3The Apartment of Princess Isabelle

Isabelle Colonna was born in Sursock, from a wealthy family of Byzantine origin. She fell in love with Prince Marcantonio, who brought her to Italy where she became an aristocratic socialite.

The Princess Isabelle Apartments are in a 15th century wing of the palace. There, she received many royals, including Queen Elizabeth. The beautiful apartments have a theatrical and almost Venetian-like vibe, they’re so extravagant. The furnishings and arrangements are exactly as they appeared when the Princess died in 1984. This is where you’ll find a collection of small paintings on copper by Jan Breughel the Elder. The delicate frescos (some by Pinturicchio) depict the pastoral countryside. You can almost hear the birds chirping. The Hall of the Fountainis literally the stuff of legend. The ceiling is decorated with elaborate Renaissance frescoes featuring Greek and Roman heroes. Near the wall rests a surviving panel of a scattered Renaissance altarpiece. The fountain itself is a 15th century marble basin mounted on an ancient frieze-covered base.

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