Villa Doria Pamphili 

‘The Villa Doria Pamphili displays the most architectural gardens of any around Rome. Here, as Forsyth observes, you see porticoes of Ilex, clipt coronets, geometrical terraces, rockwork and measured cascades.’ € This is a quote from The Claudians: gardens, landscapes, reason and faith: John Claudius Loudon and Claudius Buchanan, Tom Turner (Kindle, 2024). 

The Evolution of Villa Doria Pamphili: From Baroque Grandeur to Romantic Charm

The Villa Doria Pamphili is on Rome's Janiculum Hill. The 17th century Baroque garden was made by the Pamphili family with geometric parterres, and sculpted greenery, the Venus fountain and the Exedra grotto. With the 19th century shift towards Romanticism, Prince Filippo Andrea V Doria Pamphili commissioned landscape architect Jacob More to transform the garden's western end. The ‘Giardino Inglese’ (English Garden) has rolling hills, winding paths, and picturesque groupings of trees. By the early 19th century, the gardens were partially open to the public.

The English Garden Influence on Villa Doria Pamphili

Villa Doria Pamphili’s gardens epitomise the transition from the formal Baroque style to the more naturalistic Romantic landscape that swept through Europe in the 19th century. While the eastern side of the gardens retained its Baroque splendour, with geometrically arranged parterres, meticulously sculpted hedges, and classical fountains, the western end was reimagined by Jacob More, who introduced the ‘Giardino Inglese’. This section of the garden embraced the Romantic ideal of nature, with undulating lawns, serpentine paths, and carefully curated clusters of trees designed to evoke a sense of serenity and natural beauty. The juxtaposition of these styles within a single estate offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience the evolution of garden design, reflecting the changing tastes and cultural influences of the time.