Villa Farnese, Renaissance palazzo museum in Caprarola, Italy.
Villa Farnese is a palazzo museum in Caprarola, Italy, built on a hilltop above the town center. The building follows a five-sided plan with inner courtyards and rooms arranged across several levels.
The complex arose from 1559 onward on the foundations of an older fortress that was never completed. The cardinal wanted to create here a summer residence that would display his power and wealth.
The name Farnese recalls the noble family who shaped Rome and parts of central Italy for centuries. Visitors can admire wall paintings in the halls showing scenes from family life and religious motifs.
The entrance hall is located on the main level and accessible by wheelchair, while some upper floors are reached only by stairs. A visit typically takes between one and two hours, depending on your interest in individual rooms.
The five-sided floor plan later served as a model for the Pentagon in the United States. Visitors often notice only during their tour through the rooms how unusual the arrangement of walls and windows is.
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