The secret gardens of Rome were devastated by French bombings

Wars & Conflicts · Published 17 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Hidden behind the grand vistas of the Villa Borghese lie the Giardini Segreti, or secret gardens. Originally designed as private enclosures for rare flowers and citrus trees, these intimate spaces were nearly erased from history by the violence of modern warfare.

The Giardini Segreti were derived from the 'hortus conclusus' tradition, a style of enclosed garden popular during the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Baroque eras. In the 17th century, Cardinal Scipione Borghese commissioned the layout of these gardens, which were intended to be surrounded by walls. By the 1610s, records show payment orders for bulbous plants, and the gardens were used to cultivate rare and exotic species, including citrus trees and various flowers.

The gardens were not merely aesthetic; they served as nurseries and private retreats. One specific garden functioned as a propagation nursery for the other three secret spaces. However, the architectural integrity of these enclosures faced a violent turning point in the 20th century. During the 1940s, the secret gardens were devastated by French bombings, leaving the landscape scarred by the machinery of war.

The destruction continued into the Second World War, which saw the loss of new flowerbeds and the disappearance of the Narcissus fountain. While the gardens were opened to the public in 1903 and underwent various rearrangements—including the removal of 'inappropriate' plants—very little of the original 17th-century layout remains today. What survives is a palimpsest of history, where the delicate artistry of the Baroque era meets the heavy impact of 20th-century conflict.

Today, the area remains a site of guided tours, but the physical evidence of the bombings and subsequent wars serves as a reminder of how fragile cultural heritage is. The gardens transitioned from a private 'hortus conclusus' to a public park, but their history is inextricably linked to both the patronage of the Borghese family and the destructive forces of global warfare.

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