General view
by DUCA, Giacomo del, Photo
The Villa Farnese was built for Cardinal Alessandro Farnese (1520-1589) who was made cardinal by his grandfather Pope Paul III (1468-1549), and named vice chancellor of the Holy Roman Church a year later, according him the highest position after that of the pope in the ecclesiastical hierarchy. The architect of the construction was Giacomo da Vignola in the 1560s.
The upper gardens and palazzino (Casino) were laid out by Giacomo del Duca in the 1580s. He incorporated into the design terraces, fountains and sculpture. They are remarkable for the synthesis of natural and manmade elements.
The photo shows the stairway to the Casino.