The Gardens of the Villa Lante 
the use of the 
popes and their 
relatives. He 
also built the 
casino and the 
water works and 
had the planting 
of the grounds 
completed at 
great cost. Pope 
Alexander VII 
left it all to Duke 
B o m m a r z o - 
Lante ot Erb- 
p a c h t, whose 
family still retain 
possession ot 
the p ropertv. 
Authorities differ 
as to the architect 
of Lante. Some 
declare the design 
to be Vignola’s; 
others that the 
work was carried 
out at different 
times by several 
architects. 
The villa is 
built into an oak 
grove on the northern slope of a gently rising 
hill, backed by greater and more rugged 
heights. The entrance, at the end of the 
principal street of the little town, opens 
directly on a 
flower garden, 
bright in the sun¬ 
shine and lovely 
in its masses of 
bloom. Beside 
flower bed after 
flower bed one 
wanders about 
reveling in the 
beauty of the 
blooms and in¬ 
haling their fra¬ 
grance, lingering 
perhapsa moment 
to watch the gold 
fish, to admire 
the group of 
statuary that rises 
above the large 
central pool and 
the garden. Then 
cool shadows and 
the sound of 
falling waters lure 
one on by way of 
stairs and ramps 
between box 
hedges, overhung 
with masses of 
old-fashioned roses, to the upper terraces. 
These are rich and varied in their character: 
sometimes open to the sun, sometimes planted 
with beautiful trees, giving delightful shade 
AN ASCENT TO AN UPPER. TERRACE VILLA LANTE 
THE FOUNTAIN AND CANAL, on the Third Terrace VILLA LANTE 
584 
