In 1878 the area came under the control of Count Tellfner of Switzerland, who named it in honor of his wife Ada.

It contains an artificial lake and many trees, including stone pines, holm oaks, laurels and a very rare metasequoia, imported from Tibet in 1940.

The "Bunker Villa Ada Savoia," a bunker built in the early 1940s by the House of Savoy to protect the King and Queen (King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy and Queen Elena) from Allied bombs, is now open for tours.

The non-profit association, Roma Sotteranea,[3] restored the bunker, which had fallen to ruin and had been vandalized, and runs the tours for a small cost.

Also, Benito Mussolini was taken captive by King Victor Emmanuel III during World War II from that house.