Sacred Grove of Bomarzo (Park of the Monsters)

The Sacro Bosco (“Sacred Grove”) of Bomarzo, popularly known as the Parco dei Mostri (“Monster Park”), lies in a wooded valley below the Orsini castle in the province of Viterbo. The condottiere Pier Francesco Orsini, known as Vicino, had it laid out in the 16th century after the death of his wife, Giulia Farnese. The design is attributed to Pirro Ligorio and the sculptures to Simone Moschino. Among the sights are the gaping mouth of Orcus, with the inscription “Ogni pensiero vola” (“Every thought flies”) on its upper lip, a giant elephant crushing a Roman legionary, a dragon attacked by lions, and the leaning house, Casa Pendente.

The grounds became overgrown during the 19th century and well into the 20th. The sculptures, carved from the natural rock, ignore the symmetry of typical Renaissance gardens, are regarded as Mannerist, and are explained only by their inscriptions. You can step inside the mouth of Orcus; a picnic table stands on its tongue. Salvador Dalí visited the park, made a short film there and drew on its motifs for his painting “The Temptation of Saint Anthony” (1946); Manuel Mujica Láinez based his novel “Bomarzo” on the park; the Bettini family later restored it. The acoustics of Orcus’s mouth carry whispers to the steps in front of it. About two hours is realistic for a walk around; the paths are partly uneven.