PORTA, Giacomo della
(b. ca. 1533, Genova, d. 1602, Roma)

Exterior view

1598-1603
Stone and bronze
Villa Aldobrandini, Frascati

Vatican prelate Alessandro Rufini built the original villa in 1550. Pope Clement VIII gave his nephew Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini the villa in 1598 as a reward for the negotiations he undertook with France which resulted in the peace treaty of 1595 and for his role in annexing Ferrara to the Papal States.

Aldobrandini commissioned the Roman architect Giacomo della Porta to convert the villa into suitable accommodation in which a Cardinal could live and also entertain a Pope. Work started in 1598. While the core of the villa was completed by the time of Giacomo della Porta's death in 1603, work continued for another 20 years on the various aspects of the villa and the garden under the supervision of Carlo Maderno, who added the loggia, and Giovanni Fontana.

The villa has an imposing 17th century façade and some other interesting architectural and environmental features, such as the double gallery order on the rear façade, the spiral-shaped flights, the large exedra of the Water Theatre and a magnificent park.

The photo shows a view from the garden.