Gardens of boboli accent. Gardens of Florence. Location and features of the park

The powerful Medici family created the amazing Boboli Gardens in the sixteenth century. Beautiful Italian gardens with many statues and fountains are located around the Pitti Palace, forming a single architectural and landscape ensemble.

The Pitti Palace passed into the possession of the Medici in 1549, when Eleanor di Toledo bought it from the bankrupt owners. Her husband, Duke Cosimo I, hired the most illustrious architects and landscape designers to create a large garden behind the palace. As a result, there was an elegant garden in the style of the Italian Renaissance with a geometric layout. In subsequent years, the territory of the Boboli Gardens expanded several times, numerous statues and fountains were added, and in 1776 the territory was open to visitors. Some parts of the park were created artificially in perfect geometric proportions, while others are natural.

Thanks to well-thought-out topography, Boboli Gardens offers the best views of Florence from any of its many terraces. Of the several entrances to the park, the most popular is located in Pitti Square and Piazzale Porta Romana in the eastern part of the park. You can buy a ticket separately to Boboli Gardens, or a combined pass to Pitti Palace and the park. Keep in mind that the opening hours of one of the most beautiful gardens in Italy may vary depending on the time of year.

Entering from the side of Piazza Pitti you will walk along the Bacchus Fountain - one of the most outstanding fountains in the park. Nearby are two Roman statues adorning the former entrance of the Gardens. On the left side of the complex is an artificial grotto known as Grotto Grande, or Grotto del Buontalenti in honor of the designer of this richly decorated cave. The grotto was reconstructed between 1583 and 1588, including three interconnected halls with a collection of sculptures.

Here you can see copies of the statues of the Four Slaves - Michelangelo's unfinished creation for the tomb of Pope Julius II. It seems as if the slaves came to life and are trying to break free from the block of marble - so realistically the master was able to convey his plan. The originals of the sculptures are in the Academy Gallery. In the second hall of the Grotto there is a sculpture of Vincenzo de Rossi "Paris and Elena", created in 1560. In other rooms you can also find many impressive historical objects. Unfortunately, the Grotto is often closed to visitors. To the north of the Grotto Grande, there are terraced gardens leading to the Coffee House. The elegant Rococo-style pavilion was built in 1775 and is still used for its intended purpose. In the center of the garden, next to the Coffee House, there is a small fountain depicting the ancient Greek hero Ganymede, riding an eagle.

The amphitheater of the Boboli Gardens can be seen right behind the Pitti Palace. In its niches are numerous classic statues and urns. The Egyptian obelisk in the middle of the amphitheater belonged to Pharaoh Ramses II. He was brought to Rome from Heliopolis, and then transported to Florence. Behind the amphitheater is a small pond with a Neptune fountain in the center. The fountain was created in the years 1565-1568 by the master Stoldo Lorenzi. Above the slope is a small rose garden with a fountain in the center, known as the Garden of the Knights. Its terrace offers one of the best views of Florence and its attractions. A small building next to the rose garden houses the Porcelain Museum.

In the western part of the Boboli Gardens, wildlife triumphs with thickets and forests. Through these territories passes the central alley of Viottolone. An avenue of cypress trees with statues leads to a lake with the small island of Isolotto and a pretty fountain created by Giamboloni in 1576. Sculptures of mysterious mythological creatures guard the passageways to the island from all sides.

Address: Boboli Gardens, Pitti Square, 1, 50125 Florence, Italy. You can get here by any public mode of transport.

Boboli Gardens are located on the slopes of Boboli Hill behind the Pitti Palace, the main residence of the great Dukes of Tuscany, the Medici and are one of the most famous works of garden art of the XVI century. In accordance with the tastes of that time, the park is shared by long axial paths, wide gravel paths, it is decorated with decorative elements from stone, statues and fountains. Boboli Gardens are divided into a private zone with limited visits and a public zone with grottoes, nymphs, open garden temples with colonnades, made in the classical style. Unusual for its time feature of the Boboli Gardens are magnificent views of the city that open from them. Wide access to the gardens was opened in 1766.

