Ultimate Visitor’s Guide to Villa d’Este in Tivoli, Italy
The Villa d’Este was commissioned and built by Cardinal Ippolito d’Este, the son of Lucrezia Borgia and the grandson of Pope Alexander VI. Pirro Ligorio dedicated 17 years to designing the garden, creating a remarkable blend of art and nature. Thomaso Chiruchi contributed to the hydraulic systems, while Claude Venard, a renowned Burgundian artisan, worked on the Villa d’Este’s most notable feature: the Fountain of the Hydraulic Organ (Fontana dell’Organo Idraulico). The cardinal aimed to create a villa and garden befitting “one of the wealthiest ecclesiastics of the sixteenth century.” The design encourages exploration, stimulates imagination, and elicits surprise, making it a place to wander for hours. However, visitors should be mindful of the elevation changes, as they may require some effort to fully appreciate the site.