Boboli Garden

Our busy day in Florence started with a trip to the Boboli Garden. The Boboli Garden is located behind the extravagant Pitti Palace, which was built for banker Luca Pitti in 1457. The building cost bankrupted the Pitti’s heirs, and was bought by the Medici in 1550. The palace itself was beautiful- the architecture and art was amazing. 

The garden behind the palace was a gift to Elenora di Toledoby by her husband, Lorenzo Medici. This mid-16^th century garden style garden is filled with gravel avenues, intricate statues, fountains, longer axial developments, grottos, and a proliferation of detail. The first stage of the garden was begun by Niccolo Tribolo, who only worked on the garden for a short period of time because of his death in 1550. Bartolomeo Ammanati continued progress of the garden with help from Giorgio Vasari, who planned the grottos, and Bernardo Buontalenti, who positioned the sculptures. Buontalenti also created the elaborate architecture of the grotto in the courtyard. The openness of the garden, with an expansive view of the city, was uncommon for its time. The primary part of the garden resembles an amphitheater and is surround by Egyptian Obelisk trees. There are various small statues surrounding this area of the garden, sculpted by various artists. 

This section of the garden concluded with a fountain of Neptune, who was known as the “Fountain of the Fork” for his trident, sculpted by Stoldo Lorenzi. Because the Boboli garden lacks a natural water source, a conduit was built from the nearby Arno River to provide water into an elaborate irrigation system. Despite the fact that the garden is currently undergoing restoration, the architecture and greenery was still remarkable. The garden is decorated with many different horticulture techniques that provide unique illusions to all its visitors. 

-Taylor R.