THE VILLA LANTE, BAGNAIA 
PLATES 118, 119, 120, 121, 122 
N the gently sloping flank of a long range of lovely hills lies the little 
village of Bagnaia, near Viterbo, twelve miles from the great villa of 
Caprarola, and overlooking a campagna of rare beauty. In the midst of the 
village is the Villa Lante, first erected in the fourteenth century as a 
hunting-lodge for Ranieri, bishop of Viterbo. As such it consisted of but 
one square building, but was added to in the fifteenth century by Cardinal 
Ridolfi, and later by Cardinal Gambara, who laid out the garden ; upon his 
death, in 1587, the villa was bequeathed by his successor, Cardinal Casale, to the Holy See. In 
those days there was only one casino; the second was added by Cardinal Montalto, nephew of 
Sixtus V., who also erected the magnificent central fountain. 
Several architects, including Giulio Romano and Vignola, are said to have been employed 
upon the work; but, however far this is true, the unity of the composition suggests one controlling 
spirit over the whole scheme. Montaigne, in 1580, gives an account of a visit to the villa, which 
he describes as ‘a country seat belonging to Cardinal Gambara, one of the most richly orna¬ 
mented places I ever saw. It is so well provided with fountains that it surpasses Pratolino and 
Tivoli. The water has been made available for an infinity of ornamental designs under the 
direction of Signor Tomasi, of Siena, the constructor of the waterworks at Tivoli, who has 
here introduced some novelties which surpass his former efforts.’ 1 
The means employed to secure so charming a result are worth minute investigation, and 
in this villa the student of garden-craft may often return to find fresh material for study. The 
masterly management of the varying levels and terraces, the contrast of light and shade between 
the plane woods of the upper garden and the brilliance of the parterre in the lower, the super¬ 
lative genius displayed in the management of the water, and the beauty of the architecture, 
designed whilst the baroque was still unknown, combine to produce a result surpassing any of 
the old garden schemes remaining in Italy, and fortunately still preserved unspoilt. 
The Villa Lante marks the happy mean between the two extremes of garden-craft. In 
laying out the garden the hilly nature of the site was taken full advantage of, and four principal 
levels were created (see the plan and section on Plate 118). The lowest forms a parterre and 
1 Montaigne appears to have been misinformed upon this point. The waterworks at Villa d’ Este were designed by Orazio Olivieri. 
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