Villa Mondragone

The villa Mondragone is the largest tusculanische country house of the 16th century. It belongs to the municipality of Monte Porzio Catone, about 30 kilometers east of Rome

Architectural History

On an elevated position on a hillside building complex belongs to a group of along via tuscolana monumental villas between Frascati and Monte Porzio Catone. The villa overlooks a 18 -acre park-like area.

1567 acquired Cardinal Marco Sittico Altemps ( Markus Sittikus von Hohenems ) of Ranuccio Farnese, the location on the site of Villa Angelina, one of the dimensions of her rather modest building, which was later renamed Villa Tusculana, and finally, after the construction of the Villa Mondragone, only still old villa (villa Vecchia ) was called. First, let Altemps this existing villa of the architect Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola and Martino Longhi the Elder expand. After the completion of this work in 1571, stayed there for the Cardinal Ugo Buoncompagni, later Pope Gregory XIII. for long periods of time.

From Cardinal Buoncompagni originated the proposal, another larger villa on the ruins of the Villa dei Quintili from year to build 151 AD. The planning took Martino Longhi. Altemps, a staunch supporter of the cardinal, was present in the coat of arms of the family Buoncompagni symbols of dragons incorporated in numerous places of the exterior facade of the building and use in the garden design.

This striking dragon pictures owes its name to the Villa Mondragone.

1613 acquired Scipio Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V, the two villas and the associated property of Count Gian Angelo Altemps, the nephew of Cardinal Altemps for the princely sum of 300,000 scudi. Such a country house in Frascati was indispensable status symbol next to a Roman town villa. The Borghese family resided there in each of the spring and autumn months the so-called villeggiatura. He left the villa and the grounds Mondragone 1616-1618 significantly expand. Scipio Borghese commissioned this, the Flemish architect Jan van Santen (Giovanni Vasanzio ) to form complexes with the aim of the modest summer house a gigantic building structure. In van Santen of the large square courtyard dates back whose design is inspired by the courtyards honor French residences.

The prestigious project was still used during the development and after its completion several years of high ecclesiastical dignitaries at different occasions.

Beginning in 1865 leased Marcantonio Borghese, (probably ) the last owner of the property from the Borghese family, the property of the Jesuit order, which there in February 1865 a training center ( " Nobile Collegio Mondragone " ) opened. 1896 to the Jesuits, Villa Mondragone to property.

The Jesuit College at the Villa Mondragone put 1953 its operation. In 1981, the estate of the Jesuits to his present owner, the University of Rome ( Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata) was sold, which caused extensive renovations. The college serves the estate today including as far from Rome, this modern conference venue.

The conditioning of the villa consists of a main building, at the back followed by a large courtyard, the left of a gallery building, which houses the library today, limited, is open to the garden to the right. Opposite the main building is located on the back of the courtyard is another large building, which today houses the meeting rooms.

The decoration inside the villa, frescoes, reliefs and sculptures is largely obtained, for example, in the hall of caryatids and in the Red Room and in the St.Georgskapelle.

In the gardens the fontana dei draghi ( Dragon Well ) and the giardino segreto, and the entrance gate are preserved.

Use

The villa Mondragone is, regardless of its architectural history, to bring at least two historical events connected:

  • The on Pope Gregory XIII. attributable Gregorian calendar was ratified in 1582 in the premises of the Villa Mondragone.
  • In 1912, the American bookseller Wilfrid Voynich Michael is a curious document, the so-called and was later named after him " Voynich Manuscript ", bought by the Jesuits of the Villa Mondragone.

Swell

Rome, Archivio Provinciale dei Padri Gesuiti ( APPG )

  • Sig 586/60 Bencivenga: Descizione the consegna del Palazzo di Mondragone nelle Ville Tuscolane spettante a SE il Principe di Solmona D. Paolo Borghese ..., , 1888.
  • Sig 586/61 Istromento Compra - Vendita Vila Mondragone fatta dal Principe Borghese, 1896.

Vatican, Archivio Segreto Vaticano (ASV )

  • Sig AB 341 plan of the Villa Mondragone, 1840
  • Sig AB 157, fasc. 149 plan of the Villa Mondragone, 1887
  • Sig AB 1192, VII, 22-23 plans for the restoration of the Villa Mondragone, 1839
  • Sig AB 1192, XII, 2 plan of the Villa Mondragone and the farms in the carrier tusculanus, 18th Century
  • Sig AB 8606, no 57 Luigi Canina: Plan for the restoration of the Villa Mondragone, 1839.
House of Borghese Villa Aldobrandini
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