🌊Caprarola: between Hercules' club and the Farnese dream

Caprarola is not just a village: it is a story carved in stone and reflected in the water.

Hidden among its hills is an ancient legend, a god who challenges men, and a villa that seems to have emerged from a Renaissance dream.

🏞️ The Legend of Lake Vico: Hercules' Club

It is said that the demigod Hercules, having arrived in the Cimini Mountains, wanted to demonstrate his strength to the locals. He stuck a club into the ground and challenged anyone to pull it out. No one succeeded. When Hercules removed it, a powerful jet of water gushed from the ground and filled the valley, giving rise to Lake Vico .

This legend is immortalised in the Hall of Hercules in Palazzo Farnese , where frescoes narrate the mythical origin of the lake.

🏰 Palazzo Farnese: from fortress to Renaissance masterpiece

In the 16th century, Cardinal Alessandro Farnese the Younger transformed an unfinished fortress into one of the most extraordinary villas of the Renaissance. He entrusted the project to Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola, who maintained the original pentagonal plan, adding a circular courtyard and sumptuous frescoes.

The Via Dritta , a straight road, connects the village to the palace, a symbol of the power and magnificence of the Farnese family.

🌳 Curiosities and mysteries between nature and art

• Monte Venere : according to legend, the mountain emerged completely only after Hercules pulled out his club, creating the lake. Today, it is crossed by paths immersed in a centuries-old beech forest.

• Lake Vico Nature Reserve : established in 1982, it protects an area of 4,109 hectares, including the lake and the surrounding mountain range.

• Symbolic frescoes : each room of Palazzo Farnese tells a story, often with political or esoteric meanings, reflecting the Renaissance worldview.

Caprarola is a place where myth and history merge, offering a unique journey through ancient legends and Renaissance art.