The Casina delle Fate in the Coppedé neighborhood of Rome has opened its garden to the public for the first time. The villa, normally closed because it is privately owned, can now be visited by reservation, with free guided tours every first Sunday of the month and paid visits on other dates.
Designed by Gino Coppedè between 1920 and 1927, the Villina delle faite is one of the most unusual and fascinating architectural complexes in the capital. Made up of three villas, it combines different styles – Liberty, Art Deco, medieval and baroque – creating a unique whole.
The facades are decorated with fairy-tale scenes, fantastic figures, Baroque coats of arms, Renaissance loggias, turrets and medieval arches, in a continuous game of references to the great Italian cities of art. One of the three villas was designed as the architect’s personal home, with decorations inspired by Florence and references to Brunelleschi’s dome, the Baptistery and Palazzo Vecchio.
The structure is deliberately asymmetrical and built with a combination of materials such as marble, travertine, brick, terracotta and glass, which enhance its fairy-tale and surreal appearance.
Numerous images of bees appear in the garden, a symbol of social harmony and industriousness, values dear to the republican Genoese bourgeoisie who commissioned the complex.
At the entrance from Piazza Mincio there is a round mosaic depicting three fairies – Neme, Melete and Aede – playing musical instruments, a metaphor for the three villas. The opening takes place in the year of the centenary of the Coppedé district, a symbolic occasion to celebrate one of the most original and lesser-known jewels of Rome.
After the debut, the garden will remain accessible to the public with periodic guided tours: every first Sunday of the month entry will be completely free, while on other days it will be possible to book paid tours.
A rare opportunity to cross a normally closed threshold and immerse yourself in a world suspended between dream and reality, where architecture becomes a story and every detail hides a symbol. For those who love Rome beyond postcards, the Casina delle Fate is one of those wonders that deserve to be discovered at least once in a lifetime.
