Palladian and other Villas in the Veneto
Andrea Palladio lived from 1508 to 1588 and in that time he transformed the Italian ideas of house design and living. He was one of the first renaissance architects to move on from fortified houses to gracious living houses. He studied ancient roman architecture and used many ideas from it. He designed about 18 villas in the Veneto, many in or near the Berici Hills. There were many rich merchants and bankers in Venice and they all wanted a villa on the shore for a summer home.
Villa Almerico-Capra (La Rotonda)
We visited Villa Almerico-Capra (known as La Rotonda) and were amazed at the internal decoration as well as the architecture. The general idea was symmetry, the first living floor high above the ground, with servants and service below. The frontage of columns and a pediment was taken from ancient Rome. La Rotonda was one of his last designs and was not completed until a year or so after his death. We have since read an article that said the villa was a Palazzo and was never for living - it was an entertainment suite.
Long shot from road. Front elevation View back down drive Left side elevation
Villa Valmarana
Villa Valmarana was completed in 1669. Whilst it was not designed by Palladio it uses many of his ideas. It is situated higher up the hill from La Rotonda. This villa and La Rotonda are owned by the Valmarana family of Venice. The family also seem to have been connected with more than these two villas.
Front elevation Rear elevation
Villa Cornaro
This villa by Palladio was built
during his middle period between 1552 and 1559. The interior was mostly plain
white when the villa was built. Frescoes were added in six rooms by Proc. Andrea
Cornaro who commissioned Mattia Balestra.
Villa Emo
Villa Emo was originally just the central part of the present complex. The 2 wings were added about 100 years later. The frescos and painted walls are very impressive and a detail is shown above.
Villa Godi
Villa Godi is reputed to be the first villa that Palladio worked on, whilst still an apprentice. It lacks the Roman columns and pediment style loggia but has the symmetry of appearance and the entertaining rooms on a high piano nobile. The villa is built about 20 miles north of Vicenza in the foothills of the Dolomites.
Villa Piovene
When we reached Villa Godi we were amazed to find next door to it another villa of really striking appearance. Villa Piovene was an older building which Palladio was asked to modernise, which he did so by remodelling the central portion and adding his trademark loggia. During the next century the wings were added, the stairs at the front entrance were added. About 1703 the grand entrance gates and entrance steps/walk were added. Still later in 1825 a park was modelled on the side of the hill.
Villa Contarini
Villa Contarini was commissioned by Francesco and Paolo Contarini and built in the 16th century. It may have been built on the site of an earlier castle and the architect may have been Andrea Palladio. The villa was continuously modified and adapted over the years. The semi-circular row of apartments, music rooms and other rooms was added as was the connecting gallery. The villa has been associated with music from the earliest days. Vivaldi played some of his compositions there.
