The Caravaggio ceiling at Casino dell'Aurora

Why it is on the list

Cardinal Francesco Maria del Monte commissioned the ceiling of his alchemy room in 1597: Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto, in oil on plaster, the only mural Caravaggio painted. It was covered at some point and found again in 1969.¹ Downstairs, the central hall carries Guercino's Aurora of 1621 to 1623, the painting that gave the house its name.² The house has belonged to the Ludovisi and then the Boncompagni Ludovisi family since 1621.²

It is a family house, not a museum.² For a morning under St Peter's instead, take the Scavi tour to the tomb of St Peter.

How to get it

Write to info@villaludovisi.com and ask for a private guided visit; the family takes visits for a single party or for a group.³⁴ The same address books the house for private events.³ The villa has been offered at auction several times since 2022, so confirm the date in writing before you plan around it.⁵

Discretion

The villa stands behind high walls on what is left of the Ludovisi grounds, and it is still a family house.⁵²