Another nice little Bimble. We turned up and drove slowly past to check out if we were at the right location and boom, yes there it was. Pulling over we realised we had inadvertently parked right outside the security hut of the nearest business, deciding that maybe that wasn't the best choice of parking we hurried off in search of slightly more discreet parking.
After driving through a couple of fields (on the tracks obviously!) and getting a few stern looks from the local farmers we located the rear of the building and dumped the car where we hoped it would not be taken out by an angry tractor driving maniac and set of in search of adventure.
Bigjobs was however on the search for something else and was grubbing around in the cornfield next to us in search of a ripe ear of corn. He was somewhat disappointed to discover they were anything but ready for picking and spat the offending item out. (One day babe we will be in the right cornfield at the right time to yoink us some fresh corn on the cob!)
Giving up on the cornfield explore we scuttled up the overgrown path to the villa.
Access was pretty ok, ish, sort of. Up over and in, sounds so easy until you realise your 5 foot 2 and your legs aren't long enough. Your husband is doing his best to help by pushing your arse upwards when you realise that nooooooooooo, you're being pushed a bit too fast and now you're heading for a total faceplant a couple of metres down! Anyway didn't die or faceplant so it's all good!
History (shamelessly stolen from Adam X's photography and Urban Exploration Website, go take a look there too his photos are infinitely better than mine https://adamxphotos.com/2017/07/18/explore-192-villa-rosa-aka-palazzo-l-italy-october-2016/ - erm thanks Adam X)
The villa dates back to at least the 18th century and underwent two large revisions over its history. The original entrance overlooks the gardens and pond, but as the nearby village developed over time, the service entrance became used as the main façade. The second revision to the architecture was in the Neoclassical style.
At the end of the 18th century, the estate passed to a local Count, whose family collected and adorned the villa with many valuable works of art and precious local ceramics and furniture. However, the family later fell on hard times, and the villa was sold to a local lawyer in the 1860s. Records of the sale indicate that many of the opulent furnishings had already been sold by that time.
As the villa passed through various other owners parts of the grounds were sold off, until it was bought in the 1930s by a renowned painter who restored the villa and its remaining gardens over the next two decades. It was raided by partisans during the war (due to a hidden stash of alcohol!), but the owners returned after the war.
However, the decline of the villa began when ownership passed to a Swiss company in the late 1950s, and it has lain empty and disused for many years. In recent years it was declared a National Monument, but despite being put up for sale there appears little sign of a buyer.
I'm not really happy with the photos as I only realised when we got to Italy that I had left my tripod head at home and the majority look like they were taken with a potato
but hey ho, here are a few of the least bad photatoes.
After driving through a couple of fields (on the tracks obviously!) and getting a few stern looks from the local farmers we located the rear of the building and dumped the car where we hoped it would not be taken out by an angry tractor driving maniac and set of in search of adventure.
Bigjobs was however on the search for something else and was grubbing around in the cornfield next to us in search of a ripe ear of corn. He was somewhat disappointed to discover they were anything but ready for picking and spat the offending item out. (One day babe we will be in the right cornfield at the right time to yoink us some fresh corn on the cob!)
Giving up on the cornfield explore we scuttled up the overgrown path to the villa.
Access was pretty ok, ish, sort of. Up over and in, sounds so easy until you realise your 5 foot 2 and your legs aren't long enough. Your husband is doing his best to help by pushing your arse upwards when you realise that nooooooooooo, you're being pushed a bit too fast and now you're heading for a total faceplant a couple of metres down! Anyway didn't die or faceplant so it's all good!
History (shamelessly stolen from Adam X's photography and Urban Exploration Website, go take a look there too his photos are infinitely better than mine https://adamxphotos.com/2017/07/18/explore-192-villa-rosa-aka-palazzo-l-italy-october-2016/ - erm thanks Adam X)
The villa dates back to at least the 18th century and underwent two large revisions over its history. The original entrance overlooks the gardens and pond, but as the nearby village developed over time, the service entrance became used as the main façade. The second revision to the architecture was in the Neoclassical style.
At the end of the 18th century, the estate passed to a local Count, whose family collected and adorned the villa with many valuable works of art and precious local ceramics and furniture. However, the family later fell on hard times, and the villa was sold to a local lawyer in the 1860s. Records of the sale indicate that many of the opulent furnishings had already been sold by that time.
As the villa passed through various other owners parts of the grounds were sold off, until it was bought in the 1930s by a renowned painter who restored the villa and its remaining gardens over the next two decades. It was raided by partisans during the war (due to a hidden stash of alcohol!), but the owners returned after the war.
However, the decline of the villa began when ownership passed to a Swiss company in the late 1950s, and it has lain empty and disused for many years. In recent years it was declared a National Monument, but despite being put up for sale there appears little sign of a buyer.
I'm not really happy with the photos as I only realised when we got to Italy that I had left my tripod head at home and the majority look like they were taken with a potato
but hey ho, here are a few of the least bad photatoes.
