The Tower of Varona (Torre de los Varona) is a tower located in Villanañe, Valdegovia. The origin of this tower dates back to the end of the 14th or start of the 15th century. The surname Varona dates back to the 7th century and came into being with Doña María Ruiz Pérez. From then until the present day, the tower has been inhabited by her direct descendants.
The whole building has been restored by the Provincial Council of Álava. Its interior has several areas that still retain their traditional character and it is possible to see good examples of furniture throughout the various living rooms, which belongs to the owners of the Tower-Mansion. The wallpapers and the collection of ceramics are also very interesting.
The tower stands out on one side of the complex. The whole building is defended by a crenellated barbican and walls with arrow slits, as well as a wide moat filled with water.
References:The Villa d'Este is a 16th-century villa in Tivoli, near Rome, famous for its terraced hillside Italian Renaissance garden and especially for its profusion of fountains: the extraordinary system contains fifty-one fountains and nymphaeums, 398 spouts, 364 water jets, 64 waterfalls, and 220 basins, fed by 875 meters of canals, channels and cascades, and all working entirely by the force of gravity, without pumps. It is now an Italian state museum, and is listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.
Tivoli had been a popular summer residence since ancient Roman times due to its altitude, cooler temperatures and its proximity to the Villa Hadriana, the summer residence of the Emperor Hadrian I.
The Villa was commissioned by Cardinal Ippolito II d'Este (1509-1572), second son of Alfonso I d'Este, the Duke of Ferrara and grandson of Pope Alexander VI, along with Lucrezia Borgia.