If you plan to visit Villa Borghese during your future stay in Rome, this post will help you. In fact, I share practical information here, but also my advice, especially for the booking of Villa Borghese (online booking is mandatory)
As always in the blog, the space for comments at the end of the ticket is available to leave your comments, suggestions or questions about Villa Borghese. I respond very quickly to the various comments posted on the blog.
Villa Borghese Tour: Practical information
Before I speak specifically about the visit to Villa Borghese, I will begin by giving you the information you should know to visit Villa Borghese.This practical information is quite classic: rates, hours of Villa Borghese, opening days, ...
They weren’t wolf’s eyes, but seemed human. She wondered if the wolf was Lovarn. He’d told her his name meant wolf. She had tried talking to the animal, asking it to appear to her in human form. It continued to gaze at her with those strange, compelling eyes. She decided it didn’t matter who or what the wolf was, only that the animal had been sent to guide her. But guide her where? She knew they were traveling north. If she encountered another tribe, what would she tell them? How could she explain how she came to be there? And why should any tribe take her in? Her hair was disheveled, her clothing dirty. She’d lost the bronze comb Rhyell had sent with her, and she had only one change of clothing, and that gown was nearly as old and soiled as the one she wore. All the jewelry from her mother was gone. Except for what was in her pack, all her possessions had been stolen by the Romans.
Thinking of these things, she grew even more discouraged. For all she knew, she was going to die here, lost in these endless woods. Forgotten. Alone. Cursed. Tears welled up in her eyes. She was so tired. She’d been walking for days, with no clear destination ahead. Now she was out of food. What was the point of going on? Why not stay here until death came? She slumped over, head in her hands. Then she heard a sound. The wolf. It began to circle her, growling. Not threateningly, but as a sign of impatience. “Go away,” she whispered. “Leave me alone.” But the animal wouldn’t relent. It circled ever closer, finally darting in to nip at her clothing. Sirona sat up and watched the wolf stop a few paces away. “What do you want?” she asked. “Why won’t you leave me in peace?” The wolf again moved in a circle, whining. Obviously, it wanted her to get up and follow. She groaned, but didn’t rise. The animal rushed toward her, grazing her body. Even this close, it had no odor. The awareness reminded her that this was no natural creature. It was one thing to defy an animal.
Another to ignore a messenger of the gods. She stood up wearily and began to follow the wolf. The forest was a blur of green, endless, oppressive. If she kept on like this, she would eventually collapse and die. Her body would rot away and she would become part of the earth again. Her flesh and bones would feed the animals and nourish the soil. Her spirit would return to the warmth and safety of the great mother’s womb, from there to be born again into a new life, a new body. The idea soothed her. It wasn’t such a terrible fate. Perhaps in her next life she would be more fortunate.
A short while later the forest ended, and Sirona halted, staring. Pink campion, blue harebells and mauve heather grew in profusion around a mound like the one on the sacred isle. The wolf ran to the mound and disappeared behind it. Sirona followed, her despair replaced by wonder. On the other side of the mound was a small doorway, much like the one in the mound on the sacred isle, except there was no stone blocking the entrance. Seeing no sign of the wolf, she decided the animal must have gone inside. She dropped her pack on the ground, then ducked down and stuck her head inside the passageway leading into the mound. It smelled earthy and pungent, like a fox’s den. She felt a hint of fear, wondering what sort of animal might wait within. Then she decided the wolf wouldn’t have gone in if she weren’t meant to follow. She crawled inside, where light filtering down through an opening in the top revealed a cozy dwelling space but no sign of the wolf. Sirona was puzzled.
After guiding her for days, why would it simply vanish? Unless this was her destination. She glanced around. There was a small hearth, with animal skins and large, flat rocks for seating arranged around it. Numerous baskets and jars were pushed back against the sloping sides of the stone wall of the chamber. She went to one of the baskets and opened it. Inside was some ground-up meal. She dipped her finger in the powdery substance and licked it. The meal tasted like hazelnuts. Another of the baskets was full of dried berries. She picked up one of the jars, removed the beeswax seal and sniffed. Then she brought the jar to her lips and drank. It contained a strong, vaguely sweet beverage. She drank some more.
The drink made her dizzy, but also revived her. She explored further. The baskets and jars and other objects in the chamber were tidily arranged, but there was a layer of dust over everything. Someone had been here, but a long time ago. She puzzled over why the wolf had guided her to this place. Was she supposed to rest here and eat the food? What if the people who had stored it away came back and were angry she’d dared to help herself to their hoard? But she was too hungry and exhausted to agonize over these matters for long. She pulled the baskets and the beverage jars over to the hearth and began to eat. The nutmeal was rich and nourishing, but difficult to consume by licking her fingers. She wondered if she added water if she could make a kind of mealcake over the fire. If she had a fire. She took several deep draughts of the beverage. It made her sleepy. She decided to go out and get her pack, so she could wrap up in her cloak. It was getting dark, and there was no sign of the wolf. Now she was completely alone. Then Sirona saw the faint outline of the moon, gleaming through the trees at the edge of the clearing. The increasing moon, when the lighted half circle resembled a pregnant belly. She felt certain she’d been guided to this place for a reason.
