WPC: Creepy Sacred Forest

Even though Wiki says that Sacro Bosco, the park of Bomarzo near Viterbo in Italy, also called Park of the Monsters, was “intended not to please, but to astonish”, the creepiest thing in it is the dog cage they offered to house the dog during our visit, since dogs are strictly forbidden. Rather sorry now that I didn’t shoot that.

My uncle immediately protested at the sight of it and volunteered to wait outside with him. So I had to dash, but was still able to shoot the monsters from the hip.

The order to build the park came from patron of the arts Pier Francesco Orsini in the 16th Century upon the death of his beloved wife. After almost two centuries of neglect it was restored in the 1970’s and now you need to pay to visit it and mind any (non-eyeseeing) dog elsewhere.

I don’t know about how it was then, with all the swooning ladies and terrified children, but it is still very effective. As for creepy: what is creepy for me, might be just another Sunday morning for another. You’re welcome.

At first glance it seems a park just like any other.

Or is it.

Even though they gave me a little plan, I lost myself almost immediately. I’ve got that from fairy-tales. So the first fellow took me by surprise.

And then I was trying to hurry, get back on track, not miss any of the statues and take as many photos without thinking. This is what came out:

Not your usual 16th Century mermaid

Dragon lady

Come rest in my lap.

What exactly is this bear doing?

Not too creepy, but painful.

Looks like Poseidon to me.

This elephant has had it.

Well – creepy needs work.

I dare you to drink here.

To rest or to die?

Hmmm…

Yep, dead.

A lion-fighting dragon.

A very cool leaning house. You can enter and the floor is so askew that you get all dizzy upon exit.

He saw you first.

Turtles are not what they seem.

Amore remembered this whale the most from almost 40 years ago.

Not creepy at all.

After I’d already spent my promised half an hour – it was more like one – and thought I was done, I came upon the tallest and most dramatic statue. Luckily there were some workers passing to give you perspective.

Rather than creepy, the Bomarzo Park of the Monsters is a kind of curiouser place, and has inspired many artists, including Dali and Niki de Saint Phalle. It is worth more than just one hour of your time. There is a lovely Etruscan pyramid in the neighbourhood too but we left it for another time.

Photo: MM

In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Creepy.”