Plan of Boboli Gardens:

The laying of the Pitti Palace and the garden is connected with the name of one of the richest merchants of Florence, Luca Pitti, who, being an ardent rival of the Medici family, sought to surpass them in the luxury of the chambers being built. Ironically, it was the wife of Cosimo de Medici, Eleanor of Toledo, who became the owner of the Pitti Palace only a few decades later. The park was commissioned by Niccolo Tribolo, and after his death in 1550, Bartolomeo Ammanati continued his work, and Giorgio Vasari also participated in the design and construction of several grottoes. The sculptures for Boboli Gardens were performed by Bernardo Buontalenti, who also owns a grotto project in the courtyard that separates the palace from the gardens.

Reverse side of the Pitti Palace. Yard of Amanati. The world famous Boboli Gardens, located next to the residence of the Dukes of Medici:

The main axial path leading between the cypresses and stone oaks to the rear facade of the Pitti Palace begins at the bottom of the amphitheater, reminiscent of the shape of a half of a classic hippodrome, and rises up to Boboli Hill. In the center of the amphitheater is an ancient Egyptian obelisk from Luxor, brought here from the Roman Villa Medici. This main path is crowned by the Neptune Fountain, which the Florentines jokingly call a fountain with a fork. The sculpture was created by Stoldo Lorenzi in 1571, and the fountain itself was made only in 1777-78. Another axial path in the right corner of the main path leads through a number of terraces and fountains.

The ancient Egyptian obelisk from Luxor (1279-1212 BC) was exported to Rome, among several that are currently erected in the square of St. Peter and Popolo, and then ended up in the Villa Medici. Italian architects of the Renaissance eagerly used Egyptian obelisks as the main accents, later this tradition spread to other countries. Imitations of Egyptian obelisks were also erected in Russia, for example, the Rumyantsev Obelisk in St. Petersburg or the Kagul Obelisk in Tsarskoye Selo.

Just behind the rear facade of the Pitti Palace with the Artichokes fountain and small geometric garden, a wonderful view of the large amphitheater by Giulio Parigi opens. It was he who transformed the former regular amphitheater into an open area for theatrical performances. An amphitheater similar to half a Roman hippodrome is framed by masonry in the form of a staircase of six rows of seats and a balustrade with two dozen niches. Initially, the niches were filled with antique statues with figures of dogs and other animals on the sides, later the figures of animals were replaced by terracotta urns with marble imitation. It is known that the very first opera performances in the world took place in this amphitheater. In the 19th century, the amphitheater lost its theatrical function and a granite fountain and an Egyptian obelisk were installed in its center.

Neptune Fountain:

Nicolo Tribolo was invited to create a masterpiece of gardening art, but, unfortunately, only one year was left to the master and after his death Bartolomeo Ammanati continued his work.

Museum of china. This museum is located in the casino del Cavalieri mansion, built in the 17th century on the top of a hill, from where it offers beautiful views of the Boboli Gardens. It was opened in 1973, and its collections for the most part consist of porcelain dishes once owned by the royal dynasties that rule Tuscany.

Among the exhibits there are also gifts of Napoleon Bonaparte to his sister Elise Baccioca, who in the 19th century was the Grand Duchess of Tuscany. These are beautiful vases and a set of dishes created at Sevres Manufactory. At that time, porcelain had just begun to be mastered in Europe, before that it was produced only in China. The oldest exhibits of the museum are those that belonged to Gian Gastone, the last Grand Duke of the Medici dynasty. He lived in the late XVII - early XVIII centuries.

