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The scattered vestige of the Fonte Orsina
immagine The scattered vestige of the Fonte Orsina
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In the southeast of the town, in between Località Podere Giardino and Muraltello, an area that in its toponym still conserves the memory of old traces, it is possible to trace the origin of the ancient compound. Through a path directly connected with the road to Orte, venturing into a field of thick vegetation, looking westward you can see an old ledge and, on the left, grass-covered, the old fount of Maerbale Orsini’s garden. Further artistic proof of Maerbale’s garden is scattered throughout the town of Penna in Teverina. To fully understand its grandeur, it is possible to see four travertine benches in close proximity to Palazzo Orsini. On top of those benches are now four busts portraying a maiden, a young man, a man and an old man, for this reason the name of “Benches of the Four Seasons”. Another theory states that those figures were actual portraits of the Orsini family, specifically Giulia Farnese, his son Marzio, Vicino and Maerbale Orsini. Other traces of the Fonte Orsina are the two caryatids that stand as an ornament to Orsinis’ estate, known as the “Mammalucchi”, two allegorical figures made by Pino Logorio who created the Gardens of Villa D'Este in Tivoli and the sculputeres of the Sacred Grove, colloquially called Park of Monster, located in Bomarzo.They can be easily linked to the Orsinis because of the flattened rose engraved into the base of the sculptures.