Villa d'Este [key], name of two famous villas in Italy. One lies near Tivoli, c.20 mi (30 km) E of Rome. Built in 1550 by Pirro Ligorio for Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este, it is decorated with paintings and statues and is surrounded by one of the most beautiful Renaissance gardens in Italy. The garden is adorned with many picturesque fountains. The other Villa d'Este, built (16th cent.) on the west shore of Lake Como, 3 mi (4.8 km) N of Como, with an elaborate park, is now one of the celebrated hotels of Europe.
See study by D. R. Coffin (1960).
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