Palazzo (or Villa) Farnese in Caprarola (province of Viterbo) is a significant example of Renaissance residence. Design of the palace was originally entrusted to Antonio da Sangallo the Younger by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese the Elder but work, which commenced in 1530, was interrupted when he was elected pope. Subsequently, Cardinal Alessandro Farnese the Younger restarted building work, entrusting its completion to Jacopo Barozzo da Vignola, who radically modified the original project and created the present-day structure.
The imposing residence has a pentagonal shape with a circular courtyard at its centre. The main entrance stands atop a sumptuous staircase which outlines the hilltop position of the residence with terracing.
The ground floor has the servants’ quarters, with kitchen and storerooms. The raised floor, also known as the Prelates floor, has rooms frescoed by Taddeo Zuccari, the “seasons” rooms by Vignola and the guards’ quarters. These areas lead to the central courtyard designed by Vignola with two rows of porticoes, one above the other, whose ceilings were frescoed by Antonio Tempesta. He also frescoed the interior Royal Staircase, supported by 30 columns.
The piano nobile includes the summer area, frescoed by Taddeo Zuccari, and the winter area with frescoes by Jacopo Zanguidi (il Bertoja), Raffaellino da Reggio and Giovanni de Vecchi. This floor also features: the Cardinal’s bedroom (Aurora room); the guest rooms (room of the Farnese Feasts); the antechamber of the Council, with a fresco of the Council of Trento; the room of Hercules; and the Geographies or Globe room, frescoed by Giovanni Antonio da Varese.
The Palace has been managed by the Regional Director for Museums of the Ministry of Culture since December 2014.
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