Although that purpose hadn’t yet been revealed, she must trust that the Goddess had a reason for bringing her here. Turning back to the mound, she noted that it was also shaped like a pregnant belly. She would be safe inside the earth mother’s womb. * * * Sirona woke to find the underground chamber filled with fire. She jerked upright, terrified. The flames danced before her eyes, gleaming and bright. Then they died back, and she realized she was looking into an ordinary hearth fire. She blinked in amazement, trying to understand what had happened. Then she saw someone seated on the other side of the fire.
A woman, smallboned and gracefully built, with long, thick dark hair and a beautiful haughty face. She gazed at Sirona with a patient expression. Sirona immediately had the sense of being in the presence of someone incredibly strong and powerful. For a moment, she wondered if she were seeing a vision of the Great Goddess herself. Then, even as she had the thought, the woman changed. Her hair turned white. Her face became as thin and hollow as a skull. Her body grew stooped and wizened. Sirona took a deep breath. “Who are you?” she whispered. “Are you the Great Mother?” The woman gave a cackling laugh. “If I were, you would have been burned to nothingness. The power of the Great Mother is awesome. To come in contact with even a tiny portion of it is to risk annihilation.” “Then, who are you? What are you?” The old woman laughed once more. “I am Itzurra. I have come to claim you.” Claim her? The implication of her words chilled Sirona. “Why?” she asked. “What have I done?” She looked around. “I didn’t mean to eat your food... but I was so hungry. And I didn’t mean to intrude upon this place either.” She thought about mentioning the wolf guiding her there but wasn’t sure the woman would believe her. “It’s not what you have done, but who you are. It’s time for you to face your destiny.” “My destiny? What is that?”
Sirona’s heart was pounding. Her whole body went rigid as the woman moved nearer. “You are the one who will carry the past into the future,” Itzurra said. She grasped Sirona’s arm in her claw-like hand. “The blood of the Old Ones runs in your veins. You have it from both your mother, Banon, and from your father.” “My father? What do you know of him?” “He was a warrior of one of the Brigante tribes. He’s dead now, because he couldn’t endure the legacy of his mixed blood. Many people can’t. They want to be from one world or the other, and can’t survive in the twilight space between. But do we not all live our lives in the doorway between two worlds?” “You mean, this world and the Other Side?” Itzurra smiled. Despite her great age, she had all her teeth. “Although much of what the Learned Ones teach is nonsense, some of it is true. I suspect it won’t be difficult to instruct you.
You will understand some things because of your Drui training, and the rest will come easily because it’s already in here.” Itzurra touched her chest. “You’re going to teach me magic?” Sirona asked excitedly. Itzurra’s smile wavered. “I wish I had more to offer you. But much of the power has been lost.” “What about my visions?” Sirona asked. “Will you tell me what they mean?” “Your visions aren’t from our world, but the other. I can’t help you with those.” “What other world?” Itzurra’s expression grew grim. “The world of men, of warriors.” The old woman shook her head. “It’s the mixture of your blood that torments you. You can never truly belong to one realm. This conflict led to your parents’ deaths, but I think you are stronger. I think you will be able to learn to balance the two kinds of power and use them wisely.” Sirona nodded. This was why the wolf had led her to this place. So she would finally learn the secrets of the Old Ones. She thought of Cruthin. If she ever saw him again, she would be able to tell him she’d finally discovered what they’d sought. “Sit by the fire,” Itzurra said. “Let me tell you the story of the Old Ones from the beginning.” Sirona settled herself on the animal pelts. Itzurra began, “Long, long ago, the gods came down from the sky.
They taught us all about the realms of thought and being. They taught us magic. For a time, our people prospered. Then we began to fight among ourselves, to use the sacred knowledge and power to hurt each other. The gods grew angry and went away. All except one god named Dyeus. He’d fallen in love with a woman named Ane. He mated with her, and they had children. Their children had not only the knowledge of the gods, but some of their blood. Their female children were especially gifted and could do great magic. “When Ane died, her children buried her in a great mound of earth. Dyeus came and took her with him, back to the sky. Their descendants are the Old Ones.
At first, their descendants had great power and knew how to do great things. But gradually their magic dwindled. They became desperate to entice the gods back. They erected the standing stones and monuments, trying to convince them to return. When one of their number died, they buried them in mounds of earth, hoping that Dyeus would come and take the deceased back to the heavens, as he had Ane.” Itzurra raised her head and looked at Sirona sadly. “The fact is, the descendants of Dyeus and Ane became so obsessed with the realm of the gods, they squandered their magic. That’s how most of it was lost. But the things they built still possess a little of their power.
Opening hours of Villa Borghese
The park is open 24 hours a day. For Villa Borghese, we often make a shortcut because we are talking about the Borghese Gallery, which is one of the museums in the Villa Borghese Park. As you can see, this post is mainly about the Borghese Gallery, which is the flagship museum of Rome's famous park.Here are the Villa Borghese opening hours:
- possible visit from Tuesday to Sunday
- from 9 am to 7 pm (last entry at 5 pm!)
- Closing of Villa Borghese on December 25 and January 1.
- Attention, the conditions of visit to Villa Borghese (or rather to the Borghese Gallery) are quite particular. It is essential to have a reservation for Villa Borghese (reservation must be made online here). It is not possible to buy a ticket for Villa Borghese on the site.
ليست هناك تعليقات :
إرسال تعليق