Villa Mirafiori, now home to the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy of the Sapienza University of Rome, is located not far from Villa Torlonia in Rome.

History and Description

Built between 1874 and 1878, Villa Mirafiori was the Roman residence of Rosa Teresa Vercellana, Countess Fontanafredda and Mirafiori, nicknamed "la bella rosin," the morganatic wife of King Vittorio Emanuele II.

A three-story Neo-Renaissance palace, the villa also includes a small chapel with stained-glass windows. It has been used as a university faculty since December 2, 1980. The garden, enclosed by thick walls, is home to various species of exotic plants and a fountain adorned with a statue of Saint Francis of Assisi.

In Cinema

Villa Mirafiori served as a setting for the films The Innocent by Luchino Visconti (1976) and Al di là del bene e del male (1977) by Liliana Cavani