THE VILLAS OF VENICE
The villas of Venice, rural residences for nobles during the Republic, are one of the most interesting aspects of the Venetian countryside. They are surrounded by elegant gardens, suitable for fashionable parties of high society. Most of these villas have been designed and painted by famous architects and painters like Palladio and Veronese.
According to the architects, water around the villas was a very important architectural element because it added more brilliance to the façade. Even the internal and decoration were in particular very important.
VILLA BARBARO
Villa Barbaro in Maser (Treviso) was designed by Palladio and frescoed by Veronese. It was built for Daniele Barbaro, Patriarch of Aquila and his brother Sant'Antonio Barbaro, a diplomatic. The construction began in 1549 and ended in 1558.
The villa first descended through female lines in the same family until 1938. In 1934 Giuseppe Volpi acquired the villa and began the restoration which gave its actual appearance. Four Ionic columns sustain the facade: this style takes inspiration from the temple of "Fortuna Virilis" in Rome.
On the sides, farm buildings extend symmetrically both on the left and on the right of the central structure. The two side buldings have dovecotes with a large sundial on the facade. This structure has also inspired American architects for the construction of The House of Congress. As for the interior, the central residence is painted with beautiful frescoes made between 1560 and 1562 by Paolo Veronese.
Address: Maser, Treviso
Phone: 0423 923004;
fax: 0423 923002
VILLA CORNARO
Villa Cornaro is in Piombino Dese, just 30 km away from Venice. It was constructed in 1552–53 for Giorgio Canaro, the youngest son of a wealthy family. It represents the most remarkable example of Venetian villa: it was the first one to change the concept of residence, away from the style of fortress.
The facade was made as a portico–loggia that was flexible to infinite modifications and elaborations. The interior space is harmonious, the villa's central core forms a square in which there are six repetitions of an elegant standard module.
The structure shines for its elegance and sophisticated decorations. Villa Cornaro became, soon after it was finished, an imitated model all over the world, especially concerning colonial American architecture.
Even Thomas Jefferson took Villa Cornaro as a base for recreating his own villa in Monticello.
Address: Cavasagra di Veldrago, 31050 Treviso
Phone: 0423 481440
Email: info@villacorner.it
VILLA FOSCARI
Villa Foscari, also known as "La Malcontenta" was built by Palladio in 1550 for the brothers Nicolò and Alvise Foscari. We don't know exactly the origin of the name; probably it was the name of the village in which it was built, but it's possible that it took inspiration from a melancholic picture of a woman in the villa.
At that time the villa became the fulcrum of a new flowering country life, with its economical and social activities. In 1800 the villa was unfortunately abandoned and only in the XX° century it was restored by private citizens and state authorities.
As for its structure, the villa is higher than the ordinary ones, as Palladio said in this manner every upper floors were destined to the owners. In the main room there is a fresco of Giambattista Zelotti, but unfortunately it's in bad shape. In the other rooms there are frescoes of Franco Battista, and again Zelotti.
Address: San Marco 2818
Opening Hours:
Tuesday and Saturday mornings: 9:00am – 12:00pm
Other days and times by appointment
Phone: 041 420012; fax: 041 5449727 (from May to October)
Phone: 041 5203966; fax: 041 2770024 (from November to April)
Email: info@lamalcontenta.com
VILLA VENIER
The erection of the villa dates back to the second half of the XVII° century, built for the Michieli family. When the villa passed in the hands of the Venier, it was extended: the last floor was added while some parts of the villa were removed by the architect Lorenzo Boschetti who probably built also the family chapel.
In the beginning of the XIX° century the architect Carbone added two lateral rooms to the main central building connecting them with arcades. The villa was used by Domenician Sisters for some years, but nowadays Villa Venier is property of a private citizen.
VILLA REZZONICO
Villa Rezzonico, a historical Venetian villa placed between Padua and Rovigo, became the residence of the count Diodato Seriman, a rich Arabian merchant at the end of the XVII° century. Seriman used this residence only as a farm estate.
At about the first half of the XVIII° century, the villa passed to the hands of the Serbelloni family who enlarged it according to a mixed Lombard – Venetian taste.
In 1800 villa Rezzonico became the residence of Widmann who later took the name of the Rezzonico family.
Address: Via Rotta Sabadina, 23
35040 Sant'Urbano (PD)
Phone: 0425 29163 – 0429 696322; fax: 0425 29164
VILLA PISANI
Villa Pisani in Stra was committed in 1720 by Alviso and Almoro Pisani to Gerolamo Frigimelica; after his death the project was given to Francesco Maria Preti.
The villa has 114 rooms, conserving the original furniture of the XVII° century; statues and frescoes of famous painters like Fabio Canal, Jacopo Guarana, Andrea Urbani, Gian Battista Tiepolo, embellish this marvellous villa. The masterpiece of Gian Battista Tiepolo The Glory of Family Pisani is located in this villa.
In the past, famous historical people like Napoleon, Mussolini and Hitler choose villa Pisani as their own residence for a while. Villa Pisani represents the perfect conjunction between baroque sumptuous forms and elegant, harmonious style of Classicism.
VILLA CONTARINI
Villa Contarini is a splendid Baroque style palace surrounded by a 40 ha beautiful nature, parks and lakes.
The building of this villa spread out through a couple of centuries. It started in 1546 by the will of the Venetian particians Paolo and Francesco Contarini. They hired the famous architect Andrea Palladio for this project. Through time, the villa was enlarged, changed and got its final look in the XVII° century. Villa Contarini has its own chapel which was designed by Tommaso Temanza.
Nowadays Villa Contarini hosts numerous exhibitions, music concerts and congresses.
Phone: (0039) 049 5590347
Open Hours:
– March 1st–October 31st every day from 9:00 to 19:00; Closed on Wednesdays
– November 1st–February 28th every day from 10:00 to 16:00; Closed on Wednesdays
