These Monster Sculptures Have Stood Creepily In This Italian Forest For Over 400 Years
A small town called Bomarzo lies roughly 42-miles north of Rome, Italy, and it is home to a very mysterious collection of 20-hewn sculptures made of rock. These works of art have stood for nearly 400 years in what is known as the Parco dei Mostri ("Park of Monsters").
The sculptures were commissioned by prince and patron of the arts Pier Francesco Orsini in 1552, and although there is no proof as to the exact reason why, they are said to represent his feelings upon returning home from war.
That's when noted surrealist painter Salvador Dalí came across the park full of monsters. He made a short film upon his findings and the park even inspired one of his acclaimed works: The Temptation of Saint Anthony.
View more photos from inside the "Park of Monsters" below, on scenes including, but not limited to:
• a war elephant
• an enormous fish
• two giants dismembering each other
It's a fascinating place that has been delighting visitors with grotesque sculptures for some time now. If you find your way to Italy at any point in the future, this freaky forest is worth a stop over.