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Places to Visit

The Villas

The family villas, of wich many were built between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries in Brianza, where already many hunting lodges and country houses converted from pre existing castles and fortresess stood, became part of a landscape that was the result of a slow and painful evolution. Around the sixteenth century, the Milanese nobility began building elegant country houses to seek refuge from the hot summer in the city. This was how the plains and hills of Brianza became dotted with villas, usually with spectacular gardens. Brianza, for centuries, has been enriched by large and small houses that came to compose an extraordinary art wealth, only comparable to those in the regions of Veneto, Tuscany, Lazio and the Vesuvius. The area around Villa La Vescogna, at the eastern boundary of this region, has preserved better than others this precious heritage. Some fine examples can be visited today.
(ill. Villa Subaglio, postcard, 1930)

VILLA SUBAGLIO
Via Emilio Bianchi 1, Merate - info: 039.9992716 - from Vescogna 3,2 km

The villa is situated in a panoramic position on hill in Merate that allows a wide view of the hilly lanscape that crowns the Brianza. From Cassina Subaglio or Subaj, owned by the marquis Rescali, already existings in the second half of the eighteenth century, several works of annexation and new buildings led to the current state of the holyday home.
Of noteworthy features are the gardens, that manifest themselves as a unit even though they are composed of very different environments: a formal italian style gardens, a large lawn that is the core to which the english garden embraces, an artificial and a natural wood. Previously owned by the Prinetti family, in 1990, by which time the villa and grounds were in poor condition, the property went to a new owner who has been engaged in restoring the villa and who saved the entire complex from darkness of oblivion.
(ref."Ville della Brianza - M.Mauri, D.F.Ronzoni")

VILLA CASTELBARCO, PINDEMONTE REZZONICO
Via Cesare Cantù 17/b, Imbersago - info: 039.9920779 - from Vescogna 3,4 km

The original building dates back to the second half of the seventeenth century. Born as a summer residence for counts of Castelbarco Pindemonte Rezzonico, the structure has been enlarged over the centuries and an intervention in the late nineteenth century, which changed the perspective lines with the creation of the staircase on the main facade and the roof-terrace, gave it its present imposing look.
The service area entrances were kept hidden in narrow alleys, while the opening of the main courtyard and terrace on the raised edge of the large park in english style, are some of the key important features of the monumental structure that helped keep the aspects of family life as "garden of delights", so dear to the ninteenth century.

VILLA SOMMI PICENARDI
Viale Sommi Picenardi 8, Olgiate Molgora - info: 039.508333 - from vescogna 3,2 km

Best known for its garden, the villa Sommi Picenardi is one of the best known models of stately homes in Brianza. Former residence of the Trotti family, it was altered during the eighteenth century and radically restructured in the early twentieth century, when it was given the classic U shape.
Its famous italian style garden dates back to the eighteenth century, characterized by a rich architectural lines, with staircases, balaustrades with statues, a mosaic grotto, belvederes and cypress paths. A great english style park crowns the front of the building.
(ref."Ville della Brianza - M.Mauri, D.F.Ronzoni")

VILLA ORSINI COLONNA, FALCO' MOMBELLO
Via Copernico 1, Imbersago - info: 039.9902064 - from Vescogna 3 km

One of the most important examples of patrician country houses, the villa Orsini Colonna is situeted on the hill of Mombello near Imbersago. Built in the sixteenth century by Airoldi, it was enlarged and remodeled into a U shape structure in the eigthteenth century.
It was then passed on to the prince Pio Falcò and extensively rebuilt at the end of the nineteenth century through the intervention of the architect Achille Majnoni, which gave the villa its sumptuous baroque character, especially in its interior. With its large italian style garden (restored in 1920), with terraces, balaustrades, statues, fountains and "carpinate", the villa is one of the most interesting vivification of entire Brianza landscapes.
(ref."Ville della Brianza - M.Mauri, D.F.Ronzoni")