Baroque Grotto, Palazzo Borromeo

This Baroque grotto (17th c.) on the ground floor of Palazzo Borromeo incorporates marine motifs with shells, pebbles, and stucco to evoke a subterranean seascape. It served as a cool retreat during summer and as a display of noble refinement. Such grottos were prized in aristocratic residences as emblems of status and fascination with natural artifice.