Römisches Institut der Görres-Gesellschaft
A romantic oasis in the south of Rome: Ninfa
Prof. Michael Matheus from Mainz, former director of the German Historical Institute in Rome, presents the results of tens of years of research with contributions from various authors in a magnificent book with fascinating photos. Ninfa, the magical nymph city, is an excellent destination for an excursion to the south of Rome, because there is still a beautiful, extensive garden in splendid natural surroundings.
Until now, it was assumed that the garden and the ruined city of Ninfa were virtually unknown until the 1920s, with a few exceptions such as Ferdinand Gregorovius. Ninfa became an internationally perceived travel and discovery destination. This process of discovery and exploration is described in the book with an interdisciplinary approach (history, literature, art history, history of photography, history of medicine and pharmacy). As an example, it shows how, in the context of the Romantic aesthetics of ruins and beyond the favourite routes of the poet prince Goethe, a hitherto little-noticed Italian cultural landscape was perceived.
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- Written by: Stefan Heid
- Category: Recommended reading