In 1739, Marquis Filippo Gentili, commander of the papal guard corps, and his brother, the Papal Cardinal Antonio Saverio, purchased some gardens near Porta San Lorenzo in order to build a splendid residence, possibly designed by Filippo Raguzzini. The villa had a large green area that extended along Viale Pretoriano, enhanced by a hanging garden at the top of the Aurelian Walls; a recent restoration by the Superintendency made it possible to recover this area, which can now be visited by appointment.
On the inner side of the walls, visible from Viale Pretoriano, we can appreciate a restoration of the walls and an architectural backdrop in the form of a portal, part of the 18th-century garden of Villa Gentili.
On the outer side, along Viale di Porta Tiburtina, the ancient brick walls with their towers are visible, and further on, the body of the villa built to straddle the ancient walls.
