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La Renaissance “verte” ou l’Âge d’Or des jardins italiens by Pierre de FILIPPIS – Château de Bénouville
The ‘green’ Renaissance or the Golden Age of Italian gardens
From the mid 15th century in Italy, the garden enjoyed spectacular growth. As a structured and open space, it became the inevitable link between man and landscape. The Villa Medici in Fiesole, Tuscany, and the papal Palazzo Piccolomini in Pienza boast two exemplary gardens, illustrating the humanistic principles through which balance and harmony triumph. From the 16th century, Rome, the ‘Castelli romani’, Tivoli, the Monti Cimini to the south of Viterbe, were home to prestigious villas built by the Roman Curia. Several realisations emerged; cardinals colonised and gradually occupied these delicious sites, to establish their courts. The times of incessant warfare and fratricide battles were over. The time had come for the long-awaited balance, that only nature – however policed – could procure.
Pierre de Filippis
Pierre de Filippis created and managed for over 35 years the Mondes et Merveilles travel agency, specialising in ‘garden’ destinations. As such, he organised and accompanied a number of tours of Italy, where he lived, taught and was perfectly familiar with the leading historic and private gardens. He is the author of two books on Italian gardens, published by Ulmer. He still works as a consultant in the field of travel and tourism.