Renaissance of Beauty by Fendi

In the quiet of a spring morning on May 6, one of Italy’s most impressive cultural treasures will awaken to life after nearly half a century of slumber. The Grotto of Diana at Villa d’Este in Tivoli, hidden from public view for decades, will once again shine in all its splendor thanks to the generous patronage of the fashion house Fendi.

This Renaissance gem, built between 1570-1572 at the request of Cardinal Ippolito d’Este, represents a masterful fusion of art and nature. After two years of meticulous restoration that began in 2023, visitors will now experience it in a form that honors its original magnificence.

“The restoration of Diana’s Grotto is an act of love for Fendi,” says Silvia Venturini Fendi, Artistic Director of Accessories and Menswear. “This project is deeply rooted in Rome, where our fashion house was founded in 1925 and where our creative heart still beats. It represents an investment in the future that begins with honoring the past.”

And what a magnificent investment it is. The cross-shaped grotto enchants visitors with unique decorations — mosaics crafted from shells, glass paste, semi-precious stones, and mineral crusts that create a fascinating play of shadows and reflections in soft light. Imposing caryatids with baskets full of golden fruit guard this space, while a central white eagle commemorates the House of Este.

For FENDI, the fashion house established in Rome in 1925 by Adele and Edoardo Fendi, this project represents another chapter in its long-standing commitment to preserving Italian cultural heritage. In this centennial year of the brand’s existence, this jewel of ancient inspiration reopens to the world as proof that true beauty endures through centuries—just like the values FENDI breathes into its creations.