Bell’Italia calendar 2019 | The Garden of Ninfa

Once a thriving town, what remains of Ninfa speaks to us today through the splendid English garden declared a Natural Monument of the Italian Republic. Where life once consisted of agriculture, family and spirituality, there are now eight hectares of lush nature, streams, fruit trees, ornamental plants and since 1976 a WWF oasis. This is combined with fascinating medieval ruins now covered with flowers, houses with barns, churches, mills, bridges, hospitals, a town hall and even the castle. Testimonials that tell us the story of a distant but not forgotten past.

The Garden of Ninfa experience brings the visitor into a painting, where fairy characters could spring up at any moment and where the burbling of the water creates a decidedly romantic atmosphere. An enchanted place that offers magical emotions, at any time of the year.

Openings are scheduled from year to year and are concentrated mainly in the period from March to November.

History and art

The Garden of Ninfa originates from the ashes of the medieval village of the same name, for many centuries a prosperous village built near the main trade route. The town of Ninfa collected payment of a toll: this made it a small wealthy centre that resulted in the construction of numerous houses, about 150. Several vicissitudes led to the total abandonment of Ninfa around the eighteenth century, recovered in 1921 by Gelasio Caetani who began a process of reclamation and restoration of some of the ruins.

It is thanks to Caetani that many plants and botanical species brought back from his travels abroad were planted and in Ninfa found the ideal conditions to grow and bloom. Subsequent operations in the 1930s gave the garden its current layout typical of English gardens, where alongside nature, artificial elements are placed such as grottos, old trees, pergolas and bushes. A rich and majestic ensemble supported by authentic finds from ancient civilization.

Among these of great importance for the population was the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, the main church in whose apsis a fresco depicting Saint Peter (1160 – 1170) can still be seen. The remains of the Romanesque bell tower dating back to the 13th century are also of great interest. The castle, located outside the walls near the lake, offers an incredible view and is still one of the most photographed ruins.

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