Pincio Hill
Quick Facts
- Pincio Hill is not one of the seven hills of Rome as it was located approximately one mile outside of the city.
- The hill was included in the city when Emperor Aurelian built a new set of city walls between the years of 271 and 275 CE.
- In ancient times, the slopes of the hill were used as burial grounds and Nero’s ashes were kept in the Domitius tomb that was located here.
- Pincio Hill is named after the wealthy Pincii family, who lived in their villa on this hill, in the 4th century.
- The current Neoclassical layout was commissioned by Napoleon. Giuseppe Valadier designed it between 1809 and 1814.
- The gardens of the Pincio became the first public gardens in Rome.
- There are 228 busts of famous people throughout the Pincian Gardens. Three of them are female: Vittoria Colonna, Grazia Deledda and St. Catherine of Siena. We meet up with Catherine later in this tour in the Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, behind the Pantheon. She's all there except for her head!
Pincio Hill is not one of the seven hills of Rome, as it was outside the original boundaries of the town. However, many wealthy people loved living up here in the suburbs. It was the place to be, it was the right-side-of-the-tracks!
During the late Roman Republic the hill came to be known as Collis Hortulotum; the hill of the Gardens, as there were a number of families here who had beautiful gardens.
The Pincii family was the family for whom the hill was named. The foundation of their villa can be seen in the present Muro torto, or twisted wall, on the opposite side of the park from where you are currently standing as you overlook the city of Rome. It borders with the road Muro Torto and the Villa Borghese. During Papal Rome, this wall was where vagrants, thieves, prostitutes and people who committed suicide were buried. The wall was incorporated into the Aurelian wall by the third Emperor of Rome, Lucius Domitius Aurelianus Augustus, to protect the town from being attacked by Barbarians. A Barbarian was defined as anyone who didn’t speak Latin or Greek.
After the fall of Rome, the hill was used as the vineyard for the Augustinian monastery of Santa Maria del Popolo, which is located in the piazza below and the vineyard of the Minimite monastery which was located on the way to the Spanish Steps. (More details about Minimites when we get to the Spanish Steps.)
The current design of the hill was commissioned by Napoleon and designed by architect Giuseppe Valadier, who was the same fellow who designed the Piazza del Popolo.
He carefully designed the two curved walkways up the side of the hill, one of which you would have used to get to the top of the hill from Piazza del Popolo. Valadier was also responsible for the vegetation you see growing on the top of the hill including the two palm trees. In medieval art, two palm trees in a mosaic or painting meant that what you were looking at wasn’t real but instead, it was a vision of what life could be like. Perhaps Valadier planted two palm trees at the top of this hill believing that the beauty in front of your eyes, surely couldn’t be real!
Although Pincio Hill is the second stop in this tour, and is likely being visited by you early in the day, if you have time tonight, come back here to watch the sunset over Rome.
During the late Roman Republic the hill came to be known as Collis Hortulotum; the hill of the Gardens, as there were a number of families here who had beautiful gardens.
The Pincii family was the family for whom the hill was named. The foundation of their villa can be seen in the present Muro torto, or twisted wall, on the opposite side of the park from where you are currently standing as you overlook the city of Rome. It borders with the road Muro Torto and the Villa Borghese. During Papal Rome, this wall was where vagrants, thieves, prostitutes and people who committed suicide were buried. The wall was incorporated into the Aurelian wall by the third Emperor of Rome, Lucius Domitius Aurelianus Augustus, to protect the town from being attacked by Barbarians. A Barbarian was defined as anyone who didn’t speak Latin or Greek.
After the fall of Rome, the hill was used as the vineyard for the Augustinian monastery of Santa Maria del Popolo, which is located in the piazza below and the vineyard of the Minimite monastery which was located on the way to the Spanish Steps. (More details about Minimites when we get to the Spanish Steps.)
The current design of the hill was commissioned by Napoleon and designed by architect Giuseppe Valadier, who was the same fellow who designed the Piazza del Popolo.
He carefully designed the two curved walkways up the side of the hill, one of which you would have used to get to the top of the hill from Piazza del Popolo. Valadier was also responsible for the vegetation you see growing on the top of the hill including the two palm trees. In medieval art, two palm trees in a mosaic or painting meant that what you were looking at wasn’t real but instead, it was a vision of what life could be like. Perhaps Valadier planted two palm trees at the top of this hill believing that the beauty in front of your eyes, surely couldn’t be real!
Although Pincio Hill is the second stop in this tour, and is likely being visited by you early in the day, if you have time tonight, come back here to watch the sunset over Rome.
Flora and Fauna

Acanthus
This leaves of this plant have been used for design in Corinthian capitals throughout Italy.
