Last May 6, Fendi opened the gates of myth and memory with the long-awaited rebirth of the Grotto of Diana at Villa d’Este. Hidden in the lush grounds of the UNESCO-listed estate in Tivoli, just outside Rome, this Renaissance treasure has been shuttered since the 1980s.
Now, after two years of painstaking restoration, it’s back, and more mesmerizing than ever.
Thanks to Fendi’s cultural patronage, in collaboration with the Autonomous Institute of Villa Adriana and Villa d’Este – VILLÆ, the grotto has returned to public view with all the spectacle of a Baroque drama and the precision of a Swiss watch. The restoration, which began in 2023, tackled structural reinforcements, revived centuries-old sculptures and mosaics, and added a discreet modern touch: a protective glass wall to shield the loggia from erosion while keeping its soul intact.
Silvia Venturini Fendi, Artistic Director for Accessories and Menswear, called it “an act of love”. You feel it in every shell-studded alcove and myth-soaked fresco. “It’s a fragment of eternal beauty,” she said, timed with Fendi’s centennial year. Few brands can restore a Renaissance nymphaeum while plotting their next runway moment. Fendi does both, seamlessly.
What Awaits Inside the Grotto of Diana
Built between 1570 and 1572, the grotto is a sensory deep-dive into ancient myth, aquatic wonder, and architectural poetry. Inspired by Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the space fuses marine mosaics, symbolic caryatids, shell inlays, and rich allegory—all underscored by the Este family’s iconic emblems. The journey through the grotto ends on a panoramic terrace with a sweeping view over Rome and the Lazio countryside. Heaven, with better lighting.
Andrea Bruciati, Director of the Villa Adriana and Villa d’Este Institute, called the project “a dialogue between past and present.” It’s also a case study in how fashion’s cultural capital can quite literally rebuild the past.
