Description

The Casina was originally a farmhouse, transformed by Valadier into a small neo-classical villa with terraces, loggias, columns and capitals for Cardinal Della Porta. The bust of astronomer Angelo Secchi stands in the small square in front of the house and, if you look carefully, you will see a small hole that indicates the point where the meridian passes through Rome. The Casina was originally built on an ancient Roman water tank whose pipes were used as a hiding place during the Sacking of Rome in 1527. Now it is a fashionable café-restaurant where artists and intellectuals meet. It is reached by going up the Viale D'Annunzio towards the Pincio, then taking the Via Belvedere, and finally the Via A. Mickievicz.