In 1747, when Giuseppe Vasi published this etching, Porta Pinciana, one of the minor gates of Rome, was kept open only to allow access to Villa Borghese and some other suburban villas. In
In 1747, when Giuseppe Vasi published this etching, Porta Pinciana, one of the minor gates of Rome, was kept open only to allow access to Villa Borghese and some other suburban villas. In 1808, after the Borghese had enlarged their property by buying neighbouring estates, a new entrance to their villa was opened near Porta del Popolo and Porta Pinciana was closed.
The ancient Romans called this area Collis Hortulorum (Garden Hill) with reference to its many horti, large houses surrounded by gardens, e.g. Horti Sallustiani; the gate and the hill were named after a mansion belonging to the Pincii family in the IVth century AD (you may wis