THE SECRETS OF ROME
Today we recommend you visit the Museum of the Casina delle Civette, in the park of Villa Torlonia.
Do you know why it is called so? Its name derives from the fact that the owls are one recurring decoration in the stained-glass windows and majolica.
Until 1938 the Casina delle Civette was the residence of Prince Giovanni Torlonia junior, at the time it was known as the Swiss Hut because of its appearance very similar to that of an alpine hut.
Today it is a museum that looks very enchanting because of its decorations: there are colored majolica and stained-glass windows that depict owls, fairies, swans, peacocks but also ribbons, butterflies, and roses.
If you can also see an Art Nouveau touch on the outside, inside there are sculptures in marble, wrought iron, mosaics, inlaid wood and pictorial decorations. The building was destroyed during the Second World War. Only in 1978, the Casina delle Civette was acquired by the Municipality of Rome, but in 1991 a fire further destroyed the villa.
After a long restoration work lasting five years, the Casina delle Civette is now a space returned to the city and certainly one of the most fascinating for adults and children. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a. m. to 7 p. m. Please note that the ticket office closes 45 minutes beforehand!
THE SECRETS OF ROME: Discovering the Casina delle Civette