Historic Garzoni Gardens
Neptune’s Cave Executed by Ottaviano Diodati it is set in the centre of the first terrace known as the “avenue of the palms”. A wrought-iron gate which originally had gilded ornaments on it leads into the huge cave, composed of an octagonal area, vaulted and entirely encrusted with rocaille-work. In the keystone is an aperture “that lets in a quantity of light proportionate to the quality of the site”. In the niche in front of the entrance wall is Neptune on his chariot drawn by seahorses; on the left and right on the long sides are another two niches with tritons holding sea shells from which water gushes. On the inner bands of the tuff pilasters that frame these niches in an arch are gargoyles that also spout water. In the four smaller corners of the octagon, four smaller niches house fountains in the form of other sea monsters. The floor is decorated entirely in breccia with designs in white and black marble of a Rococo flavour with elements similar to those of the ceiling of the grotticina inside the statue of the Appennino in Pratolino. Present, but camouflaged by the designs of the pavement, are two types of water play: by turning a key the entrance can be blocked by a gate of water, and by turning another the entire grotto can be filled with jets of water that gush out like spokes from the base of Neptune’s pool in the centre. At the entrance and beneath the flights of steps leading to the terrace above are two rooms that may have served as pantries for the preparation of refreshments.