The Casino di Villa Boncompagni Ludovisi (also known as the Villa Aurora or the Casino dell'Aurora) is a villa in Porta Pinciana, Rome, Italy. Measuring 2.200 square meters, it is all that remains of a country retreat, best known as Villa Ludovisi, established in the 16th century by Cardinal Francesco Maria Del Monte. The Cardinal was a diplomat, intellectual, art connoisseur, collector, and protector and patron of such very different figures as Galileo and Caravaggio. The Casino is often referred to as the Villa Aurora, after the important fresco by Guercino, located in the Villa's main reception room, depicting the goddess Aurora. One of the smaller rooms of the casino boasts the only painting ever executed by Caravaggio on a ceiling, Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto, which reflects, in symbolic imagery derived from Classical mythology, another of the cardinal's interests, alchemy.

Del Monte sold the Villa Ludovisi and its extensive grounds to Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi in 1621. Due to the Ludovisi's family financial duress, the whole park was sold off in the 1880s and built up with hotels and expensive houses, including palazzi for members of the family. The facade of the main casino or Casino Grande (a separate building) is now hidden behind the 19th-century Palazzo Margherita. This building was acquired by the Italian State and became the residence of Queen Mother Margherita. It now houses the U.S. embassy.

Casino Dell’aurora Boncompagni-Ludovisi, Rome, Italy. Modern Art Museum. At the casino of the Villa, Cardinal Ludovisi employed Carlo Maderno to rebuild a simple house further up the hill. In a small ground-floor gallery of the casino, Guercino frescoed a ceiling with his Chariot of Aurora (1621–1623). It remains one of the most famous painted decors of Rome.

The only part not sold was the Villa Aurora, which remains in the possession of the Ludovisi family, encircled by high walls and open to the public on written request. Apart from the works by Caravaggio and Guercino, it contains important works of art by Pomarancio, Michelangelo, and a collection of Roman and Greek artefacts.^[1]

Casino Boncompagni Ludovisi Rome

The 16th century building has a cross shaped plan because in 1858 to each wing was added an avant-corps. The building is what remains of the villa Ludovisi, built in 1662 by Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi upon the Horti Sallustiani, to testimony the ancient glories.

References[edit]

1. ^'Villa Aurora, Rome's best kept secret?'. Minor Sights. Retrieved 20 November 2016.

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Coordinates: 41°54′27″N12°29′15″E / 41.9074°N 12.4875°E

The phenomena that can be seen in the atmosphere is at Aurora

Casino Ludovisi Rome

Aurora was the ancient Roman equivalent of Eos. Eos was the ancient Greekgoddess of the dawn. Aurora is the Latin word for dawn.

Aurora renews herself every morning at dawn and flies across the sky. She announces the morning's arrival. She has a brother and a sister. Her brother is the sun, and her sister is the moon. She also has many husbands and four sons, one for each cardinal direction: North, East, South, and West.

Aurora is comparable to Eos in Greek mythology and to Ushas in Hindu mythology.

One of her lovers was Tithonus. Aurora asked Zeus to grant immortality to Tithonus. However, she failed to ask him for eternal youth. As a result, Tithonus ended up aging eternally.

In Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (i.i) Montague says of his lovesick son Romeo

But all so soon as the all-cheering sun

Should in the farthest east begin to draw

The shady curtains from Aurora's bed,

Away from the light steals home my heavy son...

In the poem 'Tithonus' by Lord Alfred Tennyson, Aurora is described as folllows:

Casino Ludovisi Roma Italy

Once more the old mysterious glimmer steals

From thy pure brows, and from thy shoulders pure,

And bosom beating with a heart renewed.

Thy cheek begins to redden through the gloom,

Thy sweet eyes brighten slowly close to mine,

Ere yet they blind the stars, and the wild team

Which love thee, yearning for thy yoke, arise,

And shake the darkness from their loosened manes,

And beat the twilight into flakes of fire.

The asteroid94 Aurora was named after her.

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