These Monster Sculptures Have Stood Creepily In This Italian Forest For Over 400 Years

by N/A, 10 years ago | 2 min read

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.

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The park was abandoned in the 1580s after Francesco's death, and fell into neglect until 1938.

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.

Clearly, this park is on the spooky side of things, especially being hidden in the woods, but there's something to be said about the inspiration is sprang from and has since caused.

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

Haven't seen enough? Dylan Thuras of Atlas Obscura will happily take you on a tour of the Sacred Wood of Bomarzo (the park's official name) in the video below, in which he explains the entirety of the park's history.

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.