As the nephew of Pope Paul V, Cardinal Scipione Borghese (1577-1623) was seem as one of the wealthiest men of his generation. In the early 1600s, he put a good chunk of cash to good use transforming vineyards in north-central Rome into one of the city’s largest gardens: now known as Villa Borghese Park. At almost 200 acres, the Villa Borghese Park is now the third largest public park in the Italian capital and features a recreation of Shakespeare’s Globe, a man made lake, and the exceptional art museum, The Villa Borghese Gallery.As the Villa Borghese Gallery isn’t as popular as other museums in Rome, this is the perfect place to visit if you’re looking to spend the afternoon seeing of Rome’s most famous art pieces. Discover our guide to visiting Villa Borghese Gallery during your trip to the Eternal City.

In addition to his love of garden design, Cardinal Borghese was also an avid art collector & patron of the arts. One of the major reasons tourists flock to the Borghese Gardens nowadays is to admire what Rome still has of Borghese’s art collection in the Villa Borghese. To see the rest of Borghese’s collection, tourists will need to plan a trip to the Musée du Louvre in Paris. Today, Borghese’s art collection is housed in what used to be his private villa. There are 20 rooms inside this two-floor gallery with masterpieces from Ancient Roman times, the Renaissance, and the Baroque era. Within the Villa Borghese Gallery you’ll find a range of amazing art pieces by Canova, Raphael and many other artists. Of course, one of the most famous artist represented at the Borghese Gallery is undoubtedly the Roman sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini!

The two most famous works by Bernini in the Borghese Gallery are both marble statues that depict scenes from Ancient Greek myths. First is The Rape of Proserpina, which Bernini completed at the age of 23 in 1622. This statue features Hades, lord of the underworld, dragging his beautiful bride Persephone to hell. The second famous Bernini sculpture in the Borghese Gallery is called Apollo and Daphne and was completed three years after The Rape of Proserpina. As the name suggests, Apollo and Daphne depicts the sun god Apollo chasing after the female nymph Daphne. According to the legend, Daphne transforms into a tree just as Apollo lays his fingers on here. Bernini skillfully captures the moment Daphne begins her transformation in this statue.

As for paintings, the Borghese Gallery has an impressive collection of 16th century painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s works. Probably the most important Caravaggio painting housed at this gallery is Boy with a Basket of Fruit. Completed in 1593, this painting is one of Caravaggio’s earliest masterpieces and is celebrated for its striking attention to detail. Some of the other Caravaggio masterworks at the Borghese Gallery include Young Sick Bacchusand St. Jerome Writing.

It wasn’t until 1903 that the Villa Borghese Gardens were turned over to the city of Rome. Ever since that time, tourists and locals have enjoyed strolling through these magnificent gardens to find respite from the stress of city life. While it might not be as grandiose as the Colosseum, the Borghese Gallery is an integral part of Rome’s history and identity. Anyone who wants to “relax as the Romans do” should schedule a few hours in Villa Borghese Gallery & Park.