Boboli Gardens, Coffee House (Kaffeehaus):

I don’t remember what kind of building it is ??? And behind it - a panorama of Florence:

Alleys and hedges in the Gardens are everywhere:

Again a space in my memory, I don’t remember what kind of building it is ??? Maybe the Limonaia greenhouse, built by Zanobi Del Rosso in 1778:

Shady sycamore alley:

Harvest fountain:

Cypress Alley:

Cypress Alley. Here begins the second part of the gardens, which was developed at the beginning of the XVII century. Along the alley are statues mainly of the 16th century, but among them there are antique:

Statue of the abundance goddess of abundance in memory of the Duchess John of Austria (1547-78):

We approach the Islet or Isolotto. The oval-shaped pond by Alfonso Parigi (1614) frames an island with a formal Baroque garden. Closer to summer, the island is decorated with boxwood sheared hedges and plantings of old varieties of roses and bulbs, complemented by numerous potted citrus fruits. It is known that Alfonso Parigi, when creating Isolotto, took as a basis the Maritime Theater, located in the villa of Hadrian near Tivoli. In the center of the garden rises the Ocean Fountain by the sculptor, a representative of the early Baroque, Jambolon (1576) with statues of Neptune and other gods, personifying the great rivers of the Nile, Ganges and Euphrates:

Giovanni Battista Pierratti (1599-1662): Andromeda and the Beast, between 1630 and 1662, in white marble and bronze:

Ocean Fountain, Jambolonha:

The pond is surrounded by boxwood sheared hedges:

On the island - a mass of lemon trees in large pots with lemons of varying degrees of maturity:

Grotto Buontalenti:

We approached the Buontalenti grotto at the time when it was closed. We tried to at least see something through the bars. Suddenly, a nice middle-aged woman (employee of the museum) came up to us, who opened the entrance to the grotto and gestured us to enter. Then it turned out that she saw through the window our funny poses, which we unwittingly took to see the grotto. Then she patiently waited for us to examine and photograph the details. Many thanks to this Italian who helped us.

Grotto Buontalenti. Let's look at the famous Big Grotto ("Grotta Grande"), which Buontalenti worked on in the creation of 1583-1593. commissioned by Francesco I Medici: an unusual combination of painting, sculpture and architecture. Until 1924, it housed the unfinished "Slaves" of Michelangelo, which in our time can be admired in the Academy Gallery in Florence. The theme of the grotto is formless matter, which as a result of alchemy achieves harmony: stones, stalactites and shells of the walls form the figures of people and animals carved by Pietro Mati.

Grotto Buontalenti. Frescoes by Bernardino Poccetti:

Buontalenti's artificial grotto is decorated with copies of Michelangelo's Slaves:

In the second hall of the Grotto there is a sculpture of Vincenzo de Rossi "Paris and Elena", created in 1560:

Of course we were in a hurry, realizing that we were detaining a museum employee.

We left this alley after visiting the Boboli Gardens:

On the other side of the alley is a sculpture located symmetrically to the first:

At the very entrance to the Boboli Gardens there is a sculpture of Morgant, the court dwarf of the ruler Cosimo I of Medici, riding a turtle. Sculptor: Valerio Choli, 1560

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Once in Florence, you will undoubtedly immerse yourself in the tourist bustle of this beautiful city. And if you want to pause, not looking up from the numerous, visit the Boboli Gardens (Italian: Giardino di Boboli). This is a unique park located just behind, serving as the residence of the Medici family. There you can enjoy a great view of Florence, admire the sculptural compositions, freshen up at the magnificent fountains, relax in the shade of centuries-old trees. Indeed, today, as before, the park is a great place to relax, regardless of the time of year.

The first mention of the Bobol Gardens can be found in archival chronicles dating back to the late 16th century. It was then that the duke acquired new real estate in the form of the Pitti Palace. Upon inspection of the acquisition, it was discovered that behind the palace begins a large hill with undeveloped territory. And from the top of the hill an excellent panoramic view was opened.

Then the wife of the Duke Eleanor of Toledo came up with the idea to create a majestic park on the hill, which emphasizes the influence and wealth of the Medici family.

Nicolo Tribolo was invited to create a landscape masterpiece. However, during his lifetime, the famous sculptor did not have time to finish his grandiose creation. His work was continued by Bartolomeo Ammanati. Giorio Vasari, Giulio Parigi, Alfonso Parigi also participated in the creation of individual parts of the park.

