Villa Medici |
Not far from the Spanish Steps, above the Pincio Hill, facing a charming view over the city, stands the beautiful Villa Medici. The 16th century building was given this name after one of its first owners, Ferdinando de' Medici. A cardinal at first, he was later appointed grand duke of Tuscany, and he chose this villa as the official Roman residence for the ambassadors of his grand duchy.
In 1803, while Rome was under a French administration, Napoleon took possession of the building, and moved the Academy
of France there; still today Villa Medici officially belongs to France, and the country pays a symbolic rent for keeping posession of the historic building.
The original bronze doors of the villa are still in place; one of them has a rather large circular dent, which is related to a curious legend. |
This legend though is not about the the villa's owner, but about a queen, and a rather peculiar one too: Christina of Sweden, one of the most highly cultured women of the 17th century and probably the one with the strongest character.
She was born in 1626, and was proclaimed queen already at the age of six. In her youth she was particularly brilliant with her studies. Unlike most women of her age, she freely decided not to marry. Then she secretly converted to the Catholic religion, despite being the ruler of a Lutheran country. And when her controversial choice led her to major contrasts with high members of her court, in 1654 she abdicated and left her native country, never to come back. But even later, she maintained her title, and lived for the rest of her life surrounded by a small court of faithful dignitaries.
Christina of Sweden (1626-1689) |
One year after her abdication she came to Rome, where she was lavishly received by Alexander VII; on this occasion a welcome inscription and a large heraldic device referring to the pope were carved by Gianlorenzo Bernini above Porta del Popolo, the city's northernmost gate through which the queen entered on December 19 (or 23, according to some sources), 1655, with a long parade of 255 people, most of which on horseback. Curiously, by that time she already spoke a fluent Italian, without ever having been to Italy before. |
In Rome she lived in the no longer extant Palazzo Riario, in Trastevere district, where she met several famous artists and men of letters, such as the composer Alessandro Scarlatti, the playright Carlo Goldoni, the poet Pietro Metastasio, the same aforesaid architect and sculptor Bernini, and many others. This circle led to the foundation of the famous academy known as the Arcadia.
Besides being fond of arts, Christina had an interest also in scientific fields and even in esoteric practices, as explained more in detail in The Magic Door, in the Curious and Unusual section.
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the welcome inscription
above Porta del Popolo:
TO A HAPPY AND PROPITIOUS ENTRANCE
IN THE YEAR 1655 |
After her death, in 1689, she was buried in St.Peter's, a honour reserved to the popes and to very few other monarchs.
Christina fancied lavish parades and carousels, and members of Rome's high nobility sometimes organized for her similar events, as a token of friendship; one of the most grand took place at the Palazzo Barberini soon after her arrival, on February 28, 1656, and is remembered by a large painting now in the Museum of Rome (see picture below).
Christina of Sweden was also known for her haughtiness, for her complex and controversial personality, and for her rather extravagant and sometimes unorthodox habits: she freely socialized with men, she sat crossing her legs, and often vented out her whimsical temper using foul words. In her autobiography she wrote that "women should never reign", yet having reigned herself for 22 years!
Also her observance of religious rules as a Catholic was never too strict; nevertheless, her friendship with pope Alexander VII and with many personalities granted her such privilege.
In fact, her stay in Rome was spangled with curious anecdotes. |
Christina on horseback,
dressed as a man |
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For instance, one day, while visiting the Vatican, she was shown the large fountain in St.Peter's square - in those days only one of the two twin fountains now standing there was already extant - and on turning away she said to those who accompanied her: "Thank you, now you can turn off the water"!
She also caused sensation for moving around the city on horseback, dressed as a man, disregarding the luxury carriage that the pope had set at her disposal. All in all, she was indeed a bizarre personage.
← grand carousel in honour of Christina of Sweden, held at the
Palazzo Barberini (painting by Filippo Lauri and Filippo Gagliardi) |
The legend she is most remembered for in Rome is the gun-shot that she is said to have fired from Sant'Angelo Castle, the papal fortress not far from the Vatican.
One morning, on finding herself there, for some unknown reason she abruptly decided to shoot one of the several cannons on the castle's terrace, some of which are still on display today.
Nobody knows why, maybe just by coincidence, she chose as a target the Villa Medici on the Pincio Hill. Some claim that friction might had arisen between Christina and the Medici family. Another version of the story says that Cardinal Azzolino, more than a good friend to Christina, one day was supposed to meet her at the villa, but never showed up, leaving her stranded.
the fountain facing the villa's door;
note the marble sphere, in the center |
The cannonball reached Villa Medici's bronze door, leaving on one of its panels the aforesaid round dent.
Facing the building stands a 16th century fountain, where water gushes into a round basin from a stone sphere: this is said to be the same cannon ball shot by the queen which, having been found still in good condition despite the impact, was used as a decoration in front of the villa. |
the round dent on
Villa Medici's door
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Although no evidence can be given that Christina of Sweden never really fired the weapon, it would have been very unlikely for anybody, if not impossible, to deliver such a heavy ball at a distance of about 1,5 Km, i.e. almost one mile, from the castle to the villa (see the aerial view on the right), because no cannon available in Sant'Angelo Castle by the 17th century was sufficiently powerful to cover that range.
The legend now seems to have fallen into oblivion; but in older days, no tourist guide nor carriage driver showing the Pincio Hill to visitors would have forgotten to mention queen Christina and her outburst of folly. |
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