History and layout Boboli Gardens

boboli gardens amphitheatre, viewed palazzo pitti

the gardens, directly behind pitti palace, main seat of medici grand dukes of tuscany @ florence, of first , familiar formal 16th-century italian gardens. mid-16th-century garden style, developed here, incorporated longer axial developments, wide gravel avenues, considerable built element of stone, lavish employment of statuary , fountains, , proliferation of detail, coordinated in semi-private , public spaces informed classical accents: grottos, nympheums, garden temples , like. openness of garden, expansive view of city, unconventional time. gardens lavish, considering no access allowed outside immediate medici family, , no entertainment or parties ever took place in gardens.

the boboli gardens laid out eleonora di toledo, wife of cosimo de medici. name curruption of bogoli , family whom land had been bought construct garden. first stage scarcely begun niccolò tribolo before died in 1550, continued bartolomeo ammanati, contributions in planning giorgio vasari, laid out grottos, , in sculpture bernardo buontalenti. elaborate architecture of grotto in courtyard separates palace garden buontalenti.

the garden lacks natural water source. water plants in garden, conduit built nearby arno river feed water elaborate irrigation system.

the primary axis, centered on rear façade of palace, rises on boboli hill deep amphitheater reminiscent in shape of 1 half of classical hippodrome or racecourse. @ center of amphitheater , rather dwarfed position ancient egyptian boboli obelisk brought villa medici @ rome. primary axis terminates in fountain of neptune (known irreverent florentines fountain of fork neptune s trident), sculpture of neptune stoldo lorenzi visible against skyline visitor climbs slope.

giulio parigi laid out long secondary axis, viottolone or cyprus road @ right angle primary axis. road led through series of terraces , water features, main 1 being isolotto complex, bosquets on either side, , allowed exit gardens @ porta romana, 1 of main gates of walled city. in 1617, parigi constructed grotto of vulcan (grotticina di vulcano) along axis.

the gardens have passed through several stages of enlargement , restructuring work. enlarged in 17th century present extent of 45,000 meters² (111 acres). boboli gardens have come form outdoor museum of garden sculpture includes roman antiquities 16th , 17th century works.

in first phase of building, amphitheatre excavated in hillside behind palace. formed clipped edges , greens, later formalized rebuilding in stone decorated statues based on roman myths such fountain of ocean sculpted giambologna, transferred location within same garden. small grotto of madama, , large grotto, begun vasari , completed ammannati , buontalenti between 1583 , 1593.

even while undergoing restoration work in 2015, large grotto s statues still on display , represent defining examples of mannerist sculpture , architecture. decorated internally , externally stalactites , equipped waterworks , luxuriant vegetation, fountain divided 3 main sections. first 1 frescoed create illusion of natural grotto, natural refuge allow shepherds protect wild animals; housed prisoners of michelangelo (now replaced copies), statues first intended tomb of pope julius ii. other rooms in grotto contain giambologna s famous bathing venus , 18th-century group of paris , helen vincenzo de rossi.