In Canada we know this as Bear’s Breeches. Acanthus Spiunosus is its Latin name. It is a tough plant although it appreciates afternoon summer shade in hot summer climates.
It is a clump-forming perennial which is grown as much for its attractive foliage as for its architecturally bold flower spikes. Pure white, snapdragon-like flowers enclosed by spiny, reddish-purple bracts and arranged in vertical rows on substantial flower spikes rise well above the foliage mound to 3-4’ tall. It blooms from late spring into mid-summer. Deeply-cut, arching, glossy green, spiny, thistle-like leaves (2-3’ long) form an ornamental mound of long-stalked, basal foliage which usually remains attractive throughout the growing season.
Genus name comes from the Greek word akantha meaning spine in reference to the toothed edges on leaves in some species.
Reference: http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/
This leaves of this plant have been used for design in Corinthian capitals throughout Italy.
In Canada we know this as Bear’s Breeches. Acanthus Spiunosus is its Latin name. It is a tough plant although it appreciates afternoon summer shade in hot summer climates.
It is a clump-forming perennial which is grown as much for its attractive foliage as for its architecturally bold flower spikes. Pure white, snapdragon-like flowers enclosed by spiny, reddish-purple bracts and arranged in vertical rows on substantial flower spikes rise well above the foliage mound to 3-4’ tall. It blooms from late spring into mid-summer. Deeply-cut, arching, glossy green, spiny, thistle-like leaves (2-3’ long) form an ornamental mound of long-stalked, basal foliage which usually remains attractive throughout the growing season.
Genus name comes from the Greek word akantha meaning spine in reference to the toothed edges on leaves in some species.
Reference: http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/

Italian Stone Pine
Pinus pinea, the tree that catches the attention of all of us because of the amazing umbrella shape is also called Umbrella Pine and Parasol Pine.
Stone pines are native to the Mediterranean region and have been cultivated there for at least 6,000 years. The trees are slow growing but can eventually reach 80 feet in height.
In ancient times these trees were cultivated for their edible pine nuts. They started to be used in gardens in Italy during the Renaissance and in the 1700s. They were introduced as an ornamental tree in gardens throughout Italy. Small specimens are used for bonsai.
Since we are talking about trees, let’s talk about poplar trees.
Panel painting, painting on wood, started in Greece and Rome. Poplar was the most common wood used in Italian panel paintings; the Mona Lisa and other famous early Renaissance paintings are on poplar wood. Caravaggio used Cypress wood as well. Altar pieces made of wood started to appear in Italy in the 13thcentury.
Canvas took over from wood in the early 16th century.
Pinus pinea, the tree that catches the attention of all of us because of the amazing umbrella shape is also called Umbrella Pine and Parasol Pine.
Stone pines are native to the Mediterranean region and have been cultivated there for at least 6,000 years. The trees are slow growing but can eventually reach 80 feet in height.
In ancient times these trees were cultivated for their edible pine nuts. They started to be used in gardens in Italy during the Renaissance and in the 1700s. They were introduced as an ornamental tree in gardens throughout Italy. Small specimens are used for bonsai.
Since we are talking about trees, let’s talk about poplar trees.
Panel painting, painting on wood, started in Greece and Rome. Poplar was the most common wood used in Italian panel paintings; the Mona Lisa and other famous early Renaissance paintings are on poplar wood. Caravaggio used Cypress wood as well. Altar pieces made of wood started to appear in Italy in the 13thcentury.
Canvas took over from wood in the early 16th century.

Hooded Crow
In 2002, the hooded crow was elevated to full species status. Finally, after thousands of years they could fly proudly alone. Before then, it was believed that the hooded crow was part of the Carrion family of crows (Black Crow).
The Hooded Crow is common in northern and eastern Europe, western Asia and the British Isles.
They are scavengers and they hide food to save it for later. They live to be about four years old.
The hooded crow is associated with fairies in the Scottish Highlands and Ireland; in the 18th century. Scottish shepherds would make offerings to them to keep them from attacking their sheep. In Faroese folklore, a maiden would go out on the Candlemas Morn and throw a stone, then a bone, and a clump of turf at a hooded crow.
If the crow flew over the sea, her husband would be a foreigner; if the crow landed on a farm or house, she would marry a man from there; but if it stayed put, she would remain unmarried.
In 2002, the hooded crow was elevated to full species status. Finally, after thousands of years they could fly proudly alone. Before then, it was believed that the hooded crow was part of the Carrion family of crows (Black Crow).
The Hooded Crow is common in northern and eastern Europe, western Asia and the British Isles.
They are scavengers and they hide food to save it for later. They live to be about four years old.
