In the heart of the capital, between Via della Lungara and the Gianicolo, there is a magical place where you can walk far from the chaos of the city and enjoy the unique spectacle represented by the extraordinary variety of the plant world that is preserved here.
Located in the park of Villa Corsini, once the residence of Christina of Sweden, and on part of the archaeological area called Horti Getae, formerly the baths of Septimius Severus, the Botanical Garden, one of the largest in Italy, is part of the tradition of gardens with an important scientific and natural value.
In 1514, Pope Leo X established the first chair for the teaching of medicinal plants. When the residence ofhe popes moved to the Quirinale, the Vatican Botanical Garden was completely abandoned. It was Pope Alexander VII Chigi (1655-1667) who decided to create the new university garden on the Gianicolo Hill. In 1883, after several transfers, the Botanical Garden found its final location at Villa Corsini alla Lungara, a prestigious residence of the Roman nobility.
The current Botanical Garden of Rome covers 12 hectares and preserves naturalistic varieties from all over the world. Among the main collections there is the monumental secular trees such as oriental plane trees, cork oaks and Himalayan cedars. The bamboo collection is among the richest in Europe, while in the approximately 2,000 square meters of greenhouses, there are collections of orchids and of succulent plants. Large masonry basins host the garden of aromas whose species are recognizable through their tactile or olfactory characteristics, while the Japanese garden, with its cherry trees, camellias and magnolias, presents suggestive water games, small waterfalls and two enchanting lakes. Another small lake, a stream and some tanks are, instead, the perfect environment for aquatic plants, while the splendid rose garden, which you can appreciate in all its beauty during the month of flowering in May, has about 60 species that illustrate the evolution of the plant in the last 2000 years.
The Botanical Garden of Rome is part of the Department of Plant Biology of Sapienza University of Rome, and is one of the green oases of the capital. A truly magical place in which you get lost, discover and enjoy the wonders of nature.
