Villa d'Este
Built 1550-1575
Commissioned by Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este, son of Alfonso I d'Este and Lucrezia Borgia and grandson of Pope Alexander VI
see Wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_d'Este
Located in Tivoli (Tiburna), about 50 km from downtown Rome, this was a brief Metropolitana ride followed by a rather long bus ride in slow traffic. It was well worth the ride!
The mansion is beautifully decorated, but the main attraction is the Gardens with their many elaborate fountains.
This fountain includes a water powered organ, that plays a couple of times per day (we did not have the opportunity to hear it).
Artemis, a Greek goddess figure, also appears in several museums we visited. Here is the fountain version.
The main piazza in Tivoli