The hooded crow is associated with fairies in the Scottish Highlands and Ireland; in the 18th century. Scottish shepherds would make offerings to them to keep them from attacking their sheep. In Faroese folklore, a maiden would go out on the Candlemas Morn and throw a stone, then a bone, and a clump of turf at a hooded crow.
If the crow flew over the sea, her husband would be a foreigner; if the crow landed on a farm or house, she would marry a man from there; but if it stayed put, she would remain unmarried.
Borghese Gardens

The monastery vineyards at top of the hill were converted into a garden in 1605, by Cardinal Scipione Borghese.
In 1577, the town of Artena (south east of Rome), witnessed the birth of Scipione. Scipione’s birth surname was Caffarelli. Caffarelli’s dad wasn’t so great with money and filed for bankruptcy, so to save face, Scipione’s uncle, on his mother’s side, Camillo Borghese paid for Scipione’s education.
Once uncle Camillo Borghese became Pope Paul V, he gave Scipione the right to use Borghese as his surname. Pope Paul / Borghese, appointed his nephew Scipione as Cardinal, his personal secretary, and gifted to him headship of the Vatican government.
Cardinal Scipione managed to acquire a lot of money through papal fees and taxes while holding these positions. All that money must have been stressful for him, so to get away from the hardship and stress of all that cash, he built a villa and gardens just outside of town, here, on Pincio Hill. He mostly threw parties in the villa and started to collect massive amounts of artwork. He was quite fond of the works of Bernini and Caravaggio.
The Borghese Gardens and villa are not part of this tour as a person needs a few hours to go through the collection. You must book a ticket well in advance, which can be done on-line or by visiting the ticket office which is located under the front steps of the villa. The gardens are a peaceful and beautiful area in which to spend a relaxing afternoon.
In 1577, the town of Artena (south east of Rome), witnessed the birth of Scipione. Scipione’s birth surname was Caffarelli. Caffarelli’s dad wasn’t so great with money and filed for bankruptcy, so to save face, Scipione’s uncle, on his mother’s side, Camillo Borghese paid for Scipione’s education.
Once uncle Camillo Borghese became Pope Paul V, he gave Scipione the right to use Borghese as his surname. Pope Paul / Borghese, appointed his nephew Scipione as Cardinal, his personal secretary, and gifted to him headship of the Vatican government.
Cardinal Scipione managed to acquire a lot of money through papal fees and taxes while holding these positions. All that money must have been stressful for him, so to get away from the hardship and stress of all that cash, he built a villa and gardens just outside of town, here, on Pincio Hill. He mostly threw parties in the villa and started to collect massive amounts of artwork. He was quite fond of the works of Bernini and Caravaggio.
The Borghese Gardens and villa are not part of this tour as a person needs a few hours to go through the collection. You must book a ticket well in advance, which can be done on-line or by visiting the ticket office which is located under the front steps of the villa. The gardens are a peaceful and beautiful area in which to spend a relaxing afternoon.
Directions: Pincio Hill to Biblotheca Hertziana to Spanish Steps
Distance: 750 M Time: 10 Min
Walking Note: We are taking you past the top of the Spanish Steps to the Bibliotheca Hertziana. You will return to the Steps after viewing the Bibliotheca door.
You will walk past the French Academy. Listen to Mary talk about the French Academy as you proceed.
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Quick Facts
- In 1590, Federico Zuccari built the Palace Zuccari as a studio for himself and his children. His brother lived here as well. Zuccari lived here until his death in 1609 and the building was sold many times after his death.
- He designed the façade after seeing the Gardens of Bomarzo designed by Orsini, in northern Lazio, Italy.
- Zuccari created the door as the entrance to his garden. The portal mascherone was intended to “swallow up” visitors and then “disgorge them” in a hidden, paradisaical garden behind the façade.
- The palace has three entrances and this is the side door. Go back to the corner to see the main entrance.
- Queen Marie Casimir Louise of Poland lived here in 1702.
- The palace was purchased back into the Zuccari family and continued to be their property until the last descendant sold it to Henriette Hertz in 1904. She built the two storey addition above the garden wall as an extension of the palace.
- She lived here and when she died she left her extensive collection of paintings to the state allowing the creation of this library.
- The Bibliotheca Hertziana was founded in 1913 in Rome, for research on Italian art from the period immediately following antiquity, and in particular the Renaissance and the Baroque.
- It is one of the most renowned research institutions for the history of Italian art.
- During recent renovations underneath the garden floor, the ruins of the villa complex of the Roman Senator Licinius Lucullus (117-56 BCE) were discovered. The ruins were preserved during the renovations and parts are available for public viewing.