Just in front of Ravello Cathedral stands a 13th-century Moorish tower that serves as the entrance to the striking Villa Rufolo. The large villa complex is named after the family of wealthy merchants who first owned it, before falling into disgrace in 1285. It later belonged to other prestigious local families.
The style that prevails in this magnificent complex is Arab-Norman, most evident in the magnificent Moorish Cloister, built with a double order of columns in Arab-Sicilian style.
The oldest element of the complex is the Main Tower, which has three floors and a total height of 30 meters. There is a beautiful view from the mullioned windows on the second floor.
Another iconic structure in the villa is the Knights' Hall, with large arched openings, which at one time was probably connected to the tower and was topped by a dome.
The real jewel of the complex is the gardens, arranged on several levels, where you can see some wonderful native and exotic plants.
They are the result of restoration work carried out by Lord Francis Nevile Reid, who purchased the mansion in the mid-nineteenth century.
He even had an irrigation system built, at his own expense, which provided water from the aqueduct not only to the villa but also to Piazza Vescovado.
It is to Lord Nevile Reid that we owe the splendid Klingsor Garden, in a romantic style typical of the nineteenth century, and the delightful Belvedere, a viewing terrace that is planted with several varieties of roses, some of them very rare.
There was once even a small spa complex and a Turkish bath in the gardens, the remains of which you can still admire today.
In the main part of the villa, you can visit the eight Superior Rooms, which look onto the sea. Unfortunately, nothing remains of the 19th-century furniture, but the balconies, ceramic floors and blue and white door decorations are still delightful.
Let me leave you with an interesting fact: in 1880, the Villa hosted the great German musician Richard Wagner, who fell so deeply in love with the gardens that they inspired him to compose the second act of his opera Parsifal. In memory of his visit, the Ravello Festival is held here every year, thanks to which Ravello is known as the City of Music.