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Bernardo Buonaleti made his contribution already at the time of Francis I - the son of Cosimo I. It is noteworthy that it was Boboli Gardens that subsequently served as a model for the design of many of the royal gardens of Europe.

The doctors constantly expanded and enriched the territory of the garden. Its value and uniqueness were greatly increased when unusual decorative complexes appeared among green meadows, winding alleys and small groves. Thus, an open-air museum was gradually formed.

At all times, Bobole Gardens served as the venue for a wide variety of events. During the time of the Medici, there were always held magnificent receptions and theatrical performances. It was in this park that opera was first presented to the public. Subsequently, representatives of all the noble families of Tuscany came to listen to opera performances.

Gardens today

Boboli Gardens were repeatedly reconstructed, and each subsequent owner brought something new to the image of the park, adjusting it to his taste. The park took its present area (4.5 ha) already in the 17th century. For a wide range of visitors, its gates were opened in 1766.

Today, the Boboli Gardens is an open-air museum of landscape gardening. The museum displays visitors garden sculptures from antiquity to the 17th century. It is one of the most elegant Italian-style gardens.

The territory of the park is divided into parts by axial alleys and paths made of gravel. That is how it was customary to design the territory in the 16th century. The main trail, entwined with stone oaks and cypresses, originates at the amphitheater, and along it you can get directly to the back of the palazzo. In the center of the amphitheater you can see the obelisk, which was brought from the previous residence of the Medici, and delivered there from Egypt itself (Luxor).

On the gravel trail there is also the Neptune Fountain or, as the locals say, a “fountain with a fork”.

Nearby are several Roman statues. A little further begins the staircase, climbing up which you can get into the hall with muses.

A little further in the recess is hidden the sculptural composition of a dwarf on a turtle, the authorship of which is attributed to Valerio Cigoli. According to manuscripts, she portrays Pietro Barbie, the Medici court jester. Near him there are always those who want to be photographed.

Opposite is the entrance to the Buonalenti grotto. It consists of three rooms and from the inside is very similar to a cave with stalagmites and stalactites.

There is also a copy of the famous work “Slaves”. Going further along the path, you can get into the garden of Jupiter. There you will rest near the fountain of Artichoke made in the form of an octagon, a small amphitheater in the form of a horseshoe and admire the statue of the god Jupiter.

Cavalier Garden is set on one of the many terraces. It attracts with both a wonderful view and beautiful flowers. For example, in April peonies are already in full bloom, and in May roses are blooming.

You can get to the southern part of the garden along an alley entwined with ivy and myrtle. Here, away from the center on the small artificial island of Isolotto, greenhouses with rare ancient varieties of roses are broken. There, under the watchful eye of the mythical characters Perseus and Andromeda, small citrus trees grow in tubs.

In the northern part of the park there is a panoramic platform with an excellent overview of the Florentine roofs. Here you can see the Coffee House (Kaffeehaus), which was built in the 18th century.

And today, the park often hosts musical and theatrical performances, as with the Medici. And, despite the fact that most of the sculptures exhibited are replaced with copies, and the originals are stored in special repositories, all of them still have considerable historical value. For instance, “Bathing Venus” or "Paris and Elena".

The memoirs of the wife of F.M.Dostoevsky tell us that it was in the Bobole gardens that the couple often walked during their stay in Italy. Basking in the rays of the gentle Florentine sun, they admired the blooming roses and dreamed of their future.

How to get there

Boboli Gardens are next to the Palazzo Pitti. To get there, you can use buses number 11.36 (get off at the San Felice stop).

Interesting: the travel time to Florence is

from Milan - 1h. 45min .;
from Rome - 1h. 35min .;
from Bologna - 0h.37min .;
from Pisa - 1h.00min.

Opening hours

Due to its location, this historic place requires constant restoration and care. Therefore, the work schedule is designed in such a way that maintenance personnel have the opportunity to maintain the state of the park.
The park is open to visitors almost every day. Entrance to the territory is allowed from the moment of opening and one hour before closing.

