94 
THE ART OF GARDEN DESIGN IN ITALY 
says ; _* The Pope has always inhabited this palace since the commencement of his reign, and the 
Vatican has been deserted. It is certainly better as regards situation and comfort than the latter; 
the mass of buildings serve to house his dependents, and although not so large as the Vatican, 
it is very spacious. The gardens are large and handsome. There are numerous fountains and a 
summer-house containing a Mount Parnassus, where Apollo and the Muses give, if you wish to 
hear them, a concert by the aid of water-pipes. Before the palace the level of the ground falls 
very abruptly, which, combined with a large tower, gives a fortified look to the place.’ In the 
present day the gardens have been somewhat modernised. 
The principal entrance to the palace is from the Piazza di Monte Cavallo, and from here 
the gardens are entered at the south-east corner, whence a long drive leads their entire length to 
the Royal apartments. The Palm Walk, illustrated in Plate 63, now occupies the central part of 
the garden, and on either side are shady 
tunnels of ilex, by one of which we 
reach the grass parterre in front of the 
principal terrace, passing on our way 
the secret fountains shown on Plate 65, 
where numerous jets of water suddenly 
spurt up from the earth, in a way that 
may be most unpleasant. At one end of 
the grass parterre is the fountain of 
Venus—a marble group of Venus and 
her attendants bathing at a pool, with 
groups of lilies and other water-flowers. 
A magnificent sundial—which in Italy is a rare feature—and marble vase occupy prominent 
positions upon richly decorated circular pedestals; near by is the raised terrace in front of the 
palace shown upon Falda’s print as the Piazza della Cisterna, with a handsome marble balustrade, 
which is shown on Plate 65, and of which we give a measured drawing. 
From the little terrace garden adjoining one looks over a panorama of all Rome, with the 
dome of St. Peter’s and the Vatican in the middle distance rising from above a multitude of 
houses and palaces. 
