Ogre of Parco dei Mostre
For this theme re-posting this giant terrorizing ogre I captured in Parco dei Mostri (park of monsters) in the wooded valley below the Orsini palace in the Italian village of Bomarzo. This mystifying park was created in the 16th century by Vincino Orsini, Lord of Bomarzo, as a lasting tribute to his late beloved wife, Giulia Farnese. He hired architect Pirro Ligorio (he completed the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Rome after the death of Michelangelo) to help bring his conceptual garden to life.
Entering Parco dei Mostri feels like falling into a surreal 16th century dreamscape with giant mythological and fantastical beings nestled on tree covered hills and within darkened hollows. Each monster looks as if a medieval witch turned them into stone, forever freezing their final position and expression. Children and adults climbing on these bizarre creatures and families picnicking near them add to the disconcerting quality of this fantasy land.
33 responses
-
Maura Wolfson-Foster gave props (18 Oct 2009):
Incredible + wonderful green algae!!!
-
Zerina Phillip gave props (18 Oct 2009):
Love this Deborah. All natural. Good find.great entry.
-
Michael Ball gave props (18 Oct 2009):
Awesome shot and entry!! I love this!!
-
Ed Puskas gave props (18 Oct 2009):
Wonderful and fascinating image and story! Well done
-
Donald Garrett gave props (18 Oct 2009):
Great capture and perfect for the theme!
-
Warren ~Mangione~ gave props (18 Oct 2009):
Awesome shot! Primitive, unconscious, Jungian imagery! Wow!
-
Susan Littlefield gave props (18 Oct 2009):
I don't know how excited I'd be to climb thru the door!!! Pretty creepy! But a perfect theme entry!
-
dp * gave props (18 Oct 2009):
Great entry and thanks for the reload. dp
-
Leslie Hunziker gave props (18 Oct 2009):
This is absolutely incredible! I love it.
-
Litz Go gave props (18 Oct 2009):
Awesome choice of theme entry, Deb!
-
Karen K Smith gave props (18 Oct 2009):
Love it and great entry!
-
Jack Sills gave props (19 Oct 2009):
Haaaaaaa...This is So Far Out...Wow, This Rocks...Literally & Figuratively!!!!
-
Regenia Brabham gave props (19 Oct 2009):
This is so very cool!!! Great entry!
-
Hope Harvey-Marose said (19 Oct 2009):
Great shot!
-
JOE FAILK gave props (19 Oct 2009):
Excellent entry!
-
Andrea Petersen gave props (19 Oct 2009):
Love this ...The artist had quite a humorous imagination! The green moss growing on it adds even more to the patina's age...The entrance of the mouth looks very dark and that would be spooky wandering around in there:)
-
Karen Foto Fiddler gave props (20 Oct 2009):
What a great find to enter! It looks as if one could venture inside...can they? This one reason I love JPG...just look at the stories and photos we get to see otherwise we never get to see them!
-
Deborah Downes gave props (20 Oct 2009):
Thanks everyone. Always appreciate your comments and support. As for your question, Karen, yes you can go inside this scary fellow. In fact trying to catch a pic without at least one person hanging out of the mouth is tricky.
-
Lanis Rossi gave props (20 Oct 2009):
Outstanding entry wonderfully captured!
-
elfriede fulda gave props (20 Oct 2009):
Very frightening indeed Deborah,,,great image
-
Nelson Campbell gave props (20 Oct 2009):
How amazing and interesting!! I love the effect of the moss....
-
suzanne said (20 Oct 2009):
Ugh! A giant gurgling gargoyle! He's a beauty of a find Deb. And thank you for blurb on his origins.
-
Joy B gave props (20 Oct 2009):
WHOA, what a find!
-
Judy Wanamaker gave props (20 Oct 2009):
I think my grandchildren would have nightmares of this if they were to go there. That is an indeed frightening figure, Deb. Great entry.
-
Ann Reece gave props (20 Oct 2009):
Wow, great for the theme!
-
Elyseo Nagel said (21 Oct 2009):
hot for theme!!!
-
John Linton gave props (21 Oct 2009):
Rockin' JPG's Theme Park (most excellently).
-
Jan Hoffman gave props (22 Oct 2009):
Excellent; I have seen this before in a Brian Sewell documentary -- but it did not have this dramatic appearance.
-
Vicky Abrams-Ogg gave props (22 Oct 2009):
Excellent entry! How cool would it be to visit there in the dark! Creeepy!!!
-
david ong gave props (22 Oct 2009):
wow!! this is awesome entry!!!
-
eithne mythen gave props (23 Oct 2009):
fantastic entry, even though it is terrifing I want to enter!!
-
Tori Lindo gave props (26 Oct 2009):
Great for theme!
-
Al Gieryna gave props (26 Oct 2009):
Whoa, scary indeed...super
