Horace's Villa and monastery of St. Antony from Padova

Not far distant from the little church of the Madonna di Quintiliolo, on the way from Tivoli towards Marcellina, in the heart of the tiburtine countryside, with a wonderfull and panoramic view on the historic center of Tivoli and on the roman countryside, just in front of the Great waterfall, is located the lovely little church of St. Antony from Padova, dated from Thomas Ashby to 1485, and the ex monastery with a beautiful terraced garden.
The church and the monastery, built by Franciscan monks, are located on the ruins of a roman villa dated to about 60 BC and constructed on three levels.

View of monastery of St.Antony

It's believed that it has belonged to Horace (65 b.C. - 8 b.C.), the famous latin lyric poet and satirist. In fact about 38 b.C. he was introduced by Virgil and Rufus to Mecenate, who after some delay took him under his protection and patronage, and in about 33 b.C. gave him a villa in Licenza, beyond Tivoli. In the lower level of the Villa you can see a wonderfull ninfeo, dated to the republican age (perhaps between 75 and 50 b.C.).

It is believed that, not far from church of St. Antony, there are the ruins of Cinthia's Villa, the favourite of Propertius.
The monastery was abandoned around 1870 and it was acquired from G.H. Hallam in order to pass in 1878 to Frederick Searle. Now it's a private house.