Tarot Garden, Sculpture garden in Capalbio, Italy
The Tarot Garden is a sculpture garden near Capalbio in Tuscany, where large figures represent the symbols of the tarot deck. Each sculpture is built from concrete, steel, and colorful mosaic material, and the works are spread across an open hillside.
French-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle started building the garden in 1979 on a plot of land given to her in the Maremma region. The project took nearly twenty years to complete and opened to the public in 1998.
The sculptures use mirrors, colored glass, and steel to interpret the mystical symbols of tarot cards. They create spaces you can walk through and experience as you look at the artistic details.
The grounds are hilly, so wear sturdy shoes before you arrive. There is little shade throughout, so bring water and sun protection, especially in summer.
During the long construction period, Niki de Saint Phalle actually lived inside one of the sculptures, the High Priestess figure, which was large enough to serve as a home. That experience of living within her own artwork shaped the way some of the figures were designed to be entered and explored from the inside.
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