VILLA D'ESTE BERNINI FOUNTAIN RESTORED

One of Villa d'Estes famous fountains, known as Il Bicchierone (or The Great Goblet), has been restored to its former glory after some years of neglect. Although the fountain, which takes the form of a banqueting cup sitting in a sea-shell shaped base, is not the most spectacular of the Tivoli gardens water plays, it is of special interest as it was designed by the great baroque sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1661 for Cardinal Rinaldo d'Este.