Casino di Villa Boncompagni Ludovisi
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The Casino di Villa Boncompagni Ludovisi, Via Lombardia 46, Porta Pinciana, Rome, is a small villa in the grounds of what was, in the 16th century, a country retreat belonging to Cardinal Francesco Maria Del Monte, diplomat, intellectual, art connoisseur, collector, and protector and patron of such very different figures as Galileo and Caravaggio. The ceiling of the casino holds the only mural ever done by Caravaggio - his Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto, reflecting, in symbolic imagery derived from Classical mythology, another of the cardinal's interests, alchemy. The casino is also known as the Casino dell'Aurora del Guercino, after a fresco by Guercino. It is not normally open to the public, but tours are sometimes arranged.
Del Monte sold the casino and its extensive grounds to the Ludovico Cardinal Ludovisi in 1621, and the casino remains in their possession, encircled by high walls and invisible to the public. The park was sold off in the 1880s and built up with hotels and expensive houses, including palazzi for members of the family. The facade of the main casino (a separate building) is now hidden behind the Palazzo Margherita. This palazzo was acquired by the Italian State and became the residence of Queen Mother Margherita, a popular figure after whom the well-known pizza is named. It now houses the U.S. embassy.
