roberto bonfrate
Google
I’m writing this review in English to give this exceptional site the widest possible reach.
It is both a precursor and a testament to a pivotal shift: the transition from the pre-Renaissance worldview to the humanistic one that followed. This villa effectively foreshadowed the explosion of Venetian villas across the mainland over the subsequent two centuries—a movement that, under the mastery of Palladio, would transform them into what is arguably one of the world's most renowned architectural forms.
Its existence stems from the desire of a cardinal and his court of artists to re-embrace the world of ancient Roman patricians and philosophers. They built in the same style, creating a villa outside the city, distanced just enough to sit between lived reality and idealized nature. It was a conscious effort to understand the former by being the thoughtful center of the latter.
The villa was meticulously constructed as a direct imitation of a Roman Villa, complete with the same layout, frescoes, and rooms, all designed with a singular purpose: to elevate the spirit. This was achieved not by retreating from the world, but by encouraging us to understand and investigate it, supported by the classical examples of illustrious men.
This is precisely why you should visit. It has been built, rebuilt, and saved countless times by patrons across the centuries who understood its profound value. Its history still holds the answers to many of our most pressing contemporary questions.
