{"id":2966388,"date":"2021-12-13T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-13T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lampo.it\/?p=2966388"},"modified":"2025-07-21T08:47:50","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T08:47:50","slug":"veneto-villas-history-and-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lampo.it\/en\/curiosity\/veneto-villas-history-and-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"Veneto Villas, history and culture"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, why don\u2019t you snuggle up on the sofa and make yourself a nice cup of steaming hot tea? We\u2019d like to tell you the story of one of the many wonders of the Veneto region<\/strong>.
\nGet ready to go on a journey from the comfort of your own home!<\/p>\n

Discover the Veneto Villas and their masterpieces<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There are almost 4,000 historic villas<\/strong> in Veneto<\/strong>. For centuries, they were places of study, work, patronage and quintessential Venetian savoir vivre<\/em>. They offer the perfect blend of the area\u2019s rural marvels and the vibrant majesty of stately Venetian buildings.
\nBut what is the story behind them?<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/strong>Coltivar el mar e lassar star la tera<\/strong>\u201d \u2013 Cultivate the sea and forget about the dry land<\/strong><\/p>\n

Until 1345, Venice<\/strong> was a Maritime Republic<\/strong> and its development was based on seagoing trade. Investments in agriculture were avoided due to concerns that they would slow down the rate of growth in the city\u2019s economy. Until that time, inland business activities of all kinds were actually forbidden by the Great Council of the Republic of Venice<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

After approximately half of the people of Venice <\/strong>were killed by the plague in the 14th<\/sup> century, the population of the city quickly increased again thanks to the influx of people from inland areas, which in turn led to the expansion and development of manufacturing activities. As business flourished, merchants and the nobles of both Venice and the inland areas were keen to spend their growing riches on the construction of homes that reflected and underlined their social status, while also serving a practical purpose.
\nThe nobles lived fashionable, luxurious lives in the city. At certain times of the year, it was in their interest to keep a close eye on the agricultural work in the countryside in order to make sure that everything went smoothly and the money kept coming in, but they did not want to miss out on any of the comfort and worldly pleasures to which they were accustomed.<\/p>\n

A sinistra Ph.credit: https:\/\/it.latuaitalia.ru\/art\/le-ville-palladiane\/ \u2013 A destra Ph. credit: http:\/\/www.villacontarini.eu\/galleria-immagini\/<\/h6>\n

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Changing styles over the centuries<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The first villas were spacious Gothic constructions that were often surrounded by land that was yet to be drained and reclaimed. Over the following two centuries, the architecture was increasingly influenced by the Renaissance<\/strong> style and then came the well-known \u201cPalladian\u201d <\/strong>era, during which the most famous villas of the 17th<\/sup> century were built.<\/p>\n

What never changed <\/strong><\/h3>\n

While the styles of the villas might have changed over time, there were two factors that always remained constant: water and greenery.
\nThey say that \u201cyou can take a Venetian away from water but you can\u2019t take water away from a Venetian\u201d <\/em>and indeed the majority of the Veneto Villas were built just a short distance from a navigable waterway so that the owners could travel to them easily from their homes lining the Grand Canal<\/strong>. For example, take the Villas on the Brenta river<\/strong>.
\nThe second thing that all of the villas have in common is that they are surrounded by vast green expanses of countryside<\/strong>. The wealthy owners couldn\u2019t enjoy the wonders of nature in the city, so they adorned their second homes with magnificent gardens featuring mazes and all kinds of plants, flowers and animals.<\/p>\n

Veneto Villas: Our recommendations <\/strong><\/h2>\n

We\u2019ve picked out a few of the numerous Veneto Villas<\/strong> that we think are some of the most spectacular in the whole of the Veneto <\/strong>region. They\u2019re great places for unique day trips and they provide you with a wonderful opportunity to discover the countless qualities of the areas around them and their many treasures.<\/p>\n

VILLA PISANI<\/strong> in Stra<\/h3>\n

Villa Pisani<\/strong> is probably one of the best known Veneto Villas. Its stand-out features include its stunning garden, its stables, a maze with a tower in the middle, and above all a ballroom with majestic frescoes by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo <\/strong>on the two-storey ceiling. Now home to a national museum, it contains 168 rooms and spans 15,000 m\u00b2. It takes around half a day to look around it all and it\u2019s easy to get there from the motorway. Simply take the Mirano\/Dolo exit and follow the signs. It takes about five minutes to walk to the villa from the centre of Stra.<\/p>\n

Opening times:<\/p>\n