The Tarot Garden near Capalbio in Tuscany

The Tarot Garden is a garden which contains sculptures of the symbols found on Tarot cards, created by Niki de Saint Phalle, who was inspired by Gaudi’s work in Barcelona. The artist was born in France in 1930 and in 1979 she started to work on her garden in Garavicchio, in the south of Tuscany, about 110 km north-west of Rome along the coast, near Capalbio. The garden was completed in 1996 and opened to the public in 1998. 

In the Tarot Garden there are twenty-two monumental figures representing the mysteries of Tarot, the major arcana, constructed mainly of reinforced concrete and covered with mirrors and ceramic mosaic. Some smaller figures are made of resin. Some bigger art works are large enough to live inside. In fact, when Niki de Saint Phalle actually stayed in Tuscany while working in the garden she lived in one of the art works called the Empress-Sfinx, a mirror-glassed cavern with kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.

On the website dedicated to the Tarot Garden http://www.ilgiardinodeitarocchi.it/en// you find pictures and a history of the construction of the park, the names of the people who collaborated, and much more.

Since 1997 a foundation preserves the art works and keeps the garden open for the public. The park is open from 1 April until 15 October from 14.30H until 19.30H.

The park's founder Niki de Saint Phalle has decided to grant all visitors free entry the first Saturday in the month January to March and November to December, from 9.00H to 13.00H. If this saturday falls on a public holiday, the Tarot Garden is open the following Saturday.



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