DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61277#0089
BALBI VILLA.
65
with wooden presses around the walls, about six
feet in height; and a double row of presses stood
insulated in the middle of the room, so as to admit
a free passage on every side. The wood of which
the presses had been made, was burned to a cin-
der, and gave way at the first touch.
In the middle of the garden belonging to this
villa was a basin, nearly of the size and form of
the one in the Green Park, having its edges faced
with stone, and the two narrow ends rounded off
in a semi-circular form. This piece of water was
surrounded by beds, orparterres, of various shapes;
and the garden was enclosed on every side by a
portico, supported by columns. These columns
were sixty-four in number; ten on each of the
shorter, and twenty-two on each of the longer
sides of the quadrangle; they were made of brick,
neatly stuccoed over, exactly similar to those in
the Pompeian barracks. Each pillar supported
one end of a wooden beam, the other extremity
of which rested on the garden wall; thus forming
an arbour, in all probability planted with vines,
and extending around the whole garden. Under-
neath this covered walk there were several semi-
circular recesses, which appear to have answered
the purpose of bathing places. The spaces be-
tween the pillars were decorated with marble
g 3
65
with wooden presses around the walls, about six
feet in height; and a double row of presses stood
insulated in the middle of the room, so as to admit
a free passage on every side. The wood of which
the presses had been made, was burned to a cin-
der, and gave way at the first touch.
In the middle of the garden belonging to this
villa was a basin, nearly of the size and form of
the one in the Green Park, having its edges faced
with stone, and the two narrow ends rounded off
in a semi-circular form. This piece of water was
surrounded by beds, orparterres, of various shapes;
and the garden was enclosed on every side by a
portico, supported by columns. These columns
were sixty-four in number; ten on each of the
shorter, and twenty-two on each of the longer
sides of the quadrangle; they were made of brick,
neatly stuccoed over, exactly similar to those in
the Pompeian barracks. Each pillar supported
one end of a wooden beam, the other extremity
of which rested on the garden wall; thus forming
an arbour, in all probability planted with vines,
and extending around the whole garden. Under-
neath this covered walk there were several semi-
circular recesses, which appear to have answered
the purpose of bathing places. The spaces be-
tween the pillars were decorated with marble
g 3