Located in the park of Villa Pamphilj, the splendid building is also known as Casino di Allegrezze, "of the many statues" or "dell'Algardi", named after the architect and sculptor Alessandro Algardi, who projected its construction together with Giovan Francesco Grimaldi, starting from 1644.
The architectural masterpiece was built on the commission of the Pamphilj Family to symbolize their magnificence, to keep part of their art collection, and as a place of delight.
An avenue decorated with Roman statues from the 1st-2nd century AD. leads to the typically Baroque style villa. The facades are embellished with friezes, reliefs, stuccoes and statues. The interior has a Palladian-inspired plan, with two galleries - of "costumi romani" (Roman costumes) and Hercules - several halls, and a double-height central one, decorated with stuccoes, frescoes and classical sculptures.
Outside is the enchanting Secret Garden, transformed by Algardi into a place of delights and a landscape architecture jewel: hedges cut into the shape of a dove and a lily, the heraldic symbols of the Pamphilj Family, evergreen and exotic plants, flowers, the fountain of Venus and two romantic fishponds on the sides, one of which curiously houses a bald cypress.
Once the residence of nobles and cardinals, after being purchased - together with Villa Pamphilj - by the State and the Municipality of Rome in 1967, the Casino del Bel Respiro is now the seat of representation of the Presidency of the Council during the visits by Heads of State and Government.
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