This Is Italy
Do you recognize him? Chances are, this is the most photographed tree in Italy. You can't open a magazine, travel guide or book about Italy without it being there, with the azure blue Tyrrhenian sea as a backdrop. Then it doesn't even have to be about the Amalfi Coast. But there you can actually find it.
The Tree in Ravello
The most famous pine tree in Italy (perhaps in the world) is in the village of Ravello, about 30 kilometers west of Salerno on the Amalfi Peninsula. To be precise, the tree is in the gardens of Villa Rufolo, where local guides will be happy to take you.
The tree is so popular that many tourists want to immortalize themselves with it, which local smart people are of course happy to do for you for a fee. A selfie with you and the tree is a bit difficult to take on the spot, if you want to get it like in the holiday brochures.
The Garden of the Soul
The gardens are on two levels and are known as Giardino dell'Anima (the Garden of the Soul). In themselves they are more than worth a visit. Via a path lined with linden and cypress trees that leads past a Moorish monastery you reach the first level.
Ancient history
The garden was laid out in three phases, the first of which was completed with the construction of the villa in the 13de century. The second phase of construction was during the period when the gardens were visited by the famous Italian writer Boccaccio (1313 – 1375). It took a while for the final phase. Only when the Scotsman Francis Reid left the villa in the middle of the 19de century it was completed.
Wagner and the Magic Garden
Another celebrity is also linked to the gardens. German composer Richard Wagner was also a fan. He used the impressions which he acquired there in the spring of 1880 for the 'magic garden' in his opera Parsifal.
'At last the magical garden of Klingsor has been found," wrote Richard Wagner on May 26, 1880 in the guestbook of Villa Rufolo…
aqueduct
It turned out not to be easy to keep the garden in that spot beautiful for centuries. In particular, there was a lack of water. De Schot installed a clever irrigation system and in 1863, after an agreement with the Ravello city council, he built an aqueduct. It not only supplied water to the garden, but also to a fountain in the village.
Rare rose
The part of the garden over which the famous tree overlooks has a typical Italian courtyard layout; symmetrical borders echoing the architecture of the villas with a mixture of tropical and native plants. The gardens are home to a myriad of roses, including the incredibly rare pink Dijon rose that is on the brink of extinction.
During the 20th century, the garden suffered from the war, from a violent storm and from the construction of a road, part of which was destroyed.
Visit the gardens if you're in the area
The gardens around Villa Rufolo are open daily from 9.00 a.m. to 20.00 p.m. and admission is €5. During a visit to the Amalfi Coast, a visit to the gardens is a pleasant intermezzo to become completely 'zen' and experience the curious mix of scents and to take in colors.
Make sure you have enough memory space and a charged battery in your camera for the multitude of photos you'll want to take. From the garden and from you together with the most famous tree in Italy.
Are you already in the picture of this tree in Ravello? Then send us your photo, we will be happy to publish it on the website or on our social media.
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