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Calchi Marliani

CALCHI MARLIANI FAMILY'S (1680-1820)

In 1477, when Giovanni Calco died, his belongings passed over to his son and then to Bartolomeo Calco (1434-1508), who was the first Prime ducal Secretary of the State of Milan, during the age of Lodovico il Moro.
After his death in 1508, those belongings passed over to his sons, among which Polidoro Calco (?-1539) who was the Governor of the State of Milan. The possesions related to Vescogna were later split into different parts and the northern portion of them was given to Antono Maria, son of Polidoro and to his son Giovanni Battista Mauro Calco, born in 1567.
Giovanni Battista's doughter married Giulio Marliani, hence these belongings were finally owned by Marliani's family, passing to his sons Luigi, Giuseppe and his grandson count Luigi.
Toward the end of the XVII century, the Marliani's, probably Luigi himself or his son, built a big villa on the northern portion of the hill of Vescogna.
The cartography of the land registry in 1721 shows the ultimate "U-shape" of the villa facing the south-west (Sartirana Briantea). The area south-west was built by including and transforming pre-existing buildings; a courtyard was also created together with other buildings serving for rural aims. A new central portion of the house was constructed as well, including dreds, a cellar on the main front, a big gate was created and on both side of it, there were two spiral staircases taking upstairs. on the side wings of the main courtyard, two porches with columns were also built up.
At the end of the XVIII century, the count Luigi Marliani (1736-?) found himself covered by debts and he was forced to give away his properties in Masnago in the territory of Varese and Calco. These properties were "holdings with rural houses and a big noble house with a courtyard with garden, croft and nets for catching birds, for total amount to 788 perches".
The whole property was sold during an austion in 1804 to Andrea Cavalli Lanfredi, an inhabitant of the city of Milan. From that time on, there was a period of continuous divisions and hand overs until it became mostly possession of Don Andrea Forti, priest of Arlate, between 1821 and 1826.
(ref. Historic and cadastral research by G.Medolago)
(ill. "Calchi's family coat of arms - Trivulziano Code - 1390")