The Sacro Bosco, also known as the Garden of Bomarzo or colloquially known as the Park of the Monsters is a monumental complex in northern Lazio, Italy. The design of the Park is attributed to Pirro Ligorio, and the sculptures to Simone Moschino. The Park is situated in a wooded valley beneath the castle of Orsini. Pier Francesco Orsini commissioned the building of the park to show his love for his wife. The park is famous for its big, grotesque sculptures that were mostly taken from Greek and Roman mythologies. These sculptures even gave the park its name.
Statue of Orcus
Orcus is the god of the underworld and one of the most famous sculptures of the Park of the Monsters. On his upper lip, the words ”Ogni Pensiero Vola” (All thoughts fly) are inscribed which is illustrated by the fact that the acoustics of the mouth mean that any whisper made inside is clearly heard by anyone standing at the base of the steps. Some art historians describe the doorway as ”The Hell Mouth”.
During the 20th century, the park was mostly neglected but Salvador Dali‘s short video about the park draw attention to the Sacro Bosco again and it was renovated. Park of the Monsters was designed in a Mannerist style, therefore it aims to astonish not to please. There is no particular theme for the sculptures as they appear to be situated randomly throughout the garden.
Echidna
Proteus
A Fury
A Dragon Getting Attacked
Hercules and Cacus
Hannibal’s Elephant
The Leaning House
Jupiter
