Discover the beauty of the historical garden included in the UNESCO world heritage
Florence is a city where you can easily find gardens to have some good time and to relax, but the most famous and the best of all are without a doubt the Boboli Gardens. Here is all you need to know about the historical garden of Florence to (re)discover this spring.
Situated just behind the Palazzo Pitti, this sumptuous garden is perfect to have a walk on a sunny day of spring. The gardens were first established in the 16th century and were commissioned by the Medici family to complete their luxurious residence of Palazzo Pitti. Created on the hill outside the palace, the Boboli Gardens cover an area of more than 40 000 m2. A visit of the entire place could take a whole afternoon.
It is no accident that the gardens are included in the UNESCO world heritage. In fact, the typical Renaissance style of the gardens makes it one of the most visited attractions of the city. The luxury of the garden’s architecture is visible in every corner.
INSPIRATION
The Most Beautiful Gardens and Parks of Florence
First, the visitors can admire the majestic amphitheater along the main alley leading to the Egyptian obelisk in the center. This alley ends with a gorgeous fountain representing the god Neptune. A lot of other mythological statues are present inside the gardens, including Jupiter and Bacchus with the Fontana del Bacchino.
The gardens also host many fountains and the most beautiful of them is undoubtedly the Fountain of the Ocean situated on the Isolotto which is a little island at the center of the fountain. Statues of the mythological characters Perseus and Andromedea are rising from this little island, making it even more sumptuous.
The grottos constructed inside the Boboli gardens also contribute to the splendor of the place. Both of them: the Large Grotto and the Grotto of Madama were built by the artists Vasari and Buontalenti between 1583 and 1593.
The Large Grotto was realized with imitations of stalactites to give it a natural look in addition to the statues, the waterworks and the vegetation which represent perfect examples of the Mannerist architecture. The Large Grotto is actually composed of three rooms. In accordance with the Renaissance style of the gardens, the grotto is full of statues representing mythological divinities, like Ceres and Apollo. The three rooms are also ornate with fresco and shells to create both a natural and artistic environment.
The second grotto, called the Grotto of Madama is smaller but no less sumptuous than the previous one. The entrance of the grotto is ornate with a tympanum surrounded by two pilasters.
The external and interior spaces are realized with false rock giving a natural aspect to the place and creating a contrast with the luxury of the marble and the statues present in the grotto.
Walking around the Boboli Gardens is like a journey into the Renaissance architecture where the visitors can admire sumptuous sculptures and fountains, among others, revealing the talent of the artists of that time. With the sunny days ahead, the Boboli Gardens will be the place to be in Florence this spring.
Boboli Gardens
Open
Monday to Sunday
Opening hours
8:15 am
Closing hours
4.30pm in January, February, November, December
5.30pm in March and October
6.30pm in March, April, May, September, October
7.00pm June, July, August
Tickets
Regular: 10€ – Reduced: 2€
Contacts: infouffizi@beniculturali.it
