Orange Garden in Rome

Orange Garden (Giardino degli Aranci) – is one of the most romantic spots in Rome, free of charge and without any reservations.

One will easily find it at Aventine Hill (Aventino) and see a fantastic view of the capital of Italy. All the guests adore the garden for its coziness and fresh air and for the opportunity to see the Vatican City and Italy at the same time. Another mini-state – Order of Malta – is just 500 meters away (Sovrano Militare Ordine Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme di Rodi e di Malta). There is a unique door and a keyhole through which one can see 3 states at a time.

History – How was the orange garden in Rome created?

The Orange garden spread about 7800 sq.m., which served as a protection of Rome in the 13th century.

In 1287, the Savello family fortress was built on the Aventine hill. However, by the 18th century, the fort, which was actively used during the internecine wars, fell into disrepair. And in 1932, Raffaele De Vico, the architect, on the municipality’s instructions, took up the construction of the city park.

To this end, the remains of the castle were abolished, and the community of Dominican monks gave part of their land for public use. Thus, a new viewpoint appeared at the top of the Aventine, allowing one to enjoy a panorama similar to those adorning the hills of Gianicolo and Pincio.

The Janicul viewpoint is named after the Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi – Garibaldi square (Piazza Garibaldi). Pincho is famous for its famous city park and the Borghese villa and gallery.

Garden Architecture

Small terraces surround the Aventine to allow visitors to enjoy the views of the Tiber and the architecture of Rome.

The garden is decorated with orange trees, which create shade even in the height of summer. One will hardly enjoy the taste of the citrus fruits: small bitter fruits are not intended for eating. It is noteworthy that the orange trees were planted in honor of Saint Dominicus (lat. Sanctus Dominicus). He founded a monastery at the Church of Saint Sabina (Basilica di Santa Sabina).

Architecturally, the garden has a clear symmetrical structure. An alley named after Nino Manfredi, an Italian actor, and writer at the center of the park. On both sides of the alley, there are two parts of the square. One of them previously adorned the fountain by Giacomo della Porta, which was moved to the square San Simeone (Piazza San Simeone) in 1973. The square is named after the actor Fiorenzo Fiorentini, who was the artistic director of summer outdoor theater performances in the garden for many years.

The entrance to the Orange Garden or Savello park (Parco Savello) is decorated with an ancient fountain similar to the Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verita) located at the foot of the hill. The fountain was originally a simple Roman thermal bath lined with travertine. In the 16th century, it was embellished with a carved stone mask, which dramatically furrowed its lush eyebrows.

Today the Orange Garden has three entrances: from Pietro d;Illiria Square (Piazza Pietro d’Illiria), Via di Santa Sabina street, and Clivo di Rocca Savella lane.

Sights nearby Orange Garden

Near the Orange Garden in Rome, there are several important sights that every tourist should definitely see.

Church of Santa Sabina

Savello Park is close to the Santa Sabina all’Aventino church.

Many wedding ceremonies usually take place in this basilica. In winter, couples love to photograph against the background of trees solemnly decorated with fleur-de-orange hats during the flowering of orange trees. Snow-white orange petals are a long-standing symbol of the bride’s purity. Honestly, there is no better decoration for a wedding photo shoot than this one!

Square of Malta Knights

If you walk along Via di Santa Sabina street to the southwest, you will get to the Cavalieri di Malta Square (Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta). It was built by Giovan Battista Piranesi in 1765. You can legally indulge in peeping through the keyhole installed at the entrance door to the Villa dei Cavalieri. Through the hole, you can see the dome of St. Peter’s Cathedral (Basilica di San Pietro) in all its glory!

Rose garden

Once you leave the Orange Garden, turn to the left along Via di Santa Sabina street. You wil find the luxurious rose garden – Roseto di Roma Capitale. More than a thousand varieties of roses are picturesquely dotted with 10 thousand m2 of the capital’s land.

How to get to the Rose garden

• Address: Via di Santa Sabina
• Bus: No.81, 85, 87, 160, 628 – to Greca bus station; No.23, 280, N10 – to Lungotevere Aventino bus station.
• Open hours: from dawn till dusk
• Web-site: www.sovraintendenzaroma.it