HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION 
29 
The Palazzo del Te, at Mantua, erected as a country house for Duke Frederick I. in 1525-35 
by Giulio Romano, was another of the most famous pleasure-houses of this time. Its somewhat 
curious name is derived from a low-lying plot of land upon which it stood, known as the Tejetto, 
outside the Porta Pusterla, from which it was approached by two fine avenues. The palace was 
quadrangular, arranged around a cortile, and upon the garden side were two fishponds, where all kinds 
of goldfish swam, and where, on festive occasions, small water fights were arranged. These were 
crossed by a bridge leading to the grand 
parterre, with buildings at either corner, and 
terminated by a large semicircle with statues, 
vases, herms, etc. On either side of the 
parterre were pleached alleys, with statues to 
Ceres, Flora, and other divinities. To the 
right of the garden was a large greenhouse 
for the storage of rare plants in winter, 
adjoining which were several garden salons, 
all most lavishly decorated with paintings 
depicting the life of man, and on the east of 
the garden was a cool marble grotto and 
sunk giardinetto. 1 As time went on this 
beautiful palace fell into disrepair. In Napo¬ 
leonic days its glories were revived, but now 
it has again fallen into a state of neglect. 
In 1527 the Villa d' Este on Lake Como 
was commenced, and a few years later the 
gardens and cascades ascending the hillside 
were carried out. Many of the more important 
Genoese villas also date from this period, 
and were principally the work of Galeazzo 
Alessi. Among these are the Villa Giustiniani 
at Albaro, built in 1537, remarkable for one 
of the finest loggias in Italy; the Palazzo 
Pallavicini, at Genoa, was constructed at the same time, from Alessi’s designs; he also built 
the Villa Imperiali, at Sanpierdarena. In 1529 the famous Doria Palace at Genoa was 
commenced (a plan of these gardens is given on Plate 13). A few years later the outer 
gardens of the Vatican were laid out by Antonio di Sangallo, who was also responsible for the 
Palazzo Baldassini, the Palazzo Sacchetti, and the greater part of the Palazzo Farnese. 
I'.XNT==£-7 
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PALAZZO del TE , MANTVA 
For a further description of the Palazzo del Te see Archivio Storico Lombardo , vol. iv. Series II. Milano, 1887. 
