Villa Torlonia | Turismo Roma
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Villa Torlonia

Villa Torlonia

Initially property of the Pamphilj family, Villa Torlonia was one of the numerous agricultural estates, lush with orchards, vines, and reeds, along Via Nomentana. Purchased in 1760 by the Colonna family, at the end of the 18th century, it was sold to the banker Giovanni Torlonia. The nobleman commissioned Giuseppe Valadier to transform the rural property into a sumptuous residence, building the Casino Nobile, the Casino dei Principi, and the Stables.

In 1832, the heir, Alessandro Torlonia, commissioned Giovan Battista Caretti, architect and painter, to continue the embellishment works, through the construction of other buildings, as the Temple of Saturn, the fake neo-classical remains, a Tribune with fountain, an Amphitheater, and the characteristic Coffee-House.

Alessandro employed two other architects: Quintiliano Raimondi, for the Theatre and Orangery, and Giuseppe Jappelli, who was in charge of the entire south section of the Villa.
In keeping with the taste of romantic English gardens, this area was completely transformed in a scenographic way with winding boulevards, small lakes, exotic plants, and decorated with unusual buildings and outdoor furniture: the Swiss Hut, the Conservatory, the Tower, the Moorish Grotto, the Tournament Field, and, in 1842, two pink granite Obelisks, dedicated to the memory of his parents Giovanni and Anna Maria Torlonia.

The new Torlonia heir, Giovanni, built the Medieval Villino, a new boundary wall, the Villino Rosso, the Guardian Cottage, and completely transformed the Swiss Hut into the eclectic Casina delle Civette.

After a long period of neglect, the villa became the residence of Mussolini from 1925 to 1943. The family stayed in the Palace, whereas sporting and social events took place in the Medieval Villino and the Limonaia. The garden was altered by vegetable gardens during the war, with Crops of corn and potatoes, henhouses, and rabbit cages. Then, the Anglo-American troops occupied the entire complex from June 1944 to 1947.

In 1978, Villa Torlonia was acquired by the Municipality of Rome and transformed into a public park with splendid vegetation: holm oaks, bamboos, locust trees, blue palms, California palms, centuries-old chestnut trees, and fruit trees - figs, cherry-trees, plum-trees, apple trees, and bitter orange trees.

Currently, the villa has regained its ancient splendour, offering the public three museums and exhibition venues: Casina delle Civette, dedicated to the artistic stained glass window, Casino Nobile, which houses the Museo della Villa and the collection of Scuola Romana, and Casino dei Principi, home to the Scuola Romana archive and space for temporary exhibitions.

A pleasant refreshment point is located in La Limonaia (the Lemon-House), while in the adjacent Medieval House is located the Technotown scientific playroom.

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Information

Address 
POINT (12.511196412422 41.915883859967)
POINT (12.510971806177 41.912367191545)
POINT (12.513573396956 41.911860848132)
Timetables 

From 1 October to 31 March from 7. 00 19.30
From 1 April to 30 September from 7. 00 to 20.30
Closed: 1st January, 25 December

Bicycles are not allowed

> Accessibility - services available
- entrance accessible in part, no lift
- wheelchair-accessible pathway, gravel paths
- suitable toilets, only inside the Museums
- services for blind and visually impaired people

At Villa Torlonia the first tactile map of the Historic Villas, a new tool for inclusion in the framework of the accessibility projects of the Musei da toccare programme.
Positioned in the park of the Villa, at the main entrance of Via Nomentana n.70, the tactile map of the place in relief (design "for all") facilitates, in a clear and simple way, the orientation in the wonderful garden of the most recent noble Roman villa both to people with visual disabilities (blind, visually impaired and with problems of colour perception) and to normally sighted people.
The technical characteristics of the lectern also allow the map to be used by people with motor disabilities (empty space below the sloping plane to accommodate the wheelchair).

In December 2006, the landscaping and restoration of the green area in the northern part of the park was completed, including the furniture.
The Jewish catacombs cannot be visited.
In 2013, the restoration of the Theatre and the Moorish Tower and Serra Moresca was completed and the Serra Moresca opened to the public on 8 December 2021.
The Theatre reopened to the public on 7 December 2013 and is once again used to host theatre performances, conferences, exhibitions, cultural events and guided tours.

Contacts 
Web site: 
www.sovraintendenzaroma.it/i_luoghi/ville_e_parchi_storici/ville_dei_nobili/villa_torlonia
Services 
Area gioco attrezzata per bambini
Accessibility: services available 
Type of accessibility 
Partially accessible service
No ascensore
No lift
No ascensor
Type of accessibility 
Accessible service
Solo all’interno dei Musei
Only inside the museums
Solo servicios en los museos
Type of accessibility 
Accessible service
Viali in ghiaietto
Gravel paths
Caminos de grava
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Locations

Villa Torlonia, Via Nomentana, 70
Via Nomentana, 70
41° 54' 57.1824" N, 12° 30' 40.3056" E
Villa Torlonia, Via Lazzaro Spallanzani
Via Lazzaro Spallanzani
41° 54' 44.5212" N, 12° 30' 39.4992" E
Villa Torlonia, Via Siracusa
Via Siracusa
41° 54' 42.6996" N, 12° 30' 48.8628" E

 

To find out about all accessibility services, visit the Rome accessible section.

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