A DESCRIPTION: THE ORTO BOTANICO
Locator map of the Orto within the city of Rome. (Upenn 2002)
The Orto Botanico di Roma (Orto), located west of the Tiber River and the center of Rome, is a research institution that specializes in vegetational ecology. Administered by the Botany Department of La Sapienza, the Orto's mission is to preserve bio-diversity and promote botanical research. Although the Orto offers several courses and events throughout the year which focus on specific types of vegetation and ecology, it is unlike a giardino botanico, since it does not concentrate its efforts on educating the public on botany.
The Orto Botanico consists of several thematic gardens, natural landscapes, greenhouses, and small service buildings. Its large collection of rare and exotic plant species is spread throughout a twelve-hectare (originally 6 hectares) plot of land originally belonging to the Palazzo Corsini. The palazzo was constructed by the Riario family in the early 16th century and now houses the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei. Despite the fact that historically the Orto was once part of the garden of the Palazzo Corsini, the two exist side by side with little administrative or interpretive interaction.
View of Palazzo Corsini along Via della Lungara. (Palazzo Corsini Alla Lungara)
The main gate of the Orto Botanico is located off of Via Corsini at Largo Cristina di Svezia 24. The boundary of the Orto is formed by the Carabinieri police compound to the southeast, the Palazzo Corsini on Via della Lungara to the east, the Convento del Sacre Cuore to the north, and to the west by Villa Lante and land belonging to the city of Rome on the Janiculum Hill, now a park honoring General Garibaldi and his wife, Anita.
The Orto Botanico can be divided topographically into three distinct sections. The first section (1) is a flat area extending from the exterior gates of the Palazzo Corsini to the Fontana dei Tritoni. This section contains a collection of palm trees and thematic gardens. A second section (2) begins behind the Fontana dei Tritoni and gradually increases in elevation. Vegetation is slightly denser in this area, but there is still a recognizable scheme to the planting. The third section (3) climbs steeply up the Janiculum Hill and contains several additional thematic gardens. The Scala d'Acqua designed by Ferdinando Fuga is also located in this section. This area is typified by a more naturalized landscape that contains thick undergrowth, forested areas, and currently overgrown pathways.
To see the complete description of the Orto Botanico and Scala d'Acqua description, go to downloads
