the great italian iarden designer for the vatican

Italy is admired for its design, its sense of style and for the artworks of the stunning Renaissance era. However, how many of the artists that contributed to and created the breathtaking art of that period have been overlooked or unrecognised? Although the Italian garden design movement made up a large part of this stunning and mystical period, the protagonists of the Renaissance movement are often forgotten or hardly ever mentioned.

Michelangelo, Da Vinci and Da Sangallo have attained internatiional acclaim for their Art and their influence on Italian architecture, while heroes of Italian landscape architecture like Giacomo (or Jacomo) Barozzi da Vignola, , known simply as Vignola are so often overlooked. Vignola is better known for having designed masterpieces like Villa Lante and Villa Giulia in Rome.

Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola was born in Vignola, near Modena in 1507. His career began by studying standard architecture in Bologna, where he was introduced to influencial architectural circles while working for craftsmen to support his studies. In a short time Vignola was commissioned to do designs for Francois I in Fontainbleau. After meeting several important figures in architectural circles, such as Sebastiano Serlio, he began work on Palazzo Bochi in Bologna. Following a later move to Rome, he worked for Pope Julius III

During this period Vignola was commisioned to work for the Papal family Farnese where he soon met and worked with Michelangelo who had a great influence on Vignola's style. Even though Vignola was extremely focussed on landscape architecture, he even managed to assist with the construction of two domes on St Peters Basilica, originally designed by Michelangelo.

His most outstanding personal works still remain Pope Julius III's garden at Villa Giulia in Rome and the magnificent gardens and spectacular water feature at Villa Lante.

CONTACT ECOLOGICA FOR AN AUTHENTIC ITALIAN GARDEN DESIGN