View of the Piazza Ovale

In May 1560, Ligorio received a commission of great significance: the continuation of Paul IV’s plans for the papal casino. Located in the woods behind the Belvedere court, Pius IV revamped plans for the space included a second story, large fountain, and oval courtyard with arched entryways. The decorations matched Ligorio’s preferred Raphaelesqu style. It was named the Casina Pius IV in honour of the pope who supported its construction. Swiss historian Jacob Burckhardt called it “the most beautiful afternoon retreat that modern architecture has created.”

The centre of the Casina Pio IV’s complex is the oval courtyard, which formally connects the four buildings that make up the villa. Its centrepiece is a marble fountain with two cherubs riding dolphins, sculpted by Jacopo da Casignola and Giovanni da Sant’Agata (1560-64). Overlooking the courtyard is a loggia called “Museum”, or home of the Muses, where Ligorio reinterprets the iconography of the Muses with Apollo and Bacchus portrayed on ancient sarcophagi.

View the ground plan of the Casina Pio IV, Rome.