Once in Florence, you will undoubtedly immerse yourself in the tourist bustle of this beautiful city. And if you want to pause, not looking up from visiting numerous attractions, visit the Boboli Gardens (Italian: Giardino di Boboli). This is a unique park located just behind the Pitti Palace, which served as the residence of the Medici family. There you can enjoy a great view of Florence, admire the sculptural compositions, refresh yourself at the magnificent fountains, and relax in the shade of centuries-old trees. Indeed, today, as before, the park is a great place to relax, regardless of the time of year.
History of creation
The first mention of the Bobol Gardens can be found in archival chronicles dating back to the late 16th century. It was then that the Duke of Cosimo I Medici acquired new real estate in the form of the Pitti Palace. Upon inspection of the acquisition, it was discovered that behind the palace begins a large hill with undeveloped territory. And from the top of the hill an excellent panoramic view opened.
Then the wife of the Duke Eleanor of Toledo came up with the idea to create a majestic park on the hill, which will emphasize the influence and wealth of the Medici family.
Nicolo Tribolo was invited to create a garden and masterpiece. However, during his lifetime, the famous sculptor did not have time to finish his grandiose creation. His work was continued by Bartolomeo Ammanati. Giorgio Vasari, Giulio Parigi, Alfonso Parigi also took part in the creation of individual parts of the park.
Bernardo Buonaleti made his contribution already at the time of Francis I - the son of Cosimo I. It is noteworthy that it was Boboli Gardens that subsequently served as a model for the design of many of the royal gardens of Europe.
The doctors constantly expanded and enriched the territory of the garden. Its value and uniqueness were greatly increased when unusual decorative complexes appeared among green meadows, winding alleys and small groves. Thus, an open-air museum was gradually formed.
At all times, Bobole Gardens served as the venue for a wide variety of events. During the time of the Medici, there were always held magnificent receptions and theatrical performances. It was in this park that opera was first presented to the public. Subsequently, representatives of all the noble families of Tuscany came to listen to opera performances.
Gardens today
Boboli Gardens were repeatedly reconstructed, and each subsequent owner brought something new to the image of the park, adjusting it to his taste. The park took its current area (4.5 ha) in the 17th century. For a wide range of visitors, its gates were opened in 1766.
Today, the Boboli Gardens is an open-air museum of landscape gardening. The museum displays visitors garden sculptures from antiquity to the 17th century. It is one of the most elegant Italian-style gardens.
The territory of the park is divided into parts by axial alleys and paths made of gravel. That is how it was customary to design the territory in the 16th century. The main trail, entwined with stone oaks and cypresses, originates at the amphitheater, and along it you can get directly to the back of the palazzo. In the center of the amphitheater you can see the obelisk, which was brought from the previous residence of the Medici, and delivered there from Egypt itself (Luxor).
On the gravel trail there is also the Neptune Fountain or, as the locals say, a “fountain with a fork”.
Nearby are several Roman statues. A little further begins the staircase, climbing up which you can get into the hall with muses.
A little further in the recess is hidden the sculptural composition of a dwarf on a turtle, the authorship of which is attributed to Valerio Cigoli. According to manuscripts, she portrays Pietro Barbie, the Medici court jester. Near him there are always those who want to be photographed.
Opposite is the entrance to the Buonalenti grotto. It consists of three rooms and from the inside is very similar to a cave with stalagmites and stalactites.
Here is a copy of the famous work of Michelangelo's "Slaves". Going further along the path, you can get into the garden of Jupiter. There you will rest near the fountain of the Artichoke made in the form of an octagon, a small amphitheater in the form of a horseshoe and admire the statue of the god Jupiter.
Cavallier Garden is set on one of the many terraces. It attracts with both a wonderful view and beautiful flowers. For example, in April peonies are already in full bloom, and in May roses are blooming.
You can get to the southern part of the garden along an alley entwined with ivy and myrtle. Here, far from the center on the small artificial island of Isolotto, greenhouses with rare ancient varieties of roses are broken. There, under the watchful eye of the mythical characters Perseus and Andromeda, small citrus trees grow in tubs.
In the northern part of the park is a panoramic platform with an excellent overview of the Florentine roofs. Here you can see the Coffee House (Kaffeehaus), which was built in the 18th century.
And today, the park often hosts musical and theatrical performances, as with the Medici. And, despite the fact that most of the sculptures exhibited are replaced with copies, and the originals are stored in special repositories, all of them still have considerable historical value. For example, "Bathing Venus" or "Paris and Elena".
Memoirs of the wife of F.M.Dostoevsky tell us that it was in the Bobole gardens that the couple often walked during their stay in Italy. Basking in the rays of the gentle Florentine sun, they admired the blooming roses and dreamed of their future.
How to get there
Boboli Gardens are next to the Palazzo Pitti. To get there, you can use buses number 11.36 (get off at the San Felice stop).
Interesting: the speed train to Florence is
- from Milan - 1h. 45min .;
- from Rome - 1h. 35min .;
- from Bologna - 0h.37min .;
- from Pisa - 1h.00min.
Opening hours
Due to its location, this historic site requires constant restoration and care. Therefore, the work schedule is designed in such a way that maintenance personnel have the opportunity to maintain the state of the park.
The park is open to visitors almost every day. Entrance to the territory is allowed from the moment of opening and one hour before closing.
- From November to February from 8-15 to 16-30;
- In March, from 8-15 to 17-30;
- From April to May and from September to October the park is open from 8-15 to 18-30;
- In October (after switching to winter time) from 8-15 to 17-30;
- From June to August from 8-15 to 19-30.
For technical work, the gardens are closed to visitors on the first and last Mondays of the month, on New Year's Day, May 1, Christmas.
Access to the Buonalenti grotto is open only with the assistance of the park staff.
- Year-round: at 11-00, 13-00, 15-00;
- In March: 11-00, 13-00, 15-00, 16-00;
- From April to September: 11-00, 13-00, 15-00, 16-00, 17-00.
Tickets
Those wishing to visit the Bobole Gardens at the entrance must purchase tickets, which are of two types. On the first you can go on a tour of the Pitti Palace itself. The second ones give you the opportunity to walk around the park and visit some of the palace's expositions (for example, a porcelain museum, a costume gallery). Tickets for 2014 are respectively 7 euros and 10 euros. For preferential categories of visitors discounts of up to 50% are provided.
Current information about the park and the cost of visiting can be found on the official page on the Internet: www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/boboli_garden.html
Official site of Boboli Gardens: //www.uffizi.firenze.it/en/musei/index.php?m=boboli
If you get tired of the bustling center of Florence, be sure to check out the Bobole Gardens. Enjoy the open space, clean air, birdsong and, of course, the panorama of the city from the top of the hill. Once there, you will forget about time and easily spend there all day. Since the sale of food and drink in the gardens is prohibited, try to stock up on light snacks in advance. Then you can fully enjoy a great picnic in a historic place.
