The Tarot Garden in Capalbio

Everyone knows that Tuscany is a treasure trove of artistic and architectural masterpieces from the past: Etruscan necropolises, medieval villages, cities with Renaissance charm are renowned worldwide. What is perhaps less known is that here, artistic tradition is kept alive with installations, exhibitions and open-air museums dotted around the entire region. The 'Tarot Garden', located in Garavicchio, near the city of Capalbio in the province of Grosseto, is one of those places that is unexpectedly imbued with all the extraordinary allure of contemporary art.

It was 1979 when Niki Saint Phalle, considered one of the most important sculptors of our century, began working on the creation of her garden inspired by Parque Guell in Barcelona and the work of artists such as Matisse, Picasso, Kandinskij and Klee. The 'Tarot Garden' consists of 12 large steel and concrete sculptures covered with colored glass inspired by the major arcana of the tarot cards. The artist has been helped in this work, spanning 17 years, first by her husband Jean Tinguely, who died in 1991, and was the creator of many of the mechanisms of the moving installations. Workers, sculptors and artists of international fame also collaborated on the realization of the work, entirely financed by Saint Phalle at a cost of 10 million euros.

Visiting the garden arguably means embarking on a dreamlike journey, and the wall that surrounds it - wanted by Mario Botta - serves precisely this purpose: to clearly separate the magical, unreal space of the garden from the real one of our everyday reality.

The display is also enriched by drawings, quotes and symbols positioned along the path that connects the various installations. Two hectares stretching over a hill, inside which the captivating explosions of colors of the enormous statues interrupt the surrounding wild natural landscape. Another surprising corner of Tuscany, quirky and all to be unveiled.

If, during your travelling, you just love discovering different itineraries and destinations, then you should definitely check out our offer of tours in Florence, in the unusual Florence section, where you will surely find something that takes your fancy!