In the history of Western culture, gardens have been seats of power, sacred areas, schools of philosophy, open-air museums, nature landscapes, and theatres of chivalrous dreams. This book provides a history of gardens, from their origins up to the 15th century, and examines the crucial episodes in the formation and development of green spaces, in the context of social and political events marking the history of Europe and the Near East. Gardens are a cultural construct, expressing the relationship between humanity and nature in its various forms. The author explores gardens’ religious, political, architectural, artistic, botanical and literary aspects. Through the history of gardens, the book depicts the dialogue involving humans and landscapes.

Carlo Tosco teaches History of Architecture at the Polytechnic University of Turin.