Villa dei Vescovi is the most important pre-Palladian country house of the Renaissance in the Veneto Region. You can visit the Villa, it's frescoes and art-works, sit under the loggias and have a cup of tea or a glass of wine. Stroll in the vineyard and relax in the large park. Kids find a place where to run, hide and play.
Villa dei Vescovi is the most important pre-Palladian country house of the Renaissance. Having remained extraordinarily intact up to the present day, it has conserved its timehonoured relationship of harmonious correspondence with the surrounding countryside, a trait that was considered crucial by the artists who designed and built it. Immersing yourself in its atmosphere is an unforgettable experience that allows you to capture the true essence of this property: it is a place in which to reflect, to find yourself, to come to a standstill and savour the pure beauty of the interiors and the countryside round about; but at the same time, it is a place for exchange, dialogue and progress, which served as the backdrop for the vibrant meetings of a large group of illuminated humanists.
Historical outline - Built between 1535 and 1542 on an embankment of the Euganean Hills as a holiday home for the bishop of Padova, the Villa was designed by the Veronese painter and architect Giovanni Maria Falconetto, under the direction of Alvise Cornaro, an erudite Venetian. Other great architects worked on the building in the wake of Falconetto, including Giulio Romano, Andrea da Valle and Vincenzo Scamozzi, and various vicissitudes resulted in alterations to the original master plan. Nonetheless, the Villa dei Vescovi still embodies a large part of the architectural ideal of its creators, remaining a “Delightful place (…) a superb palace with graceful gardens”, according to the 17th-century description by Paduan Angelo Portenari. The piano nobile is enriched by a cycle of frescos on which the Flemish painter Lambert Sustris started work in 1542, many of which faithfully evoke the sublime surrounding landscape. When you reach the end of your visit, we would invite you to spend some time sitting quietly under the Loggias, which will allow you to immerse yourself yet further in the beauty of the landscape and the truly special ambience of this villa – a place that stimulates contemplation, reflection and meditation.
The Villa has been donated to the Italian Heritage Trust, FAI Fondo Ambiente Italiano, who carefully restored it and opened it to the public in 2011.
You can visit the Villa, it's frescoes and art-works, sit under the loggias and have a cup of tea or a glass of wine, stroll in the vineyard and relax in the large park. Kids find a place where to run, hide and play. Wine-tasting, caffetteria and a shop with souvenirs and local products available.
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