Villa Sciarra, what a surprise.
Roma has many well know villas, some with a history spawning a few centuries (say Villa Borghese, Villa Ada), so when a photography club friend brought us to Villa Sciarra, we didn’t know what to expect. For one, I didn’t know of the place.
When we arrived, we found a beautiful place, a botanic garden, filled with statues and fountains in the heart of Rome. We had gone to focus on shapes, shades and forms and sure enough, the villa gave us plenty to work with.
Location of Villa Sciarra
This villa is located between the neighborhoods of Trastevere, Gianicolo and Monteverde Vecchio.
A (very) short history of Villa Sciarra
In the 1600 the field was purchased by a Cardinal who turned it into a farm. The Colonna di Sciarra family owned the villa in the 1800s. In the 1900s it became property of the American George Wurts who restored it and brought fountains and statues from a villa in Milan.
In 1930 it became a public park owned by the City of Rome.
Some photos
The entrance to the Village, all lush and sunny. This was taken in March:
Villa Sciarra in Rome
Exposure: 1/250, f/8, ISO 100
Camera: Canon 60D
Lens: Canon EF24-70mm f/2.8L @ 24mm
In the middle of the villa we found ourselves in front of this fountain:
Fountain of the sphinxes, Villa Sciarra
Exposure: 1/320, f/8, ISO 100
Camera: Canon 60D
Lens: Canon EF24-70mm f/2.8L @ 24mm
There are statues all over the place, surrounded by trees. Great background:
Statue with moss, Villa Sciarra
Exposure: 1/400, f/5, ISO 100
Camera: Canon 60D
Lens: Canon EF24-70mm f/2.8L @ 70mm
The sun collaborated, creating crisp shadows:
Light and shadow, folds in the cloths of a statue in Villa Sciarra
Exposure: 1/400, f/5.6, ISO 100
Camera: Canon 60D
Lens: Canon EF24-70mm f/2.8L @ 70mm
In the middle of the villa there are “mini” parks surrounded by hedges, like this one close to the actual villa:
Statues surrounded by hedges, with Villa Sciarra in the background
Exposure: 1/250, f/8, ISO 100
Camera: Canon 60D
Lens: Canon EF24-70mm f/2.8L @ 24mm
And the plants have character:
A plant inside an old trunk in Villa Sciarra
Exposure: 1/80, f/2.8, ISO 125
Camera: Canon 60D
Lens: Canon EF24-70mm f/2.8L @ 46mm
This was a fun statue to shot at, a satyr and a maid:
Satyr with maid, Villa Sciarra
Exposure: 1/500, f/8, ISO 100
Camera: Canon 60D
Lens: Canon EF24-70mm f/2.8L @ 70mm
And a close up:
Satyr face, close up, Villa Sciarra
Exposure: 1/250, f/4.0, ISO 100
Camera: Canon 60D
Lens: Canon EF24-70mm f/2.8L @ 70mm
Have you been there? What do you think?