Villa Piovene

Lugo di Vicenza, Italy

Villa Piovene was commissioned in the 16th century for the aristocratic Venetian Piovene family, their architect believed to have been Andrea Palladio. It is part of the World Heritage Site 'City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto' since 1996.

Villa Piovene was built around 1539–40 in competition to and within the immediate vicinity of Villa Godi, which rises only a few hundred metres. Rivalries have been proven to exist between the Piovene and Godi noble families. The villa was the ambitions of Battista Piovene and his son Tommaso Piovene, the latter was probably responsible for commissioning the structure. The Piovene family seemed less interested in matching the size of Villa Godi as they were in the choice of the artisan workshop carrying out the work, that of Giovanni di Giacomo da Porlezza, who also was responsible for the execution of Villa Godi, of the Pedemuro workshop, where Andrea Palladio was employed.

More doubts than certainties surround Palladio's involvement in the execution of the Villa. First of all, the building was not included in the Quattro libri dell'architettura (published 1570), although other certainly autograph villas were also excluded (such as the Villa Gazzotti or the Villa Valmarana at Vigardolo). But it is the characteristics of the building itself which are most perplexing: the plan is hardly sophisticated, the windows pierce the façade without any particular order, and the pronaos is awkwardly joined to the building block.

The villa is certainly the product of three campaigns of work: documents demonstrate the existence of a manorial house, smaller than the present one and certainly constructed before 1541, which was enlarged at a later stage by the addition of the pronaos bearing the inscribed date 1587: so the loggia that projects in the center — six Ionic columns supporting a triangular gable — may have begun by Palladio around 1570 and completed after his death. The extension of the mansion and the vertical window rhythms can also be assumed to have taken place within the 1570s in accordance with Palladio's wishes, though not carried out by him.

Finally, in the first half of the eighteenth century, the architect Francesco Muttoni constructed the actual lateral barchesse (side farm wings), laid out the garden and probably executed the double-ramp stairs which lead to the loggia. The scenographic stair by which one accedes to the villa, however, was certainly realised some years prior together with the handsome gate of 1703.

Today, the villa is seen against a picturesque backdrop of a garden, which was laid out in the 19th century, situated in the plain of the Astico River. In 1996, UNESCO included the building within the World Heritage Site 'City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto'.

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Details

Founded: 1539
Category: Palaces, manors and town halls in Italy

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

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User Reviews

Kathryn Gosciewski (9 months ago)
I visited when FAI was able to conduct visits of the inside! While there aren't any afrescos in the rooms, the history of the family and villa made this a very interesting excursion. Lovely park and gardens as well! One of the owners also produces their own wines(prosecco), which has a lovely label of this villa.
Sabrina T. (12 months ago)
Villa Piovene Porto Godi is located in Lonedo di Lugo di Vicenza. It is a Venetian villa of the sixteenth century, for which the architect Andrea Palladio is thought to have worked in around 1539 and has been included since 1996 in the list of UNESCO world heritage sites, together with other Palladian villas in the Veneto. It was built on a hill 200 meters from Villa Godi Malinverni, as a challenge project given the antagonism and competition between the two families: Piovene and Godi. Due to precarious conditions, only the external garden and the nearby park with adjacent chapel can be visited. The garden is large and from here you dominate the valley below with a wonderful view of the area. The site would need to be recovered and renovated in order to enjoy the wonderful rooms of the villa. There is a parking area just below the entrance with the gate which in the past was the main one. Today, however, the entrance is located next to the villa and is accessed via an uphill road that runs alongside the enclosure wall to the east. Parking and entrance are easy for strollers and wheelchairs but the climb must be taken into account.
Bas Janssen (22 months ago)
One of the most beautifull locations i ever saw and very nice people there!!!! Wish could go every year.
Daniela Testolin (3 years ago)
Beautiful villa on the back a bit neglected! We hope that the interiors will also open because now we only visit the exterior. Super nice park with autumn colors
Elipanni maria rosa (3 years ago)
Beautiful walk on a wonderful day
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