Beautiful Photos of Sophia Loren at Her Grand Roman Villa in 1964

In the summer of 1964, Alfred Eisenstaedt paid a visit to Sophia Loren at her grand villa in Rome that she shared with her life-long husband, producer Carlo Ponti. This could be seen as the fulfilment of the promise that Ponti made to Loren when they got married in 1957, that he would give her “the most beautiful house in the world.” And indeed it was. The magnificent lovebirds bought the 16th-century Roman villa in 1954 and began renovating it in 1960. It includes a riding stable, an aqueduct, a tennis court, an orchard an a pool house, while the main villa has a total of 50 rooms and decorated with stunning frescoed walls.

Here are 31 photographs capture Sophia Loren at her grand villa in 1964, taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt for Life:

Sophia Loren swimming in the pool at her villa.

Sophia Loren swimming in the pool at her villa.

Sophia Loren in the pool with colorful beach balls.

Sophia Loren wearing a pink wrap and straw hat out by the pool at the villa.

Sophia Loren standing on balcony of her study talking to Carlo Ponti who is standing in the garden below.

Sophia Loren and Carlo Ponti on the edge of their 135-foot swimming pool.

Sophia Loren and Carlo Ponti posing in front of a large fountain at their villa.

Sophia Loren outside at her villa picking roses.

Sophia Loren in a garden on the grounds of her villa.

Sophia Loren giving her niece a kiss.

Sophia Loren about to kiss another woman (prob. sister).

Sophia Loren plays with her niece on the litttle island of the man made pond on the grounds of her villa.

Sophia Loren at her villa.

Sophia Loren in her bedroom at the villa.

Sophia Loren and husband Carlo Ponti lying across a bed together.

Sophia Loren having lunch on a second floor terrace of her villa.

Sophia Loren and Carlo Ponti lying on a couch in their villa.

Sophia Loren in a beautiful pink dress coming downstairs at her villa.

Formal picture of Sophia standing in the main living room of her villa.

Sophia Loren swimming in the pool at the villa.

Carlo Ponti on the terrace while Sophia Loren talks to him from above.

Sophia Loren and Carlo Ponti sitting on the terrace during breakfast.

Sophia Loren and Carlo Ponti out on the terrace of their villa having breakfast.

Sophia Loren wearing a white dress, sitting in front of a painting in her villa.

Sophia Loren in one of the rooms of her villa.

Sophia Loren entertaining Vittorio de Sica, his wife and Marcello Mastroianni in the formal dining room.

Sophia Loren entertaining Vittorio de Sica, his wife and Marcello Mastroianni in the formal dining room of her villa.

Sophia Loren horseback riding.

Sophia Loren holidng guitar, in her study with her faithful secretary Ines Bruscia.

Sophia Loren in her study with faithful secretary Ines.

Sophia Loren standing on a balcony at the villa.