Rome's largest villa, once the sumptuous aristocratic residence of the Pamphilj family, has reopened to the public a historic 17th-century building, leaning against the ancient Trajan-Paul aqueduct and overlooking the Aurelia Antica, the Roman consular road trodden by centuries of history. The building owes its name to the precious Giardino dei Cedrati that surrounds it, an 18th-century ‘garden of delights’ originally adorned with cedars, bergamots, chinottos, lemons and oranges. It had been restored and reopened in 2016 but immediately closed due to a lengthy legal dispute.
With the new inauguration, in the presence of the mayor Roberto Gualtieri, the casale has taken on a new look, transforming itself into a place for sharing, a space open every day (except Tuesdays) dedicated to nature, art, creativity and sustainability, with a cafeteria, a bookshop, a cultural center and a reading room. Different activities for different audiences will take place there, including shows, botanical and historical-artistic walks, readings and conferences, in collaboration with associations and institutions in the area. The first event is the exhibition GREENIT with landscape photographs by Simone Cametti, curated by Lori Adragna. All scheduled activities can be viewed online on the website of the consortium that manages the place.
The reopening of the Casale dei Cedrati is part of a broader project, which includes the restoration of buildings and the regeneration of green areas not only in Villa Pamphilj but also in other historical parks, such as Villa Ada and Villa Sciarra.
Condividi
