into the possession of Margareta of Parma, daughter of Charles V.,
from whom it derives its name (comp. p. 251). It next belonged
to the Farnese family, and then to the kings of Naples, and is now
the property of Count Caserta and of Princess Maria Theresa of
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. The villa was at one time important
as a model for the arrangement of gardens in Italy, but is now much
neglected. It contains a picturesque, overgrown fountain-basin, a
charming loggia with mouldings and half-effaced frescoes by Giulio
Romano and Giovanni da Udine ( 1520-25), and a room with
a frieze of putti, by Giulio Romano (?). Beautiful view in front of
the villa. — We return to the Via di Porta Angelica, and passing
the barracks (caserme; Pl. I, 7; p. 360.), reach the Ponte Margherita
(Pl. I, 14; p. 178) in about ¾ hr.
Monte Mario (456 ft.) was anciently named Clivus Cinnae,
in the middle ages Monte Malo, and its present name is derived
from Mario Mellini, the owner in the 'time of Sixtus IV. of the
Villa Mellini on the summit. This villa is now included in the
Forte Monte Mario, and not accessible to visitors. The Pine of
Monte Mario, to which Wordsworth wrote a sonnet, is still pre-
served in the garden. Beautiful view from the top of the hill. The
view from the terrace of the, church of the Madonna del Rosario,
on the road, is fine also.
The Villa Mellini and the fort are about 2 M. from the Porta Angelica
by the Via Leone Quarto and the Via Trionfale (comp. Pl. I, 5, 4, 1).
If we follow the road to the N. for ¾ M. more, passing the church of
Sant' Onofrio. (on the right), and then take the field-road leading back
towards the left, we reach the Valle dell' Inferno (p. 118), a deep ravine
through which runs the railway to Viterbo, affording an unimpeded view
of the dome of St. Peter's, framed by the Alban Mountains.
b. From the Porta Salaria.
Omnibus from the Piazza della Cancelleria to the Porta Salaria,
see No. 4 in the Appendix. — From the Porta Salaria to the Ponte
Salario, 2¼ M. — From the Ponte Salario to the Villa Spada (Fidehæ),
2 1/2 M. The railway-station of Sette Bagni and the tramway-station of
Castel Giubileo (on the right bank; p. 430) both lie 1½ M. from the Villa
Spada.
The Porta Salaria (Pl. I, 25), which has been restored since
the bombardment of 20th Sept., 1870 (p. 189), is the starting-point
of the Via Salaria, a very ancient road by which salt was trans-
ported from Rome to the country of the Sabines. The restoration
of the gate brought to light an ancient monument in peperino, re-
sembling that of Bibulus (p. 233).
On the Via Salaria, to the right, ¼ M. from the gate and partly
shut in by unattractive modern houses, is the —
Villa Albani (Pl. I, 25, 28), laid out about 1760 by Carlo
Marchionne for Card Aless. Albani, and embellished with ad-