From November to February from 8-15 to 16-30;
In March, from 8-15 to 17-30;
From April to May and from September to October, the park operates from 8-15 to 18-30;
In October (after switching to winter time) from 8-15 to 17-30;
From June to August from 8-15 to 19-30.

For technical work, the gardens are closed to visitors on the first and last Mondays of the month, on New Year's Day, May 1, Christmas.

Boboli Gardens (Florence, Italy): detailed description, address and photo. Opportunities for sports and recreation, infrastructure, cafes and restaurants in the park. Reviews of tourists.

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The world famous Boboli Gardens, located next to the residence of the Dukes of the Medici Palazzo Pitti, are considered a museum of garden sculpture. Why is this park so interesting? Firstly, it is very beautiful - there are a huge number of all kinds of terraces, fountains, grottoes and arbors. Secondly, in the gardens there are sculptures created at different times - from antiquity to the 17th century. And finally, the most important argument - Boboli Gardens served as a model for which all the European royal parks were broken, including Versailles. It is also worth admiring this park because it is from here that a beautiful panoramic view of Florence opens.

The Boboli Gardens, located in Florence, served as a model for all European royal parks, including Versailles, to break down.

The park owes its name to the hill of the same name. The idea to create a park here belonged to Eleanor of Toledo - the wife of Duke Cosimo I of Medici. She wanted to break up not just a beautiful park, but to make the best one to emphasize the wealth and influence of her family. The best Italian architects and sculptors have been working on translating ideas into practice since 1549.

Boboli Gardens

In Boboli Gardens at all times there were a lot of different events. Under the Medici, magnificent receptions were held here, performances and holidays were held. Today in the park you can also often see musical and theatrical performances, as well as exhibitions. By the way, the park has been open to visitors since 1766.

An amphitheater is located in Boboli Gardens, in which the very first opera performances in the world took place. The amphitheater is also interesting in that it has an Egyptian obelisk brought from Luxor.

Boboli Gardens share long axial paths and wide gravel paths. It is worth noting that on the main axial track you can see the Neptune Fountain. Locals jokingly call it a fountain with a fork. By the way, almost all sculptures have their historical value. For example, near one of the grottoes there are statues of slaves - exact copies of Michelangelo's “Slaves”. Nearby there is a statue of a fat man riding a turtle - this is the court jester of Duke Cosimo I.

It is known that the great Russian writer Fedor Dostoevsky and his wife were very fond of walking in the Boboli Gardens.

Practical information

Entrance fee 10 EUR (high season). Gardens open at 8:15 a.m. all year round, but close depending on the season. From November to February, the gardens are open until 16:30. In March - until 17:30. In April, May, September and October - until 18:30. From June to August, you can walk in Boboli Park until 19:30.

Prices on the page are for September 2018.

Boboli Gardens are considered one of the most popular places in Florence. Founded in the 16th century by the Medici dynasty, they combined the art of the Italian Renaissance and the unique nature of Tuscany. Numerous reservoirs with islets, fountains with water lilies, ancient buildings and grottoes make the garden and park zone the perfect place for walking. Boboli Gardens in Florence is a brilliant example of the park in the Italian style, and a huge collection of Roman and Florentine sculptures of the 16th and 17th centuries turn it into an open-air museum.

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The history of the Boboli Gardens begins in 1550, when the powerful Duke Cosimo I of Medici purchased from the Florentine merchant Luke Pitti an unfinished palace and the surrounding area. Along with the expansion of their possessions, the Medici landscaped the hilly area around the new residence, turning it into a palace and park ensemble. The park created on this land by the court architect and gardener Niccolo Tribolo became the "green architecture" of Florence. During the years of their prosperity, the Medici organized lush holidays in the Boboli Gardens and enjoyed its magnificent landscapes.

The palace and park were the residence of the Grand Dukes until the death of their last representative in 1743, and then began to belong to the Austrian Loren family. After the proclamation of the United Kingdom of Italy and the transfer of the capital to Florence (1865-1871), King Victor Emmanuel II and the House of Savoy became the official owners of the gardens. Now the park belongs to the state and can be proud of its impeccable lawns, clean ponds and sheared shrubs.

