In the early 1990s, Swiss artist Daniel Spoerri purchased an enchanting estate on the slopes of Monte Amiata, about 60 kilometers south of Siena. This place, known in ancient maps as “Paradise”, probably owes its name to the mild climate which favors lush and varied vegetation.
In 1997, Spoerri inaugurated “The Garden of Daniel Spoerri”, transforming the estate into a non-profit cultural foundation. The garden is open to visitors from Easter until October and offers a unique experience between art and nature. Currently, on an area of approximately 16 hectares, you can admire 113 installations created by 55 artists, which interact harmoniously with the surrounding landscape.
The garden
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The “Il Giardino di Daniel Spoerri” foundation was inaugurated in 1997 and has continued to evolve since then, enriching itself with new installations. Daniel Spoerri, together with artists who have marked his artistic and biographical path, contributed to creating an immersive artistic experience.
Today, visitors can explore a vast park that hosts 115 installations created by 56 different artists. Some works, such as Spoerri’s “The Cockerel and the Irreligious Mantis,” are hidden in the shade of dense groves, while others, such as Dani Karavan’s partially gilded olive tree titled “Adam and Eve,” capture attention even from afar.
The theme of the duality between Death and Eros is recurring in the garden, as highlighted by works such as “Tree of Skulls” and “The Devil and the Impudic Woman” by Spoerri. Other installations deal with mythology, such as “Venus and David among the buffers” by Pavel Schmidt, experiment with language, such as “Palindrome” by André Thomkins, or refer to astrology, with the entire astrological work of Eva Aeppli.
Visiting “The Garden of Daniel Spoerri” means immersing yourself in a world where art and nature merge, offering a continuous discovery of works that challenge and stimulate the imagination.
Here you can find the itinerary with all the works in the garden.
Our visit
When we arrived at Daniel Spoerri’s Garden, we weren’t sure what to expect. We found ourselves faced with an extraordinary landscape: works of art scattered across a field that seemed to never end, immersed in a breathtaking natural context. The walk, which kept us busy for about two hours, was a continuous discovery that left us speechless.
The installations use the most disparate materials – from concrete to iron, from bronze to wood – and integrate perfectly with the surrounding environment. The paths wind up and down the park, and at every turn a new surprise awaited us: works of art large and small, some monumental, others almost hidden among the vegetation.
What really struck us was the originality of the works and their perfect placement in this natural context. The perspectives are truly particular: each work interacts with the landscape in a unique way, creating always different and unexpected points of view.
Among the works that most enchanted us, we highlight the absolutely superlative “Chambre de l’Hôtel de Paris”, and many other installations that deserve to be discovered personally.
The works to admire
The garden offers a wide range of works that explore deep and varied themes, each with a unique story and message.
One of the most fascinating works is “The Cockerel and the Irreligious Mantis” by Daniel Spoerri. This sculpture is cleverly hidden in the shade of a dense grove, creating a sense of discovery and wonder for those who find it. The work invites visitors to reflect on the themes of predation and wild nature, in a game of contrasts between the rooster, symbol of vitality, and the mantis, emblem of deception and death.
Another work that attracts attention is “Adam and Eve” by Dani Karavan, represented by a partially gilded olive tree. This sculpture stands out in the landscape, reflecting the sunlight and creating a breathtaking visual effect. The olive tree, a thousand-year-old plant full of symbolic meanings, represents here the origin of humanity and the duality of good and evil.
The theme of death is powerfully explored in Daniel Spoerri’s “Tree of Skulls,” where human skulls hang from branches, reminding us of the inevitability of the end of life. This theme is further developed in “The Devil and the Unchaste Woman,” a work that explores the temptations and consequences of desire.
The installations in the garden are not limited to traditional themes; some challenge artistic and linguistic conventions. “Palindromo” by André Thomkins is a perfect example of this experimentation. The work plays with symmetry and language, inviting visitors to read and interpret in new and unexpected ways.
Astrology finds its space in the work of Eva Aeppli, who created a series of sculptures inspired by the signs of the zodiac. These works not only celebrate the beauty of the cosmos, but also invite reflection on our place in the universe and the astrological influences in our lives.
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Practical advice for the visit
From our experience, we would like to share some useful suggestions:
Choose a day that is not too hot for the visit. The route includes some stretches in the sun and others in the shade, but in the hottest hours of summer it could be tiring. We strongly advise against visiting in the height of summer during the central hours of the day.
The park is pet-friendly: we brought our dog on a leash and we didn’t have any problems. It was nice to share this experience with him too!
Inside the garden there is also a small and very nice restaurant-bar, perfect for a break during the visit. If you want, you can easily spend the whole day in the park, calmly enjoying all the works and the magical atmosphere of the place.
A place where art, culture and nature come together
Daniel Spoerri’s Garden is truly a wonderful and one-of-a-kind place. Art and culture blend seamlessly with nature, creating an experience you are unlikely to forget. Each work tells a story, stimulates reflection and opens new perspectives.
It is an experience not to be missed if you are in Tuscany, a place that leaves its mark and which has given us moments of authentic wonder.
Useful information
“HIC TERMINUS HAERET – THE GARDEN OF DANIEL SPOERRI” Foundation
Pescina Provincial Road
Location II Giardino
I – 58038 Seggiano (GR)
Daniel Spoerri’s Garden is located in an enchanting position on the slopes of Monte Amiata, about 60 kilometers south of Siena. It is easily reachable by car, following the Strada Provinciale Pescina up to Località II Giardino, where you will find directions to the garden.
Prices
Adults: €12.00
Students: €9.00
Children up to 8 years: free
Groups of 11 people or more: €9.00 per person
Opening periods
The garden can be visited from Easter until October, with special openings (for example from 26 December to 2 January it was open)
Contacts
Telephone: +39 0564950553 / +39 3339447835
Email: info@danielspoerri.org
Click here to learn about other Italian gardens to visit.
