces of the works executed at this time. In 1845 the grounds of the 

 Hospital of Santo Spirito were added to their area. Evelyn, who came to Rome in 1644, 

 remarks on the many stately fountains in the gardens, ' especially two casting water into antique 

 lavers, brought from Titus' baths, some fair grots and water-Avorks, that noble cascade where 

 the ship dances, with divers other pleasant inventions, walks, terraces, meanders, fruit-trees, and 

 a most goodly prospect over the greatest part of the city. One fountain under the gate I must 

 not omit, consisting of three jcttos of water gushing out of the mouths or probosces of bees, 

 the arms of the late - Pope ' {Urban VIII., Barberini). Two immense courtyards, one known as the 

 Giardino della Pigna, occupy the greater part of the area of the palace; at the present time the 

 gardens are not kept up as they should be, and it is to be hoped that the day is not far distant when 

 they may once more be worthily maintained. The palace extends along the whole of the eastern side 

 of the gardens, a distance of about four hundred yards, separated by a roadway gradually inclining 

 towards the principal entrance in the north-east corner. From here we reach the broad terrace 

 overlooking the great parterre, with the magnificent view of the dome of St. Peter's illustrated 



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