In this post I’ll take you into the Park of the Monsters in Bomarzo, a place unique in the world where you’ll find truly peculiar, evocative statues. You’ll discover the most interesting curiosities of this garden and its secrets.
But let’s start from the beginning.
This park is a real garden of wonders, commissioned by Prince Pier Francesco “Vicino” Orsini in 1552 and designed — by tradition — by the architect Pirro Ligorio.
At the time it wasn’t unusual for nobles to have such gardens made, but Bomarzo remains unique in many ways. Usually Italian gardens, like the one at the Royal Palace of Caserta, follow a strict geometric logic of broad terraces, symmetrical sculptures and fountains with water games.
Bomarzo, on the contrary, will feel completely irregular, developing around its sculptures and its enigmatic inscriptions. Even the most passionate scholars can’t agree on its complex symbolism. I assure you: the Sacred Wood will feel like a real labyrinth — not so much physical as intellectual.
But why was this park built?
The work was dedicated to the memory of Giulia Farnese, the prince’s recently deceased wife. That’s exactly why the sculptures, and the inscriptions beside them, have given rise to the most varied interpretations.
And if you think Bomarzo holds only fearsome creatures, you’re quite wrong: the garden is peopled with animals and mythological figures too, and in later centuries it inspired many artists.
For example?
Without going far, just visit the Tarot Garden by Niki de Saint Phalle to spot many similarities.
Let’s go!
The monsters of the Sacred Wood
Inside the Park of the Monsters in Bomarzo you’ll find every sort of mythological figure, plus depictions of animals, giants and dragons. The first thing that came to mind as I strolled among these wonders was:
“But how did they bring these enormous statues here?”
And here lies a curiosity few know about: the statues were not carried to Bomarzo, but carved on the spot, hewn from the great outcrops of peperino, the volcanic stone already present in the wood.
You didn’t expect that, did you?
Imagination gave free rein to the sculptors’ creativity, though it seems Prince Orsini had a precise symbolism in mind for his sacred wood.
But that’s not all. After Vicino Orsini’s death the park lay all but abandoned for centuries, left to the whims of nature, until in the twentieth century a group of intellectuals and artists decided to reappraise it, adding to the fame it still enjoys today.
Curious to discover Bomarzo’s other secrets?
Let me tell you.
The symbolism of the Park of the Monsters
Ever since it was built, the Park of the Monsters in Bomarzo has fascinated scholars and artists, prompting the most varied readings. Even Salvador Dalí celebrated it for its originality (he shot a short film there in 1948).
Though no documents state it clearly, Prince Orsini is thought to have followed a precise scheme in his choice of subjects. Riddles and enigmatic phrases, scattered here and there, only thicken the mystery and disorient you, exactly as in the Tarot Garden.
Right at the entrance, beside two sphinxes, is the inscription:
“You who enter here, consider what you see and then tell me whether so many wonders were made for deceit or for art”.
But what does it mean?
No one knows for sure. Keep in mind that the Park of the Monsters is also called an initiatory wood: imagine following a path in stages that symbolises life and its facets. Everything seems made for the sole purpose of making you reflect, with symbols sometimes crystal-clear and sometimes utterly obscure. Not by chance, a little temple dedicated to the prince’s late wife stands atop the hill overlooking the wood; just below are Proserpina, bride of the god of the underworld, and Cerberus, guardian of the afterlife.
A garden of contradictions: here’s why
The writings that accompany the monsters of Bomarzo are deliberately contradictory.
“Every thought flies”
This inscription is carved on the gaping mouth of the Ogre, an invitation to abandon rational thought and delve into your deepest instincts. And yet, at the back of that mouth that seems about to devour you, there’s a stone table. The Ogre stands for the “animal” side of man, and then inside it hides a table, which recalls a “civilised” meal.
Or does it mean that, by delving into our deepest thoughts, we end up more human than we think?
The contradictions continue on the bench — which ought to be a place of rest — where you read:
“You who wander through the world eager to see high and stupendous wonders, come here where there are horrid faces, elephants, lions, bears, ogres and dragons”.
The wayfarer in search of beauty is invited to look at monsters that are no monsters at all, being statues of stone: not exactly a relaxing thought, is it?
Finally, I recommend stepping into the Leaning House, built on a tilted boulder, which will make you lose your balance and your sense of direction. The inscription
“Animus fit quiescendo prudentior ergo”
invites you to rest in a place where rest is impossible, since you can barely stay on your feet. And these are just two of the many contradictions scattered through this place of wonders.
The route: what to see in Bomarzo
Among the first sculptures you’ll meet are the sphinxes, followed by the colossus of Hercules tearing a giant apart (variously identified as Cacus or Lichas: the identity is debated).
Going on, you’ll find the giant tortoise by the river — with a small Fame balancing on its shell — and the beautiful Pegasus, the winged horse of Greek myth. I found the monumental statue of the god Neptune striking, scowling at anyone who ventures beneath his gaze.
And then?
During the visit you’ll come across a war elephant clutching a soldier in its trunk, a dragon fighting lions, bears bearing the Orsini coat of arms, and — climbing towards the mausoleum — mermaids, Proserpina (sadly much damaged) and the terrible Cerberus. The monster I liked best is Glaucus, the great mask of the fisherman turned sea god, mouth agape, near a waterfall at the park entrance.
Practical information and tickets
To visit the Park of the Monsters in Bomarzo (in Bomarzo, province of Viterbo) the visit takes about an hour, but you can stay as long as you like: take your time and enjoy every single statue. The park is open every day, from 9:00 am until sunset (times vary with the seasons).
The entrance ticket costs 15 euros (reduced 9 euros for children aged 4 to 13). If you’d like to arrive prepared, book your ticket for the Park of the Monsters online and step in among ogres, dragons and giants with no worries.
One last thing: if you’re thinking of a trip with your four-legged friend, sadly pets aren’t allowed inside the park (except guide dogs for the visually impaired).
And you, standing before that Ogre that seems about to swallow you, would you choose deceit or art? At Bomarzo you write the answer yourself, one monster after another.
