It was the eldest son, Gregory, a Cardinal, Bishop of Padua, and future Saint, who inspired the profound symbolism of the project designed by the principal architect and papal fountain designer Luigi Bernini. Indeed, Cardinal Gregory Barbarigo, following a solemn vow made by his father to Our Lord in 1631, wished that the Valsanzibio garden be a monumental emblem of the path of perfection that leads man from Error to Truth, from Ignorance to Revelation.
This exceptional example of a Baroque garden consists of over 60 statues carved in Istrian stone, largely created by Merengo, and an equal number of minor sculptures integrated into architecture, streams, waterfalls, fountains, ponds, water tricks, and fishponds, amidst countless trees and shrubs, covering more than 10 hectares. Additionally, within the complex and a significant stop on the Path of Salvation, are the Boxwood Labyrinth, the symbolic Hermit’s Grotto, the Rabbit Island, and the Monument to Time.