Location and features of the park

Florence Garden Boboli, located on the hill of the same name behind the Pitti Palace and covers an area of \u200b\u200b4.5 hectares. The well-groomed area is divided by gravel paths into numerous areas to visit. Green lawns and ponds are surrounded by curbs made of natural stone, decorated with unique statues and fountains. From the highest point of the park hill offers a wonderful panoramic view of the whole city.

Gardens today

Today, Boboli Gardens are a favorite vacation spot for citizens and attract thousands of tourists every year. A journey through the garden begins from the building of a stone amphitheater, its semicircular area is decorated with an obelisk - an Egyptian artifact brought from Luxor to Rome, and later delivered to the residence of the Dukes of Medici. On the lawn in front of the amphitheater, receptions for important people were arranged and the world's first opera performances were staged.

The main park alley, consisting of relict cypresses, leads visitors to the Neptune Fountain, which is located in the center of the artificial pond and recreates the moist surface of the cliff with the sea king on top. In the sculptural composition, Neptune holds the trident with the tip down, so the townspeople called this figure a fountain with a fork. In the shady corner of the garden you can see the marble figure of a fat dwarf riding a huge turtle - this is the image of the court jester Pietro Barbie, who once lived in the Medici court. In the far area of \u200b\u200bthe park, a man-made pond with an isolated island in the middle was built.

The paths of the island are decorated with boxwood plantations, potted plants, the Ocean Fountain and the statue of Poseidon, the work of the architect Dzhambolony. On one of the garden terraces is a coffee house built in the 18th century, where you can still order a cup of aromatic drink. The park has two unusual stone hemispheres - these are old refrigerators for storing meat products. At the top level of the park area there is a fragrant Knight's Garden with a rose garden and peony bushes. In the garden greenhouse is one of the largest collections of citrus plants in the world, and in small buildings there is an exposition of unique porcelain of the 16th-19th centuries and a collection of old costumes with more than 600 items of clothing.

Grottoes

Special attention should be paid to park grottoes, which served as cool and secluded places for the Medici family and their guests. The famous Buontalenti grotto is the pearl of the mannerism style of the late 16th century. Work on its construction was begun by the architect Giorgio Vasari and completed by the court architect Bernardo Buontalenti. Made in the form of a stalactite cave, decorated with frescoes, natural stones, shells and pebbles, the grotto impresses with its splendor.

To preserve the unique structure of the monument, access to the grotto is allowed only with the accompaniment of authorized park workers. Madame's next grotto is made of spongy artificial stone. On the marble floor of the building there are animal sculptures and an oval pool with cherubs. Grotto Adam and Eve - a stone depression, decorated with a composition with frescoes and sculptures of Adam and Eve.

Opening hours and ticket prices

Boboli Gardens receive visitors daily, except Mondays and official holidays. January 1 New Year, May 1 Labor Day and December 25

Catholic Christmas.

Park working hours:

from November to February - from 8:15 to 16:30
march - from 8:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
april, May, September, October - from 8:15 to 18.30
from June to August - from 8:15 to 19.30

Tickets cost:

from 1.03 to 31.10 - 10 euros
from 1.11 to 28.02 - 6 euros
1st Sunday of the month - free entry for all visitors

Benefits for buying tickets by age or by other indicators apply only to EU citizens. You can get into the gardens through the ticket offices of the Belvedere fortress, Pitti Palace, from Via Romana and Porta Romana. Ticket offices close one hour before the end of the park. Tickets purchased include a visit to Boboli Gardens, a visit to the china exhibition and costume museum.

Where are you and how to get there

Boboli Gardens are located in Florence and are located at: Piazza Pitti 1, 50125 Firenze FI, Italia.

You can get to the gardens by public transport on the following buses:

No. 1 - to the Pitti Palace
No. 37, 38, 42 - to Petrarch Street
No. 12, 13, 36 - to the Porta Romana street