Pincian Hill

The Pincio as seen today was laid out in 1809–14 by Giuseppe Valadier;[1] the French Academy at Rome had moved into the Villa Medici in 1802.

[4] The Piazza Napoleone – in fact Napoleon's grand urbanistic example was set from a distance, as he never visited Rome – is a grand open space that looks out over Piazza del Popolo, also laid out by Valadier, and provides views to the west, and of the skyline of Rome beyond.

Valadier linked the two spaces with formal staircases broken by generous landings, and a switchback carriageway.

Embriaco had presented two prototypes of his invention at the Paris Universal Exposition in 1867 where it won prizes and great acclaim.

[6] In the gardens of the Pincio, it was Giuseppe Mazzini's urging[7] that lined the viali with busts of notable Italians.